Well Mark, if you aren't trying to push it down someone's throat then why have a signature? Of course you are trying to push the church. In fact, you have a link to a chip in to give money to a church. What you think if I had a chip in to help Hitler, or Satan, or Buddah, or any other particular group? I can bet you a ton of money that someone on this board would be offended.
Since I am trying to reach the most number of Paul supporters as possible, I try not to offend anyone. But you were the one throwing stones in your glass house. I just pointed it out.
And marketing to Christians is not the same as marketing to evangelicals. They are a very special sect of Christianity. You cannot call all Christians evangelicals.
The characteristics of Evangelicalism as defined by David Bebbington, in his study of British evangelicalism, are known as the Bebbington Quadrilateral, [1], the four characteristics of evangelicals are :
1. Conversionism - Emphasis on the conversion experience, also called being saved, or new birth or born again after John 3:3. Thus evangelicals often refer to themselves as born-again Christians. This experience is said to be received by "faith alone" and to be given by God as the result of "grace alone".
2. Biblicism - The Protestant canon of the Bible, as God's revelation to humanity, is the primary source of religious authority. Thus, the doctrine of sola scriptura is often emphasized. Bible prophecy, especially as interpreted according to dispensationalism, is often emphasized as well.
3. Activism - Encouragement of evangelism—the act of persuading others of one's beliefs—in organized missionary work or by personal encounters and relationships with others.
4. Crucicentrism - A central focus on Christ's redeeming work on the cross as the only means for salvation and the forgiveness of sins.
If this is the crowd you now want to pitch to, then re-read my post above where I explain why this crowd and the typical Ron Paul crowd don't mix well. Ron Paul preaches non-interference and letting people live their lives the way they want. He does not try to persuade others of his beliefs. If he did I think he would lose most of the people on this forum.
I also think that if Ron Paul started saying that people were sinners and the ONLY way to redemption was to focus on Christ's actions on the cross I can guarantee you would lose a lot of the folks you have here.
Evangelicals have a very narrow focus of acceptability. Huckabee will play well with that crowd because I believe he probably believes all of the four mentioned criteria. Ron Paul however, will not play well with that crowd. If you try to force him into that box, 1. you are lying; and 2. he can't hold a candle to Huckabee.
So why try?
That is not to say that you can't sell him to Christians, just not evangelicals. And I wouldn't make it a part of any ads that you run because you only have a few seconds to say something and to waste that on his being Christian when they are all Christians is to lose precious air time. Why not just say he is for lower taxes too? Then he can really sound like all the rest of them.
Ron Paul is special. Unique. He is not unique because he is a white Christian man running for the President of the U.S. If you try to sell him as such, you will lose because there is no reason to vote for him.
Tell me, seriously, is the number one reason you are voting for Ron Paul because he is a Christian? If so, then why did you pick Ron Paul?
If it is a requirement, then you are in luck, no matter which candidate you pick you get a Christian. So again, why Ron Paul?
If you answer anything else, such as his beliefs on liberty, the Constitution, freedom, smaller government, etc. then don't you think we should try to sell him on the basis of those reasons?
I'll check out that page. And we really need to get the word out to christians or others considering Huckabee about all those red flags and the fact that he isn't a true conservative on many issues, but he's just a smooth talker full of hot air.
