Daily Archives: March 17, 2007

Open thread

March 17, 20071:04 a.m.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Open thread | Comments (28)

A political reformation for evangelicals?

March 17, 20071:02 a.m.

Good for the National Association of Evangelicals for standing up to James Dobson (in photo), Tony Perkins, Gary Bauer and other Christian conservatives who claimed that the association was “using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time, notably the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children.”
The real problem is that some conservative Christians want to define evangelism by a few social issues while ignoring other issues that aren’t aligned with their political affiliations. But as association vice president Rich Cizik responded, “We (evangelicals) should be primarily concerned with what the Gospel says, not whether you’re getting off some political train.”
Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne thinks this could be a defining shift for evangelicals. “Those are the words of a New Reformation,” he wrote. “Many evangelicals are boarding a new train. It runs along tracks defined by the broad demands of their faith, not by some party’s political agenda.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Religious right | Comments (52)

Terrorists still in charge

March 17, 20071:01 a.m.

The coalition between Hamas and Fatah parties in Palestine changes nothing.
Fatah is a political group with a more moderately placed stance in Palestine. But with terrorist-supporting Hamas still in charge, the West will never get what it wants — for Palestine “to recognize Israel, forswear violence and accept previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements.”
This new arrangement between Hamas and Fatah fulfills none of those three conditions, even though they say they want to extend the often-broken cease-fire with Israel.
Posted by Ross Stewart

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Homeland security | Comments (17)

Automakers say they can’t make it alone

March 17, 20071:00 a.m.

Chief executives of the major U.S. automakers are asking for government incentives and wider efforts to reduce oil consumption and carbon emissions. Fuel-economy mandates, slow sales and loss of market share to foreign competitors have the automakers concerned. Massive layoffs and plant closings are forcing major restructuring in order for the companies to remain viable. They said they are willing to do their part, but the responsibility for reducing our country’s dependence on oil should be shared.
Officials from Ford, General Motors and Chrysler called for more development of biofuels such as ethanol. They said that they have made a major commitment into developing flex-fuel cars, but that the limited supply of biofuels is thwarting their efforts.
Posted by Patrice Hein

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Business | Comments (35)