Meet the Evangelical Pastor and Liberty University Alum Who’s Feeling the Bern

[Catherina]

Meet the Evangelical Pastor and Liberty University Alum Who’s Feeling the Bern
By Elaine Godfrey

...
What was your reaction?

When I posted the first sermon, I woke up to find that a quarter of a million people had listened to it. I was absolutely floored. So I spent most of that next day reading the comments and trying to understand what people’s reception of it was. The first and biggest message I heard people saying was, “Finally, somebody’s saying it.” People were saying, “We need more of this.”

So I’ve begun that. Yesterday I posted a message on immigration, and I intend to post messages on climate change and also poverty and warfare, and I’m also going to conclude with a sermon on homosexuality and a sermon on abortion.

I’ve actually seen very little backlash, to be honest, but the waves of dissent and vitriol are still ahead, and they’ll come as soon as I complete the series.

...

You mentioned that a lot of Liberty students and graduates have reached out to you. Do you think a lot of people agree with you at Liberty University?

I would say it’s just beneath the majority. That should shock you, but it is. I can’t tell you how many messages I’ve gotten. People will just say, “I’m a Liberty student, and thank you.” Two kinds of messages are becoming increasingly common, from formerly religious people who are writing to ask questions and from Liberty students, from all over the world. A lot of them are writing and saying, “Okay, that was meaningful. Let me ask you some questions.”

...

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/09/meet-the-liberty-alum-whos-feeling-the-bern.html?mid=twitter-share-di

[jberryhill]

1. I've met a lot of people named "Jim", does he have a last name?

[MisterP]

2. that's often how it works: they pile up a bunch of Biblicisms on inquity and earned retribution,

and then carefully "juke" and tie it to whatever the preacher dislikes at the moment, from dancing and race-mixing in the 50s to gays and abortion and war since the 90s; they even plumped up capitalism in the 70s, can you imagine!

but now people can separate the Scriptural chocolate from the fundie shell

[sabrina 1]

3. If no other speech Bernie has given demonstrated how powerful his words are, because

they are TRUTHFUL, his speech at LU did that. And it looks like it has had far reaching effects.

For so long we were encouraged to be divided. Bernie wants to unite people, and he's doing a fantastic job so far.


Even decent Repubs, I know we're not supposed to acknowledge that there are decent people who are not part of 'our team', are impressed by his honesty.

[Catherina]

5. +1000 n/t

[Segami]

9. +1.....

[Uncle Joe]

11. I totally agree, sabrina.

[moobu2]

4. Oh Jim worked on the Bush campaign in 2004, and now you’re supporting Bernie Sanders.

now it makes more sense.

[sabrina 1]

12. So you don't think people can evolve?

Okay. I do think think people can be persuaded to rethink their positions and clearly Jim has done that, as he so carefully explained. I appreciate when people explain how they came to evolve on issues. It shows how persuasive Sanders was in that speech that he was able to cause someone like Jim, who as you point out, once supported Bush.

What I can't accept is that people who are in elected office haven't evolved BEFORE they accept the responsibilit of representing the people of the US, cast votes that harm the people and don't evolve until years later, AFTER it is way too late for the victims of those decisions.

Jim is not in a position to affect the lives of millions of people, is he?

But I have been told that it is laudable to 'evolve' on certain issues, the Iraq War eg. Is that no longer the case then?

[artislife]

13. Well, both spoke scripture

One just lives it.

And Jim finally saw it.

Epiphany, look it up. It is a religious experience.

[WillyT]

6. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[magical thyme]

7. big K&R nt

[LWolf]

8. K & R

[Uncle Joe]

10. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Catherina.

[artislife]

14. Thanks for bringing us the follow up. nt