Reclaiming Our Name

According to multiple published reports, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, self-proclaimed spokesman for "evangelicals" here in America, at a prayer breakfast last week attended by hundreds of pastors, stated, "I certainly hope that Hillary (Clinton) is the candidate (for president in 2008). I hope she's the candidate, because nothing will energize my people like Hillary Clinton. If Lucifer himself ran, he wouldn't." He then went on to assure the attendees that God would preserve a Republican majority in Congress.

Let me speak from the heart...
-I'm not a fan of Sen. Hillary. That doesn't make me a right-wing conservative Republican.
-I'm not a fan of Rev. Jerry either. That doesn't make me a left-wing liberal Democrat.
- But, I do understand the difference between Satan and another human being I disagree with politically. One I will turn from. The other I will love.

I find it so disturbing that over the last decade, the radical right has hijacked the term "evangelical" from those of us who are evangelical Christians, and claim to speak for all of us, as they reduce Christianity into 2 or 3 moral "litmus test" issues. Those of us (whether we fall to the left or to the right on the political spectrum) who are evangelicals, need to speak up and reclaim our name. We need the world to hear from us what it truly means to be an evangelical Christian...through our words and our deeds. Let us disagree. Let us debate. Let us dialogue. But let us love. Always, let us love.

"And they'll know we are Christians by our love."