Has the word "evangelicals" been hijacked?

Question

The evangelicals were honorable people, Christians such as Maurice, Kingsley, Anglicans and Methodists.

Their concern was to protect the poor and oppressed and underprivileged. They helped end child labor and slavery. Worked for the extension of voting rights beyond the aristocracy and landowners to empower the workers.

But in America today, fundamentalists are stealing the name "evangelical" instead of admitting that they are fundamentalists. They come down on the side of Big Brother big government, snooping into your private life. They want to dictate to you what your private sex life should be, and tell you that your marriage must be only the government-approved model. They are trying to tell women what they may do about their own bodies. They want to give the school boards the power to force government-approved prayer on children - and of course, it's only their religion which they want taught.

America's so-called evangelicals are fakes. Just "big-government" fundies.

Answer 1

Thank you!! Well said!! I could not have said it any better! Bravisimo!!

Answer 2

Interesting rant, making you an enemy of Christianity unless you really are looking for an answer. Christianity is being challenged on every level of society for every bad reason we care to name, which you have done admirably. I pesonally think Christians have to stop being lukewarm with their beliefs and rise to the next level which is to what Jesus teaches when he said that we could do as he with the faith of a mustard seed. That means we can heal the ills of society rather than point them out or run from them doesn't it?

Answer 3

Evangelical has nothing to do with small government. It's only about the type of church you have. If it is based on the gospels, it can be considered evangelical. If it is protestant, it can be considered evangelical. It all depends on which part of the definition you choose to use.