Evidently the presidential campaign of former senator Rick Santorum – leader of the American Taliban – has been buoyed by the enthusiastic support of "white evangelical Christians". As a self-identified Christian (Anglican variety), I am often baffled by the belief system of these "white evangelical Christians" since it seems diametrically opposed to my reading of the Gospel.
A recent survey of "white evangelical Christians" in the Deep South provides a clue to Santorum's success:
Kurz zusammengefasst: In Alabama und Mississippi braucht der Präsident gar keinen Wahlkampf zu machen, denn er hat überhaupt keine Chance. Nicht nur, weil die Mehrheit hier konservativ ist, sondern weil die Evangelikalen und die Tea Party hier verheerend erfolgreich sind.Wo sonst sähen über 50 Prozent den reaktionären Talkshowproleten Rush Limbaugh positiv oder glaubten über 60 Prozent die Sache mit der Evolution stimme nicht. Und wo sonst dächten 45 Prozent (Alabama) oder 52 Prozent (Mississippi), Obama sei Muslim
(In summary, the President doesn't need to campaign in Alabama and Mississippi since he has no chance there. Not just because the majority is conservative, bu also because the evangelicals and Tea Party have been so devastatingly successful. Where else are more than 50% supporters of the reactionary talk show proletarian Rush Limbaugh or are more than 60% skeptical about evolution. And where else do 45% (Alabama) or 52% (Mississippi) think that Obama is a Muslim.)
Let's examine some other core beliefs of "white evangelical Christians":
- Bombing is always better than diplomacy. Evangelicals believe we must bomb Iran now.
- Torture is good. Frequent churchgoers are the most enthusiastic supporters of waterboarding.
- Women are subordinate to men. Here the evangelicals share the views of Mormons and Roman Catholics that women cannot be part of the church hierarchy and must surrender to the "servant leadership" of their husbands.
- Women who use contraceptives are "sluts" and "prostitutes". Closely aligned with (3.) and confirmed by evangelicals' unconditional support for Rush Limbaugh.
- Gays and Lesbians are evil. Although there is some disagreement among evangelicals whether or not gays should be executed.
- Sickness and Disease are God's Will. Therefore affordable health care – otherwise known as "Obamacare" – is Satan's plan.
- The Poor will always be with us. Therefore welfare, public works programs, public education, etc. should be abolished.
- Ignorance is bliss. Science education must be informed by creationism.
- Barack Obama is the Anti-Christ. How else to describe a Harvard-educated, socialist-Nazi Muslim black man?

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It’s hard to say what any Evangelical really believes. They proclaim not to like gays, but then I have met a gay man who claimed he formally was an evangelical christian by his own choosing. Consequently he was also an Irish-purist, one of those who believed in the “pure aryan Irish race!”. Sometimes I wonder if the “pure” races are not the biggest contradictory losers of all.