The Search for Common Ground

Can evangelicals and liberals come together over abortion, gay rights, and the role of religion in public life?

By Eve Conant | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Oct 10, 2007 | Updated: 4:38  p.m. ET Oct 11, 2007

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  • Posted By: uklviv1 @ 11/21/2007 11:12:04 AM

    The idea of finding a common ground for discussing crucial issues is a very good one.

  • Posted By: uklviv @ 11/21/2007 12:08:59 AM

    People want separation of church and state and that is a very good thing. They want to be free from the government's influence in their churches, yet they complain when the government makes decisions that are contrary to their moral or religious belief system. In some cases they take no action to go against the evil propositions and bills that are being passed in the senate and the courts of each state. As to the issue of evangeevaevange ssteatestaesstatesfsja;dsssssssssssssssssssssssss

  • Posted By: hillaryisahorse @ 11/19/2007 3:31:55 PM

    william belive it or not the bible is not responsable for those acts people are.

  • Posted By: hillaryisahorse @ 11/19/2007 3:30:23 PM

    the awnser is a resounding hell no!

  • Posted By: Jeri Slater @ 11/11/2007 11:15:04 PM

    Hi William, you may find it absurd BUT the United States was founded on the belief of God - Jesus Christ. Unfortunately there are NO GOOD MEN - all have sinned - so your rational is nonsense. So the liberties that you speak of at risk come with a heavy price - AIDS, pornography, grief from a mom killing her baby, emotional pain, etc. I believe in Christ so the Bible is the truth and therefore dictates my moral character and beliefs. I have seen the pain and guilt of a woman who had an abortion and the friend who had to watch his partner die of aids. It is a tragedy.

    • Posted By: William.Demuth @ 11/14/2007 2:59:00 PM

      I suggest you educate yourself to the logic of history and avoid being victimized by religious propaganda. Separation of church and State was the primary driving force behind the advancement of ALL our society, and our departure from it will be our demise. I too have seen the failings of human beings, such as preachers who exploit the old, and prey on the young in the name of your so called God. I have even seen your leaders make wars in the name of their God! If the parasites I see on TV and in the White House who spend their days clouding the minds of the simple represent your God, then your hands are as bloody and dirty as theirs are. Tax the Churches, Feed the Hungry.

  • Posted By: Jeri Slater @ 11/11/2007 11:36:48 PM

    The United States was founded on God - Jesus Christ. Therefore we believe in the bible - it dictates our beliefs and morals. William, these liberties that you speak of can be very painful. Have you ever held a young lady after she had an abortion? I have. The guilt and pain will never go away. Have you ever attended a funeral of a gay man's lover who died of aids? I have. God gives us commandments to live by so that we don't destroy ourselves and that our lives are a blessing to God.

    • Posted By: William.Demuth @ 11/12/2007 8:22:51 AM

      The sanctimonious aspect of your insulting. Claiming the Bible is an instrument of good? The bible has been used to enslave minds for centuries, and has brought us such classic acts of human barbarism as the holocaust, the Spanish inquisition, the slaughter in Darfur, the Salem witch trials and the Jonestown massacre. Your so called savior has been at the forefront of human misery for thousands of years. Some of us have had enough, and intend to see these beliefs relegated to the trash bin of history where they belong. Tax the Churches, feed the hungry.

  • Posted By: William.Demuth @ 11/09/2007 11:09:17 AM

    Using the Bible as a basis for society is almost as absurd as using the Koran. Both the Christians and the Muslims must understand that there are HUGE numbers of people who unconditionally reject their entire belief systems as absurd. Evangelicals are just Christian versions of the Taliban who want to force people Using the Bible as a basis for society is almost as absurd as using the Koran. Both the Christians and the Muslims must understand that there are HUGE numbers of people who unconditionally reject their entire belief systems as absurd. Evangelicals are just Christian versions of the Taliban who want to force people to adhere to an absurd dogma that is archaic and based on fairy tales. And as was the case in the past, unless good men of rational thought publicly denounce this nonsense, it will place all of our liberties at risk. Enough is enough. God is a lie, albeit a usually inconsequential one, but the Christian Evangelical one is dangerous and a national disgrace.

  • Posted By: whattheheck60 @ 11/06/2007 11:51:03 PM

    it has always amazed me what people will do to silence what is known as moral behavior. Homosexuality.lesbianism, abortion, adultery, gossiping,lying and pornography are wrong and we are given free will by god to indulge or not to indulge and the free will eventually makes us all sinners and subject to Gods judgement and really thats what ultimately counts. The bible says judge not least Ye be judge. That statement doesn,t say we can't judge it says if we do we have to remember will be judged to and I'm not afraid of that so I can judge because I don't fear my ultimate judgement because God will not give me anyhing I can't handle. So quit pushing for exceptance we all are sinners and we reap what we sow so those who have chosen their indulgence are only getting what they deserveand you know as well as I do their pushing so they can get insurance coverage.Insurance companies are rejecting them because their life choice has a higher incidence of serious disease rejected because of high risk or at least higher premiums their choice their consequnces simple stuff. MONEY DRIVES EVERYTHING or at least the disire to have more.

  • Posted By: BryantJWilliamsIII @ 11/02/2007 8:05:31 PM

    The problem with this attempt of one group trying to bring two groups who view of the authority of Scripture is at such wide divergence is that it will eventually lead to the condemnation of the more conservative group. It is quite clear that the Bible condemns abortion (Exodus 21), homosexuality, adultery, gossip, lying, etc. It does not allow for women ministers/preachers/pastors. The amount of taking out of context certain verses of Scripture to justify their liberal position is abominable. The love of God comes from the Holiness of God and His Justice.

    Compassion on the conservative side demands that we fulfill the commandment of loving thy neighbor. It includes visiting the orphans and widows in their need, but it also means keeping oneself UNSPOTTED from this world. We may do well with helping those in need, but we do not do well with all forms of immorality. Christianity must be distinct from the world.

    Rev. Bryant J. Williams III

  • Posted By: SCM83 @ 10/29/2007 2:57:09 PM

    I think the problem is that you are asking conservative Christians to condone behavior that is against the Bible and the Willl of God. By "coming together," that usually means to allowing and accepting wrong behavior. We must continue to take a stand and unite in prayer over these issues. May we never become de-sensitized to these issues.
    Slowly and over time, our voices are being drowned out. If we stand for nothing, then we will fall for anything. God is indeed a God of Love, but He is also a Holy God.

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