Judge this brilliant idea

[stanwyck]

Liberal religious advertising. I'm a lapsed Presbyterian. I believe Jesus existed and was a self-fulfilled man like many other prophets of other religions. Just my background. Now, what if liberals wrote public service announcements promoting the liberals values of Christianity? Like the hundreds of references in The Bible to protecting the earth and being good stewards of the land? Or Jesus' parables on protecting the poor? Or turning swords into ploughshares? Or how the truly blessed are the peacemakers? Why not take Christianity back from the fundies? Why not reminders to people that Christianity is not about denying women and gays civil liberties or invading countries for corporate wealth....I think it's time Christians reclaimed their religion. It's been distorted by the right as a propaganda tool for decades.
Tell me what you think.

[BernieBear]

1. Great Idea

We tend to be more cerebral and thus we discuss ideas and concepts. The fundies and repugs don't understand that. they have to be talked to differently. they have to be shown because they are less abstract thinkers. But we don't need to explain that part to them. They "label" and right now the label of "liberal" conjurs up some bleeding heart, godless, amoral, intelligentsia

They just want to be good ole boys.

[jayde]

2. Agreed

I really have to agree even though I don't follow Christianity. If anyone wants to follow a religion, it's always a good idea to follow it all and not just what they want to follow (or want to read into things for that matter). I'm sure they feel that their views are the 'right ones' so it may be a good time for them to be reminded about what Christianity is truly about.

[nofanofbush]

3. That's a...

great idea.

[Eric J in MN]

4. Good idea. There was a little of this a couple of years ago.

An anti-SUV ad by liberal-religous group.

But it sounds like you could do more.

[Doohickie]

12. I vaguely remember that: WWJD?

What Would Jesus Drive?

He would drive a 1995 red Ford Aspire with 107,000 miles... except he can't, cuz it's mine.

[Eric J in MN]

5. Also, if you create these ads for the internet,

then those of us with websites or who email people could spread links, and it wouldn't take millions of dollars.

[Doohickie]

6. The Methodists have already aired some excellent ads

Despite Bush's membership, the United Methodist Church is pretty moderate and socially conscious.

I am a Presbyterian & recovering Catholic. Come January I will be an elder in my PCUSA congregation. I think we need to get the other Good News out there.

By the way, have you ever checked out http://www.ship-of-fools.com? Sponsored mostly by the Methodist Church of England; a pretty good moderate Christian discussion board.

[RevCheesehead]

9. Oh, my no, the UMC is NOT pretty moderate!!

United Methodists reflect the ethos of this nation. We are deeply divided, and the conservative movement is gaining ground - mostly because of the strength in numbers of the southern churches.

United Methodist congregations tend to reflect the culture around them: if there are a lot of Baptists in the area, Methodists tend to be "Bapto-Methodist." Here in WI, the congregations are a bit closer to Lutherans and Catholics.

We have had internal arguments over the last 12 years over homosexuality. The best we've managed so far is a draw: "Homosexuality is incompatable with Christian teaching. But homosexuals are individuals of sacred worth and stand equally before God." We will welcome gays and lesbians into our churches, but will not allow them to be married, or have "blessing" ceremonies.

Like a gay church member said to me, "your church (because it really isn't mine) is willing to baptize me and bury me and take my money; but they really don't want me there." And he's right.

Even though the conservatives won a big debate on not allowing gay clergy this past year, these SAME PEOPLE were talking about an "amicable separation," since it is clear that we will never come to agreement on certain issues.

Don't get me wrong: there ARE plenty of progressive UM's (people like me!), but if ANY church were to do anything like the original poster proposed, the proverbial shit would hit the fan.

We are united in name only. And, unfortunately, ONLY the General Conference of the UMC can speak on behalf of the UMC. The rest of us muddle along as best we can.

[Doohickie]

10. Much of my UMC experience is here in Texas, and they are, in my...

...experience far, far more moderate than the Baptists around here.

Look at it this way: Can you imagine even having a debate about homosexuality in the Southern Baptist Convention?? I didn't think so.

The fact that your denomination is even wrestling with this issue is a reason for optimism. Presbyterian Church USA is similarly conflicted, by the way: Presbyterian clergy can bless gay unions, but people in openly homosexual relationships cannot hold leadership positions because they are viewed as "unrepentent sinners". The Presbyterian Church is well aware of this conflict, but neither side will budge enough to allow a realignment of the two policies.

To be honest, when I look at the prooftexts people cite from the Bible, I see interpretations that can range from strongly against to slightly in favor of homosexuality. However, the overall message of the Gospel is one of love for others, leaving judgment to God. For my overall philosophy as a Christian, I try to uphold myself to the highest possible conduct and behavior, but try to extend charity (in all senses of the word) to those around me. I think Romans Chapter 12 addresses this outlook pretty well.

[RevCheesehead]

14. Thank you for giving me another perspective!

It really gets discouraging when it seems like the ultra-conservatives are trying to take over every chance they get. I get paranoid when I see the "Good News" movement encroaching in WI - they're also known as "The Confessing Movement."

I will ponder what you say.

[ogsball]

16. Our church ran the add with this sexy woman's voice

like she's reading a note about how much she had missed seeing you (there's this romantic water fall scene with a bench for two) as this woman goes on about wanting to be near and get to know you again. Then the note ends with the sign off "God."

I got about twenty calls that week from people angry that we used a woman's voice as God. I only got five calls when they used a black man's voice for God.

I don't think anyone came to church because of those adds but I enjoyed running them.

[zeek]

7. Good idea, maybe too late

Jesus was liberal. That is a fact. The problem is the pubs have already taken the christian vote because we haven't included it in our message.

Most evangelical christians actually believe Jesus was pro-war, anti-welfare and pro-death penalty. Those things couldn't be further from the truth, but the pubs grabbed the christians attention by being willing to talk about religion and once they identified with them, they pushed the rest of thier one sided republican views on them. Twenty years ago christians were not conservative in terms of political issues.

[Taxloss]

8. Brilliant idea.

I speak as a lapsed Anglican (low church). It just has to be a reading of "The Sermon on the Mount" set to appropriate images:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit" against the homeless, the hungry, the struggling welfare families?

"Blessed are those who mourn" against the bereaved 911 families and the bereaved of Iraq? Both Iraqi civilian and coalition troops?

"Blessed are the meek" against images of the quiet worldwide landslide that has built up against Bush? The candlelight vigils for the American dead in other countries? The terrific global sympathy and respect the USA had after 911, but Bush squandered?

"Blessed are the peacemakers"? I see inspiring pictures of blue helmets, the general assembly rising as one ... of the true uniters.

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
Blessed are the merciful
Blessed are the pure in heart
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake"

Jesus was the liberal's liberal. He is a liberal icon. Sadly, St Paul twisted a lot of his stuff into a tonne of RW crap and a bunch of Greek bishops decided in the 3rd century that the Gospels had to be shackled to all the bollocks in the Old Testament. The rest is (long, bloody and sad) history.

[Fleurs du Mal]

11. If you are a Christian...

you should certainly be towing this line. The current loud mouths representing you I would find most embarrassing if I were a Christian.

[Doohickie]

13. Agreed. However,

If we protest against them too vigorously, we become what they are: a bunch of loud mouths.

I have been fighting this online since shortly after 9/11 on a website called http://www.belief.net. I have over 12,000 posts over there since 9/11.

Sometimes, though, you just get tired of fighting the fundies.

[ogsball]

15. Like my bumper sticker that says

Don't you think when Jesus said "Love your enemy"
he probably meant not to kill them?

Some fundie cornered my wife a couple of weeks ago and started arguing with her about the bumper sticker. She just told him that her husband was a pastor and that he says lots of things people don't believe.

[stanwyck]

17. Thanks to all of you

and, George Soros, if you're reading, we need some money for our new ad campaign.