Why do Evangelical Christians fear non-Protestant candidates?

Question

Maybe it's just the media's portrayal of the Evangelical/Fundamentalist sects, but it seems they are always shown to have some issue with a Catholic, Mormon, or Jewish presidential candidate. Is this accurate or is it the media?

I'm a Catholic. If I were running for President I don't think I would be calling the Pope for political advice nor would I be basing my public policy on Catholic Canon Law. Do Evangelicals really believe Mormons, Catholics, Jews, or even Muslims would let their beliefs and religious loyalties cloud their decisions as President? If so, why.

Thanks!

Wow...I'm getting all ends of the spectrum on this. Lots of valid points so far.

Answer 1

I'd add to the list Mainline (reformation) protestant churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church that Evangelical Christians have an aversion to. Evangelicals consider themselves to be "saved"....and then there are the rest of us - "apostate"and "lost".

Evangelicals, beginning with that talking-in-tongues wingnut Rev. Dr. Pat Robertson who, along with the late Rev. Dr. Jerry Falwell said God was punishing us on 9/11 because of feminism, witchcraft, lesbianism and homosexuality. This brainstorm of a conversation took place on Robertson's The 700 Club, shortly after we were attacked by terrorists.

Robertson began the evangelical Christian Coalition about 20 years ago and put that devious little Nazi-looking Ralph Reed in charge of it.

Its purpose was to push for evangelical (includes pentacostals and baptists too) values Republican candidates who would take on Democratic opponents and the moderate Republican incumbent candidates(in GOP primaries). This has largely succeeded.

The churches under the Evangelical umbrella believe in the Rapture. This is a relatively new, extra-biblical term and set of new interpretations of the Book of Revelations. Our foreign policy (the warhawk mentality in the middle-east) is central to the Rapture doctrine, along with what is termed "Christian Zionism". Rev. John Hagge, has called himself and his mega-ministry this and is a part of the evangelical movement.

The evangelicals Rapture Doctrine is what most predominantly sets them apart from Mainline(Reformation) Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox and others.

When the presidential elections come around, iIt may be though, that evangelicals will put aside there doctrinal beliefs and "family values" to vote for the several-times married Rudoph Giuliani, a 'soft' Roman Catholic, but popular pro-war candidate.....or the handsome-but-do-nothing Mitt Romney, a 'soft' Mormon, who slickly shifts his political and social opinions to suit his audience.

And though our current president - Mr. Bush, is technically a Methodist (his wife's mainline protestant and somewhat liberal church), he's been singing the tune of the evangelicals since the late '90s, claiming that he was "born-again" and more recently revealed that he didn't ask his father (a former president, with great knowledge) for presidential advise, but instead asked his "heavenly Father". From what has been happening to our country and to the countries we've invaded, I suspect our president was speaking to a fallen angel...maybe the big one at that.

Answer 2

Are you speaking approximately Romney? Mormons have faith in Christ, do no longer they? So, they are Christians. they could nominate him, yet he won't be elected. in case you have been gazing the demolition derby that's the Republican standard technique, you need to no longer probable think of evangelical impact is declining. they are arguing over birth control! those each physique is proudly marching decrease back into the nineteenth century.

Answer 3

No, it's accurate. The evangelicals don't want anyone in that office but one of their own. That's because they believe, even in the absence of one shred of evidence from this administration, that they will get more of their issues addressed if they have an evangelical in office.

Also they are very biased against Mormons, Catholics and Jews, which is why I don't think they will vote for Romney. They actually believe that everyone who isn't born again will be either left behind or incinerated when Jesus raptures them up to the sky.

Answer 4

Don't know, I'm kind of a Mormolic. I was raised Catholic, converted to Mormonism, kinda strayed back to Catholicism but still like the Mormon Church, so I consider myself a little of both. I think it has a lot to do with breaking the status quo rather than anything else. The press made a big deal about JFK being Catholic, but I don't think it's an issue anymore.

Answer 5

What really matters is how the belief system is taught, for example--in the Muslim community, I'll let you figure that one out on your own, but nevertheless, that is how it would be used in their decision making as President!!

Also, Morality in and of itself, is not sufficient to sustain itself all on its own, because the mind is easily swayed into things of the secular nature, which would eventually bankrupt the self-morality concept of thinking ... there must be an [absolute] concrete morality, to back it up, and where do we find this, through the transcending power and inspiration of the Almighty.

Certain, and different belief systems tend to excuse sin, by way of someone to go to in order to confess those sins, but, there is the key, if you allow just the slight excuse for sin, then that opens the flood gates for all sin ... There is only One who we can make as absolute Moral authority in our life, and that's Jesus, God's One and Only Begotten Son, for His death on the Cross made way for intercession [directly] back to the Father, when the curtain was split/torn from top to bottom, so we no longer need a priest, you see, that's why from all the way back to Adam and Eve to the time of Jesus death, people became unduely wicked as time progressed, all because they had an easy way of forgiving their sin, and not having FAITH as their guide, so they could do more and more, so something had to be done.

Yes, the Media does shed a false and unjust light on Evangelicals, mainly because of our Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ ... but as Jesus has so said ... Paraphrasing"They hated me, they will also hate you because of me' meaning because we follow his plan of Salvation.

God bless!!

JR

Answer 6

The media tries to generalize all Evangelicals. They try to make them all look like the small minority of fundamentalists which you are referring to. I would have to believe that generally Evangelicals are like us Catholics where the actions and beliefs of a small number within our religious group are portrayed as representing the actions and beliefs of the whole group.

Answer 7

Actually, Jews fear Catholic candidates .
It's historical ,it's obvious.
If you dont believe me read : 'The Jews and Their Lies,' Dr. Martin Luther writes that the Jews are a serpent's brood and one should burn down their synagogues

Answer 8

The media distorts alot of it. I'm Catholic and I don't hear anything like that from Protestant friends or neighbors.

Answer 9

Projection. They know that if they held office, they would base their actions and decisions on their religious beliefs, so they don't find it credible that members of other religions would not do so also.

Answer 10

Sounds as if you don't know any Evangelistic Christians. Get to know some and ask them. The media does twist things. CNN talks about religion more than any news station I've seen -- in an effort to criticize Republican Christians.