http://finance.yahoo.com/news/america-most-liberal-presidential-candidate-153100112.html
US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) is asking young religious conservatives to forget about their opposition to gay marriage and abortion and focus on income inequality.
In an occasionally tense event Monday, Sanders took his stump speech, which has helped him surge in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, to Liberty University, a Christian school that's a hub for conservative politics.
The school was founded by controversial pastor Jerry Falwell, who is largely credited with using social issues to galvanize the religious right.
US Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) launched his presidential campaign with a speech at the university. Sanders is the first Democratic candidate in the 2016 cycle to speak at Liberty University, which invites all presidential candidates to address its students.
On Monday, before launching into his standard speech about inequality and injustice that has galvanized huge crowds across the country, Sanders said religious voters should not tune out his message simply because he holds different positions on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage.
"I understand that issues such as abortion and gay marriage are very important to you and that we disagree on those issues. I get that," Sanders said, according to prepared remarks. "But let me respectfully suggest that there are other issues out there that are of enormous consequence to our country and the world and that maybe, just maybe, we don't disagree on them. And maybe, just maybe, we can work together in trying to resolve them."
The event was occasionally tense.
When the Liberty University moderator talked about his opposition to abortion, he received a standing ovation. For his part, Sanders took it in stride.
"I don't want to be too provocative here, but very often conservatives say, 'Get the government out of my life,'" Sanders responded.
"I respect absolutely a family that says, 'No, we are not going to have an abortion.' I understand that. But I would hope that other people respect the very painful and difficult choice that many women feel they have to make, and don't want the government telling them what they have to do," he added.
Requesting that the audience "put this in the context of the Bible," the self-described Democratic socialist repeatedly acknowledged the differences between his political views and those of his audience.
"I believe that it is important for those with different views in our country to engage in civil discourse — not just to shout at each other or make fun of each other," Sanders said, according to the prepared remarks. "It is very easy for those in politics to talk to those who agree with us. I do that every day. It is harder, but not less important, to try to communicate with those who do not agree with us."
Some students at Liberty, who were required to attend Monday's speech as part of a weekly convocation, seemed to think Sanders' strategy of setting social issues aside could help the senator win over the conservative crowd. One student told Business Insider that Sanders' opinions about the income inequality could resonate with some in the audience.
"There's an appetite for a certain aspect of Sanders' message. The overall tone may not be a huge hit here, but if he talks about justice reform, that will probably get large applause. Liberty is very justice-centered," the student said.
But it's unclear if conservative religious voters could look past Sanders' views on social issues. Evangelical voters still vehemently oppose abortion to an overwhelming degree, and religious voters have been rallying around Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, who was briefly jailed earlier this month after her refusal to issue same-sex marriage licenses in Kentucky.
Sanders tailored his speech to fit the crowd, focusing on moral and family issues. Sanders' call for 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for a new child, for example, received slightly warmer applause from the audience.
The student who spoke to Business Insider noted that the audience wouldn't respond well to Sanders' positions on social issues if he made it a major theme of his speech.
"If he talks about gay marriage and abortion more than what was in the excerpt, then he'll lose the majority of the crowd very quickly," the student added.
I just wish that politicians would not all assume that all evangelicals are conservative. This is a stereotype that seems common. I'm guessing this is also one reason why the atheist crowd thinks religious people are hypocrites, because conservative "values" are often the most selfish, while religions tend to promote thinking of others.
Originally posted by SuzianneEvidently Bernie Sanders wasn't wrong to assume that the vast majority if not all his audience at Liberty University are conservative. He just did his homework and understood his audience at LU before speaking - unlike you.
I just wish that politicians would not all assume that all evangelicals are conservative. This is a stereotype that seems common. I'm guessing this is also one reason why the atheist crowd thinks religious people are hypocrites, because conservative "values" are often the most selfish, while religions tend to promote thinking of others.
Liberty University was founded with the mission of “Training Champions for Christ”—aiming to produce graduates with the values, knowledge, and skills required to impact the world.
Founded by Reverend Jerry Falwell, Liberty commits to a curriculum based upon biblical truth, and is strongly affiliated with the Baptist Church. All students are required to attend chapel a minimum of three times weekly.
Students at Liberty are known for their fiscally and socially conservative views.
http://www.thebestschools.org/rankings/20-best-conservative-colleges-america/
The post that was quoted here has been removedTo both you and ToO, is it reasonable to believe that ALL evangelicals are conservative? Not just those at Liberty University? What assumptions. Who said I was even speaking specifically of Bernie Sanders? There seems to be a lot of erroneous smelling blood in the water tonight.
I was speaking of a widespread stereotype. Since I am a liberal evangelical, this stereotype makes no sense to me at all. I've listened to a lot of these stereotypical conservative evangelicals lately, and not many of them seem all that close to what Jesus actually preached.
Originally posted by whodeyTwo things Kudos to Sanders for speaking to people who the common thought was did
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/america-most-liberal-presidential-candidate-153100112.html
US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) is asking young religious conservatives to forget about their opposition to gay marriage and abortion and focus on income inequality.
In an occasionally tense event Monday, Sanders took his stump speech, which has helped him surge ...[text shortened]... was in the excerpt, then he'll lose the majority of the crowd very quickly," the student added.
disagree with him, and Kudos to the students who were respectful to someone who came
that disagreed with them.
You don't see that in many Universities now days, they cannot handle views that are
not what they promote.
Originally posted by SuzianneWell you were reacting to an article about Bernie Saunders that said he was asking young religious conservatives at Liberty University, which is a Christian school that is a hub for conservative politics. And you said "I just wish that politicians would not all assume that all evangelicals are conservative." Why would anyone think that you were not referring to Bernie Sanders?
Who said I was even speaking specifically of Bernie Sanders?
Originally posted by SuzianneIf you are aware that most American evangelicals are conservative, and if, as you say, you've "listened to a lot of these stereotypical conservative evangelicals lately" and even choose to call them "stereotypical" yourself, how can you then claim that the "stereotype makes no sense"?
Since I am a liberal evangelical, this stereotype makes no sense to me at all. I've listened to a lot of these stereotypical conservative evangelicals lately, and not many of them seem all that close to what Jesus actually preached.
Originally posted by SuzianneThe church that Barak Obama came from has its roots in Black Liberation Theology, which is left winged Christianity.
I just wish that politicians would not all assume that all evangelicals are conservative. This is a stereotype that seems common. I'm guessing this is also one reason why the atheist crowd thinks religious people are hypocrites, because conservative "values" are often the most selfish, while religions tend to promote thinking of others.
In a nut shell, they want the state to take away economic freedom from people so that they don't have the option of being greedy.
After all, human free will allows for sinful nature, so I guess if you take away their freedoms you reduce their sinful acts on some level.
Essentially they have reduced the gospel to one of state redistribution. I think even Karl Marx would be considered a saint in their church even though he was an adamant atheist.
Originally posted by FMFChristians will be stereotypical by the left just so long as they continue to vote for people who are not left winged. If and when they start electing demagogues like Bernie, then they will be part of the new PC crowd that you are not allowed to speak ill of.
If you are aware that most American evangelicals are conservative, and if, as you say, you've "listened to a lot of these stereotypical conservative evangelicals lately" and even choose to call them "stereotypical" yourself, how can you then claim that the "stereotype makes no sense"?
Originally posted by whodeyPeople, by and large, are not sinful by nature. They are sinful because their social and economic systems actively reward such behavior.
The church that Barak Obama came from has its roots in Black Liberation Theology, which is left winged Christianity.
In a nut shell, they want the state to take away economic freedom from people so that they don't have the option of being greedy.
After all, human free will allows for sinful nature, so I guess if you take away their freedoms you reduce ...[text shortened]... ven Karl Marx would be considered a saint in their church even though he was an adamant atheist.
Originally posted by rwingettEver ask an "innocent" child where the cookie in the cookie jar went?
People, by and large, are not sinful by nature. They are sinful because their social and economic systems actively reward such behavior.
They will lie their arse off with chocalate chip smeared all over their face.
I know, cause it was me. 😛
Originally posted by KellyJayI concur.
Two things Kudos to Sanders for speaking to people who the common thought was did
disagree with him, and Kudos to the students who were respectful to someone who came
that disagreed with them.
You don't see that in many Universities now days, they cannot handle views that are
not what they promote.
Christians must do better than they do on secular college campuses where they protest views opposite to their own by yelling obscenities and not allowing them to speak.
And they have! 😵