The Religious Left

La Shawn Barber is writing about attempts being made by the left to appear more religious. Incidentally thats what we are talking about here appearing more religious. We aren't talking about being more religious, only dressing up their previous arguments in the proper pseudo-christian rhetorical tone. Its a bad idea so I hope they do it.

One thing the left needs to realize is that fundamentally, it isn't about what you say. Its about what you do and how that is a reflection of who you are. John Kerry was a Massachusetts Liberal and wishy washy Christian. Trying to run him as an enlightened moderate and a devout Catholic didn't work. He isn't so don't bother.

In contrast Bush is man with deep conservative religious convictions and foreign policy, but a fairly moderate view of the role of government in society. This is obvious to anyone who has been paying attention over the last few years and it is how he ran his campaign. He won oddly enough.

The Democrats seem to believe that the reds are ignorant feebs who will follow anyone who parrots the right tone. This has been exemplified by their entire southern campaign strategy since Dukakis. Put the Northern Liberal on a campaign platform that looks like the set of Hee-Haw and the votes will follow. It doesn't work. People are smarter than that.

Or to couch my rhetoric in Christian tones, I have read the Book of James. James says that faith without works is dead. How could it say this if salvation is by faith alone? It says this because if you actually have faith (instead of just saying you do) it will show up in your actions. If you lack the faith to act on your convictions, then you have no faith at all. To quote a different verse "you can judge a tree by its fruit." Folks we can look at your deeds and judge your faith by them. This is why no white Christian has any spiritual respect for Jesse Jackson. I'll listen to him politic and might respect him as a minority leader, but I couldn't give a good goddamn about his theology and I won't pay a cent to his "ministry".

What the Democrats need to do is actually run candidates that exemplify those values. I haven't seen them put someone forward yet, but I will concede that it is possible.