Young Evangelicals
May 12, 2008 by Rett Hatcher
Interesting considering the source (Huff Post)…
Polls have shown that young Christians aren’t any less concerned about the “family values” issues that have traditionally driven Christians to the Republican camp. (In fact, a study by the Barna Group, an evangelical polling organization, shows young Christians are actually more conservative on abortion than their elders.) It’s just that they’re also concerned about issues such as social justice and immigration, issues traditionally associated with Democrats.
Judy Naegeli, 25, who works at a Christian philanthropy, says easy access to information about the world via social-networking sites, YouTube and blogs is the reason her generation is more concerned with social justice.
“It’s changed our perspective. … Each generation chooses their cause, and ours is AIDs in Africa, or poverty or social justice,” she said.
Tyler Braun, 23, a Portland seminary student who opposes abortion and gay rights, said he’ll probably vote for Obama because, since he’d would like to see U.S. troops leave Iraq.
Anika Smith, 23, who works for a think tank in Seattle, said she’s concerned with the same issues, but she plans to vote for McCain:
“I’m worried about the war and the economy and social-justice issues. But, the abortion issue is still nonnegotiable.”
Nathan Johnson, the executive director of the King County Republican Party, says he is skeptical that young, socially conservative Christians will desert the GOP this fall.
He agrees young Christians appear to be looking beyond the two or three issues — abortion, gay rights, stem-cell research — that have made Christian voters loyal in the past. “But that doesn’t mean they’re no longer Republican.
“Once the primary is over, and we get into a head-to-head contest, Obama’s voting record will come to light,” said Johnson, 24. “Then there will be a lot of young conservative voters who won’t be able to tolerate what he’s stood for in terms of abortion and other socially conservative values.”
Young evangelicals are more of a swing constituency than they’ve been for decades, said Andy Crouch, an editor at Christianity Today, a national evangelical magazine.
“This could turn out to be the election where both parties realize that the evangelical vote is so hopelessly split down the middle that it’s not worth courting them at all because what parties need are blocs that can be appealed to en masse,” Crouch said. “Paradoxically, evangelicals would become less relevant than ever before.”
Braun, the seminary student, said he’s not totally committed to any candidate yet.
“I just keep thinking, if Jesus were alive now, he wouldn’t necessarily be voting Republican,” he said.
I think Huff Post is making this out to be more than it really is…Having said that…Every election cycle Abortion should be top 3 issue…Iraq, Immigration, Abortion….Iraq, Economy, Abortion…Immigration, Economy, Abortion…Economy, Health Insurance, Abortion…Whatever the mix, Abortion should be in the top three…Abortion is a top issue for a couple of reasons…
- Abortion is a moral issue. You are either for it or you are against it. The people that go door to door and the volunteers that made the difference for the Bush election machine were the ones driven by the plight of the unborn. That is the #1 reason for me blogging, volunteering for Mike Huckabee, taking time from my family. This is more than an issue, it is a cause.
- Abortion an issue where Republicans are “right” and Democrats are “wrong”. Over the last 10-20 years there has been a shift. More people are Pro-Life now than ever before. One of the few issues where we are gaining ground. We have to press the issue because we hold the moral high ground, and that is always a good place to be.
