A younger generation of evangelical Christians is coming of age — and as they head to the polls, they are breaking from their parents and focusing on a broader range of issues than just abortion and gay marriage.
This weekend at a concert and a rally in New York City, a huge gathering of Christian youth came together to decry the coarsening of culture.
“What should be done to stop glamorizing the things that are destroying my friends, your friends — like drugs, alcohol and sex?” cried a young evangelical.
The top three issues these young evangelical Christians said they most want the presidential candidates to address are Internet pornography, media glamorization of sex and drugs, and children orphaned by AIDS. Abortion and gay marriage were not at the top of their lis
If true, a reason to add more economics to the home schooling stuff. Hard to be a lefty if you have a grasp of econ.
What they really care about is “Internet pornography, media glamorization of sex and drugs, and children orphaned by AIDS.”
Good thing abortion and sodomy have nothing to do with sex, pornography, or aids!
zheeeeesh!
this is actually positive news
connecting Christianity with one political POV – liberal or conservative – or with any economic worldview has never been healthy for the church.
andrew717 –
it often seems hard to me to be a capitalist – or at least a consumer – when I read Scripture
It seems hard for me to be a Lefty when I have a basic grasp of reality.
Let me clarify: I don’t beleive Christ calls us to usher in universal poverty though idioitic Leftist policies. Equality of misery isn’t a positive outcome, at least to me. I understand some differ, and you are free to hold that view. I just pray that such folks don’t get power and screw things up for everyone.
andrew717, I suspect we could agree that Jesus Christ calls us to not be a conservative or a liberal, a capitalist or a socialist. Jesus calls us:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.
I pray that folks who have power will know that this is the mark of those who follow Jesus.
the rightist policies don’t seem to be doing much for the economy or the well being of regular people. i just pray that such folks get completely out of power soon so that the middle class can now have a chance of survival. i don’t know for sure but somehow i doubt that Christ was either republican or democrat.
Finally. It never has been so that the attacks on Christian virtues and tradition have been restricted to those two issues. Maybe we will get a public understanding that the struggle within the AC has never been focused only on ordination or consecration of practicing homosexuals. That is just the current rush–and we have allowed people to put aside all of the liberal revolution and distortions of the past 30 years in ECUSA.
The story feels manufactured. The issues named, particularly internet pornography and the media’s glamorization of sex, reflect concern about our culture’s me-first attitude toward human sexuality (and its deification of “choice”) and would thus seem to be in much the same vein as issues like abortion and our understanding of marriage. So I’m not sure what makes the group more “liberal,” as the headline proclaims. Sounds like a journalist trying to find conflict where it doesn’t really exist.
May I just say very humbly that the left vs. right, democratic vs. republican, liberal vs. conservative, unyielding stance A vs. unyielding stance B Manichaeism of the currently dominant Baby Boom generation holds little appeal to those of us who are younger. Shaped as we are by relatively diminished economic prospects, wholesale erosion of societal institutions, and the dousing (by the normalization of narrow self-interest/self-indulgence) of the essential spark of civitas that illuminates vibrant societies, we tend toward pragamatic (or, at our worst, cynical) evaluations of lofty, totalizing worldviews held by our demographic betters. We frequently see ourselves as young people dealing with squabbling parents headed for divorce who have lost sight of any goal excepting demonizing their opponent and enlisting all and sundry to their side of the argument.
In light of this, the characterization of young evangelicals as moving toward “the left” is likely a misunderstanding and certainly a misnomer, as the categories “right” and “left” are less likely to apply (as currently understood) to younger people, who are less likely to adopt wholesale agendas. For example, there are young evangelicals (and Anglicans, more to the point) who oppose capital punishment (“liberal” position) and oppose abortion-on-demand (“conservative” position) as part of what they view as a consistent “pro-life” position.
It is quite likely that the dichotomy implied by the reporter who wrote this article (and some of the commentators here) do not fully apply to the subject he is discussing, so I’d urge caution in reading more into this supposed “move to the left” than is actually there.
Absolutely right, William (#10). At least that is how I sense things developing, also.
#10 makes good points. But I’m not so sure it’s a clean generational distinction, either. At 45, I’d say I largely agree with the mix of issues and positions in the article and in these comments. I’m a fairly conservative Republican, but I don’t march in lock-step on all issues. Also, remember that Dobson has been harping on pornography and culture for decades now; it’s a caricature to say that the previous two generations only cared about two issues.
The article doesn’t say, but I’m guessing this was the Ron Luce Teen Mania “BattleCry” event, which I had meant to bring my teens to, but I forgot to put it on the calendar!!! 🙁 Those are the central themes of that ministry – “Let you voice be heard!” – and so interviewing attendees outside of the event will give you a rather skewed reponse. That’s what the kids’ top concerns are, because that’s what they’ve been talking about for two days.
But Obama??? Hey, they may have a good grasp of what’s right and wrong, but they are still teenagers after all!!! 😉
#12-
I’m in my late twenties and know lots of evangelicals my age who are going to vote for Obama. Your comment is, at the least, condescending…
#10 – agreed that many people under 30 don’t like labels and don’t appreciate being put into categories. Again, many evangelicals my age have no problems with same-sex civil unions but are anti-abortion all the way.
Charles, I apologize for your judgmental misinterpretation of my post. 😉 I sincerely did not mean to give you reason to think me condescending. This time, however, I am trying my best. 🙂 In furtherance of said goal, I would point out that the article was about teens/youth, and as a late twentysomething, you’re not in that class; so why take offense? 😉
But seriously… I reacted to the opinion offered in the article that one can be in favor of somebody who advocates against one’s core beliefs. I find that strange, and yes, immature. Not surprising for teenagers, many of whom have not put much thought into these things; I recognize there are also some who are very thoughtful and deliberate in their decisions.
So, rather than dismissing my comments, I’d encourage you to explain WHY you think lots of evangelicals your age will vote for Obama. As far as I can tell, he is relatively inexperienced, has not demonstrated high-level executive skills, and has taken precious few stands on any substantive issues; perhaps the war and abortion being the only two examples I am aware of. I have heard the term “empty suit” applied to him, and I haven’t seen reason to disagree. When I’ve heard his supporters explain their support, it generally boils down to “change” – whatever that means – and “charisma”. In the interests of disclosure, I would say that I’m not too excited about any of the other major candidates, either; so I’m not putting him down just to build up “my” candidate.
Well that’s the puzzling thing, really – why would young evangelicals vote for someone who is firmly pro-abortion? Or is the protection of the really young no longer so important to the young?
# 15 – because “young evangelicals” denotes a particular demographic, not a clearly thought out, mature persepctive on social issues informed by commitment to the truth of the Scriptures and the Christian tradition of ethical and politcal reasoning (where will you find that?).
#16 – perhaps #13 and the rest of the demographic should consider that before feeling condescended to when older folks question their political taste 😉
#14 🙂 Thanks for the clarification.
How can one “be in favor of somebody who advocates against one’s core beliefs?” Obama believes that abortion should be legal and on-demand and I disagree with him. In the end, though, what is important to me that there be [b]less abortions[/b]. Bush is pro-life but has not even come close to succeeding in making abortion illegal. I think there would be less abortions under Obama than McCain because of Obama’s underlying economic philosophy.
Why will a lot of evangelicals my age vote for Obama? Change, yes. And change is not a non-answer. Here are some major areas that would change under an Obama administration: the economy (no more tax cuts), health care (though Hiliary’s plan is better), same-sex civil unions, the war/foreign policy, social security, immigration.
#15 – see my comments above. I want the young protected. But I’m over the fact that advocating making abortion illegal is the most effective way to do that. It’s not. I wish it were illegal, but since it’s probably never going to be illegal again in this country, let’s move on and try to reduce the number of abortions.
I would add that most “young evangelicals” have broadened beyond the single-issue voting of abortion and gay-marriage. Like #10 said, they’ve been burned by the partisan politics marked by the 90’s.
They’ve found a Jesus that cared for the poor and out-casts, free-market economics or not.
Charles, maybe I haven’t looked hard enough, but Obama hasn’t convinced me that those changes will happen, and I’m not sure I’d like them all to. This isn’t a political blog, so I WON’T pursue questions about exactly HOW his economic policies would reduce abortion, or the best way to get out of Iraq (I think we *all* want the ends, but the means are an issue), or the extent to which government should be in the healthcare buisness. But I WILL acknowledge that you have given your decision a great deal of thought, and I salute you for that, even if I do not quite yet agree with your conclusions. I stand corrected, you are NOT a confused teenager! 🙂 Thanks for not taking offense, none was meant.
I think if Obama pulls out of Iraq there will be increased blood shed and protracted civil war with Iraqies loyal to differant brands of Islam and cultural values fighting each other with ever escalating violence as sponsors urge them on as has hppened in other areas. I think that now that Iraqies are “signing on” to the US the US is in a good position to help maintain stablity in Iraq. I do not think Obama’s economic policies are will enought expressed to say esactly what the impact of them will be.
andrew 717 – I disagree. I think if you DO have a grasp of econ, you might be a lefty. Keynesianism is still credible. And finally, if you simply extend unemployment insurance for a longer time you will reduce misery, and perhaps allow people to catch up with the business cycle without the disasters that people have by losing their houses and lives. Not all leftists are socialists, but given the way the European economy is booming these days, there seems to be a calibration between market and state intervention that is useful to examine.
Some would say that the Department of Defense is possibly one of the best examples of socialism we’ve got.
what is certainly true is that many young evangelicals are tired of being labeled as judgmental, sheltered, hypocritical, homophobic and self-righteous.
Gordian,
Please do not suggest an affinity for only the GOP or conservative politics equates with a clearly thought out, mature persepctive on social issues informed by commitment to the truth of the Scriptures and the Christian tradition of ethical and politcal reasoning.
TridentineVirginian,
The Repub/Conservative frame on abortion has finally been seen for what it is – a fundraising gimmick and a wedge to drive voters. Both political parties have people with a variety of views on abortion, the death penalty, pre-emptive war and poverty.
Growing up, I was profoundly influenced by The Church at the End of the Twentieth Century by Francis Schaeffer, who a number of scholars credit with helping spark the rise of the Christian Right in the United States.
He spoke out consistently about the inconsistencies of identifying Jesus with the Establishment.
One of Schaeffer’s trademark quotes is just as meaningful now as in 1974:
One of the greatest injustices we do to our young people is to ask them to be conservative. Christianity is not conservative, but revolutionary. To be conservative today is to miss the whole point, for conservatism means standing in the flow of the status quo… If we want to be fair, we must teach the young to be revolutionaries, revolutionaries against the status quo.
John, I think it boils down to what we value. I value freedom.
“what is certainly true is that many young evangelicals are tired of being labeled as judgmental, sheltered, hypocritical, homophobic and self-righteous. ”
And what self-righteous prats do the labelling? If anyone dares disagree with the Leftist thought police we are damned with the above terms. Independent Thought is one of (perhaps THE) greatest sin of the Left. That’s what has led to much of the current troubles in Anglicanism.
I recommend reading the recently published book from Barna Research entitled, [url=http://www.unchristian.com/]”unChristian[/url],” to get a good picture of how the younger generations view the American Church and Christians, and in particular that part of the Church comprising “born-again” or Evangelical Christians. This might answer you question, Andrew (#26).
Andrew717,
The ABC report (and others like it from Pew & CBS) suggest that other folks your age tend to value faith, hope and love.
No reason we can’t value those things and still not hand over our freedoms and ourselves to the allmighty State, bob. For example, I hope the socialists don’t ruin the country and destroy Western civilization & democracy while I’m alive to see it. I hope our Chinese or Islamic Facist overlords will be nice to us once they do. I’d love for the Left to value equality of opportunity more than equality of misery. Though I wish I had more faith that leftists gave a damn for the truth as opposed to their silly, harmful theories. And I have little faith that I’ll get though to you.
andrew717,
your construct of leftist is not simply off-topic, it does not comport with folks like dorothy day, st. francis, world vision – or the historical church, for that matter
watching the bush regime, it is hard to tell which “side” advocates handing over our freedoms and ourselves to the allmighty State
trust me, andrew, i value the equality of opportunity – not as a theory, but in the streets and the slums and the class of people left behind in an age of rising in equality
you’ve made a persuasive case for exceptions to the hope that the Obama & Huckabee campaigns have tapped into – your bittreness actually seems to prove the point
Bob, I’m sorry my lack of your naiveté is seen as lacking “hope.” Hope coupled with blind idealism and ignorance is worse than useless, in my opinion. Only hope coupled with recognition of how the world actualy IS can hope to effect real, positive change. Your manner of “hope” can only effect negative change, change only for the sake of change. You can call me bitter all you want if it makes you feel better, I call myself rational and awake.