hoisted by their own...
2009-02-15 16:01:44.178226+00 by
Dan Lyke
4 comments
Formerly self-described leaders of the "Religious Right" object to the negative connotations of the label:
"There is an ongoing battle for the vocabulary of our debate," said Gary Bauer, president of American Values. "It amazes me how often in public discourse really pejorative phrases are used, like the 'American Taliban,' 'fundamentalists,' 'Christian fascists,' and 'extreme Religious Right.' "
Jerry Falwell, cofounder of the Moral Majority, self-applied the Religious Right label until it started taking a more negative connotation, according to John Green, senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Did the Bible say something about "reaping what you sow"? I forget now.
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comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2009-02-15 16:29:09.970989+00 by:
Larry Burton
It was either the Bible, Poor Richard's Almanac or Shakespeare. ;) Actually you find that in Galatians chapter 6. It's very appropriate here.
However, I find that demonizing labels seems to be something humans, in general, are pretty good at doing. The "religious right" may cry foul when the terms they use to describe themselves suddenly are used in a negative context but it didn't seem to bother them when the term "liberal" was turned into the "L" word.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-02-15 17:49:43.025369+00 by:
Mark A. Hershberger
"Mennonites and Amish are religious conservatives," Martin said. "They are pietistic people, but they're not involved politically."
So, when some local Amish met with GWB during the 2004 election, that wasn't political? Or how about my ardently pacifist Mennonite neighbors?
#Comment Re: made: 2009-02-15 19:04:29.220702+00 by:
TheSHAD0W
As a classical liberal, it does annoy me when the term is used as a perjorative. "Liberal" is supposed to mean "for liberty", and rich people deserve that liberty too. I tend to correct people and tell them to use "socialist" instead.
#Comment Re: made: 2009-02-15 19:15:44.777594+00 by:
TheSHAD0W
Mmm, and let me carry this a little further. The socialists who adopted the term "liberal" did so because they considered it to be a positive term. Also the corporations who adopted "capitalism", when their operation is diverging more and more from laissez-faire capitalism.
The situation is different with Falwell, since he created the term for himself. I'm not sure why Bauer is objecting to the term "fundamentalist", since it's completely accurate.