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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Friday, November 04, 2005

Quote of the day

From an AP article on the AP/Ipsos poll.

Four in five Republicans still back the president.

"I think he's done a wonderful job," said Gloria Bloecher, a Republican from Sherman, Texas. "He's done wonderful things for the economy. He rescued people who needed help in Iraq — it was the Christian thing to do. I still trust his people and the people he picks for the Supreme Court."

So many, many things wrong here. But, if I get one question, I'd ask Ms. Bloecher , "Can you describe to me exactly how the Iraq war was the 'Christian thing to do?'" Okay, two questions: "Can you show me in the bible exactly where Jesus supports shock and awe bombing, or secret gulags, or....?" I don't even know how to continue.

But needless to say, Bush still polls very well among the delusional Christian demographic. It's his base after all.

2 Comments:

  • Matt, if I read the second half of your comment right, I think you hit on something pretty big.

    I also have to draw on a personal belief that a certain portion of those down in the ranks of the Christian Right are there because they are comforted by the certainty of the structure.

    One of the reasons they are drawn to the social structure of their church and ideology is that they feel comfort in the hierarchical certainty of it and in the black and white moral certainty it affords.

    And, in that, I think that you are right, that a certain percentage will practically never separate from this structure because it would endanger their self identity.

    I think this is somewhat in the vein of what you are saying, Matt. Correct me if I'm wrong.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 8:35 AM  

  • I think you've really come to something here. It explains several questions I've had for awhile.

    1. How can the Christian vote be so mobilized and unified in supporting and defending policies that go against the basic tenets of the group? Again, how does a Christian defend torture? But they do.

    2. How can this group vote against their own interest? I know a guy who has gone bankrupt, has no healthcare, and has had a heart attack and two strokes. He is currently borrowing from his son, who can't afford it, to get by. And yet when I asked him, he was avidly pro bush because, "he was a moral man."

    3. How can such a dominant majority religion like Christianity perceive itself to be under seige? I think what we're getting at here is that their perception of being under seige from us "secular humanists" is actually a manifestation of the threat of intellectual liberalism dislodging their world view.

    I was never satisfied with the "they're just stupid" analysis. Down here in Texas, there are a lot of intelligent, normally well reasoned people who vote/support this bloc. And yet, under questioning, even when their logical arguments break down, they maintain the pro bush, pro war, anti gay marriage line.

    These people may act illogically, but they certainly aren't all just stupid.

    Thanks for this back and forth, this has been really good for me.

    Mike

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 10:04 AM  

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