Falwell Says Kerry Did Not Meet Criteria For Christian Voters

• Originally published in The Frontrunner November 29, 2004 Monday

Copyright 2004 Bulletin News Network, Inc.

Rev. Jerry Falwell said on NBC's Meet the Press (11/28), ?I vote Christian. And I believe that is pro-life, pro-family, pro- Israel, strong national defense, faith-based initiatives for the poor, et cetera. And George Bush fits the criteria for all of them. John Kerry met little or none of those criteria.'

Wallis Says God Is Not Democrat Or Republican.

Rev. Jim Wallis said on NBC's Meet the Press (11/28), ?Christians voted both ways in this election. God is not a Republican or a Democrat; that should be obvious. ? I think the Democrats are often uncomfortable talking about faith and values, when it's even about their agenda. The Republicans want to narrow, though, or restrict values to one or two issues -- important ones, but one or two. I think the Democrats have to recover their heart and soul. Republicans need a broader and deeper agenda about values.'

Sharpton Says Christians Can't Impose Beliefs On Others.

Rev. Al Sharpton said on NBC's Meet the Press (11/28), ?All of us are talking about whether God is on our side. Are we really on God's side' And are we willing to allow people to make decisions where God gave people the right to make decision' I may agree with Reverend Falwell on many issues. Where I disagree is whether we have the right to impose that agreement on other people. And I think that where a lot of misinformation and a lot of the debate went awry is, we're not talking about whether or not we don't share values. We're talking about whether we have the right to impose what we believe on people that may disagree with us.'

Professor Says Democrats Haven't Lost The Evangelical Vote.

David C. Steinmetz, the Amos Ragan Kearns professor of the history of Christianity at the Divinity School of Duke University, writes in the Houston Chronicle (11/28) ?At least 22 percent of self-identified evangelicals voted for John Kerry, a number buoyed by black evangelicals, who vote overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates. Unfortunately for Kerry, evangelical support for Democrats has eroded since 2000, even among blacks and Hispanics, but especially among evangelicals for whom abortion and gay marriage trump all other considerations. However, this electoral setback is no reason for Democrats to walk away from a tough debate over values. People who love the Bible know that it has hard things to say about anyone who fails to take care of the poor and powerless. Democrats believe that at their best they are a party that does precisely that ? protects people who cannot protect themselves. It is certainly a starting point for a values conversation with evangelicals. Will it work' Probably not dramatically. But in politics, little gains are important.'