From a guy for whom I have the utmost in respect, and usually perk up and read or listen when I hear him quoted or mentioned: Ron Sider (Evangelicals for Social Action) in an artilce via Prism:

In October, the National Association of Evangelicals (the largest association of American evangelicals, representing 30 million people) unanimously approved “For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility” as its guiding framework for political engagement. Any frantic liberal fearful that evangelical voters are about to vote in the dark ages will discover as she reads this document that the evangelical mainstream cares passionately about tolerance and freedom for all. What we want is a renewed evangelical political engagement “that aims to protect the vulnerable and poor, to guard the sanctity of human life, to further racial reconciliation and justice, to renew the family, to care for creation, and to promote justice, freedom and peace for all.”

Liberal friends need not fear being trampled by barbarian hordes.

I would say that while the figures Sider gives about the moderate stance of most evangelicals, the problem is not in what THEY believe, but in what they believe or don’t believe (or KNOW) about the real actions and policies of the Bush administration. I know that if the electorate were able to see and become aware of what this administration is actually doing , and what the Bush administration’s philosophies really are, they would NEVER gain election. It is through manipulation, deception, and smooth rehetorical massaging that they achive their ideological coup.

Focusing though, on the actual CENTER of evangelicalism, I tend to agree with Sider that the beliefs of MOST evangelicals are not so anti-modern or pre-enlightenment. I just wish there would be a deeper skepticism of what is spun from the political powers. It has caused many to encase themselves in a bubble of unreality as they feel compelled to rush to defend the actions of their candidate, led by an army of pundits like Rush and Drudge, Fox News, and scores of others.

Read on to see some of Sider’s statistics on the leanings of the “evangelicals”:

Who are the “evangelicals” who Sider is analyzing?

A few facts – “respect for evidence” to use Wills’ term – might lower the rampaging anxiety and apocalyptic rhetoric. (For the detailed statistics, see John C. Green’s polling data at the Bliss Institute website.) Yes, white evangelical Protestants make up 26.3% of the American population (22% are Catholics and 16% Mainline Protestants). But almost half of all evangelicals (44%) are either Democrats (27%) or Independents (17%). Only 56% are Republicans.

Less than half of all white evangelicals are what might be called the Religious Right (12.6% of the total population). More than half are “centrist or modernist” evangelicals (13.7% of the population).

Some of the stats of “Evangelical attitudes toward some of the political issues:

It is true that evangelicals overwhelmingly oppose “gay marriage” – believing that it is better for our society to agree with millennia of human civilization that marriage is between a man and a woman. But more evangelicals agree than disagree with the statement that “homosexuals should have the same rights as other Americans” (45% vs. 40%).

And, yes, evangelicals are strongly pro-life: 24% think abortion should always be illegal. But far more evangelicals (45%) think it should be legal in a few circumstances and 31% think it should be legal in many circumstances!

Now here’s one where, IF they knew what the Bush administraiton has been up to in the past 4 years, should cause SERIOUS pause in their zeal for Bush (and when I say THEIR, I mean those evangelicals who, unlike the typical stereotyped evangelical, who fall into the groups which Sider is citing here as examples of “enlightened” or “not to be so feared” by the liberal folks who fear some sort of regressive return to all kinds of bigotry*) The problem I see is GULLIBILITY. In a pretty scary seeming inability/unwillingness to seek out the actual implementations of this administration, and a an almost Stepford-like retention of the “quick, easy, one-liner explanations and defenses” of the Bush administration’s policies.

52% of all evangelicals support “strict rules to protect the environment” even if that costs jobs or raises prices (only 31% disagree). 43% of all evangelicals want the government to spend more fighting poverty even if that means higher taxes on the middle class (40% disagree). And almost two-thirds of all evangelicals (65%) believe that the way to world peace is not unilateral U.S. military action, but “primarily [to] cooperate with international organizations.” After global security and peace, evangelicals think the top foreign policy goal for the U.S. should be human rights (47%), economic development (24%), and promoting democracy (29%).

(* however, I’ll have to say that I am seeing far too many “disturbing trends” in things that have been said out of the public eye by particpants in this administration)