What Americans see for 2007 an AP poll....

[Jillieann Rose]

This is very interesting and I'd like to add my two cent here.
Got this from http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/072606Z.shtml

Religious Left Gears Up to Face Right Counterpart
    By Thomas Ferraro
    Reuters

    Tuesday 25 July 2006

    Washington - The religious right, which helped re-elect President Bush in 2004 by rallying opposition to abortion and gay marriage, is now facing a pushback from the religious left.

    With a faith-based agenda of their own, liberal and progressive clergy from various denominations are lobbying lawmakers, holding rallies and publicizing their positions. They want to end the Iraq war, ease global warming, combat poverty, raise the minimum wage, revamp immigration laws, and prevent "immoral" cuts in federal social programs.

    Some, like the Rev. Robin Meyers of the United Church of Christ in Oklahoma, marry gay couples and seek to reduce abortions while rejecting calls by the right to outlaw them.

    "I join the ranks of those who are angry because I have watched as the faith I love has been taken over by fundamentalists who claim to speak for Jesus but whose actions are anything but Christian," declared Meyers, who has written a new book, "Why the Christian Right is Wrong.

    According to scholars, the religious left has become its most active since the 1960s when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other clergy - black and white - were key figures in the civil-rights and anti-Vietnam war movements.

That is only a small part of the article dealing with what is called the "Religious Left" and I also believe there is a third group that is could be called "Religious" that is neither left or right.

So I'd have to agree with Kristi.
Come on we are all different as TG people too. We hate it when others, especially outsiders, label us.

JR and Jillieann

[Hazumu]

Here is a good analysis of two points on the religious liberal/conservative spectrum.

Article

In Strict Parent Christianity, God is a moral authority, and the role of human beings is to obey his strict commandments. The way you learn to obey is by being punished for not obeying and by developing the self-discipline to obey through self-denial.

In Nurturant Parent Christianity, God is a nurturer and the proper relationship to God is to accept his nurturance (grace) and follow Christ's example of how to act nurturantly to others. There are no strict rules; rather one must develop empathy and learn to act compassionately for the benefit of others, whatever that might require. You learn to become nurturant through receiving nurturance, through accepting the pleasures of nurturance, developing, growing, and following the example of the ultimate nurturer (Christ).

Karen

[Suzy]

Interesting article, Karen!

My personal reaction:  I'm not sure I can totally agree with this statement:  "My guess is that what makes conservative Christians conservative is that they interpret their religion as requiring a Strict Father model of the family and Strict Father morality."  And the section "Can You Be a Born-Again Christian and Not a Conservative?"  really raises my eyebrows.  Clearly the author, George Lakoff has his own theology he wishes to articulate.  And in many ways I like it.  But in so doing, he unfairly characterizes classic Christian theology.  I think he could get to his end point in a more coherent and honest way...my opinion.

But, all of that being said, this is just one more example of how some separate theology and politics.  Thanks for food for thought.

Love,
Kristi