Evangelical Differences: Ronald J. Sider (church, lukewarm, atheist, Muslim)

[ontheroad]

Last night the Bill Moyer's Journal had two guests, each speaking from their experience and community on the Middle East. I hadn't heard of either, and was very impressed with Mr. Sider. He's written many books, among them his newest: The Scandal of Evangelical Politics: Why Are Christians Missing the Chance to Really Change the World?, Ronald J. Sider, 2007.

Mr. Sider seemed to think there is a wider variance in beliefs, both biblically and socially, among Evangelicals in the US. I believe he may even have provided the number of different Evalgelical groups, perhaps in the hundreds.

During the discussion, Mr. Moyer's interjected his own experience and talked of his early Southern Baptist upbringing, and seemed to imply that his training and more recent training/beliefs are widely different.

What are you thoughts as an Evangelical, non-Evangelical or non-believer of the various and myriad differences in biblical, social and political thinking in 2007?

And is anyone familiar with Mr. Sider's work?

[Tricky D]

What are you thoughts as an Evangelical, non-Evangelical or non-believer of the various and myriad differences in biblical, social and political thinking in 2007?

As long as their religion does not enter the arena of politics, I couldn't care less either way.
But when they do enter politics they should deal with problems as they are and not as they believe them (or want them) to be.

And sorry, nope, I've never heard of Mr. Sider before.

[ontheroad]

Frankly, the focus of the program was politics: Israel-Palestine partition, in particular.

Sider represents a pro-partition group(s). Clips were shown from several other Evangelical groups, and the second guest represented a large Jewish group, also political.

But what impressed me so much was Mr. Sider's equanimity.

[Tricky D]

Mr. Sider was probably an atheist or non-Christian?
I mean when you are not Jewish, Christian or Muslim you will not get that worked up over it.
Or at least you shouldn't be because it could not become personal.

[ontheroad]

So, Tricky D, do you speak for many Dutch, or is this your POV alone? I lived in Amsterdam a thousand years ago, and I can't for the life of me remember how Holland viewed partition, but I sure remember the oil embargo in the 70s. when a Minister spoke in favour of Israel.

And, I can't think of more than one acquaintance who attended Church--any Church.

[Tricky D]

So, Tricky D, do you speak for many Dutch, or is this your POV alone? I lived in Amsterdam a thousand years ago, and I can't for the life of me remember how Holland viewed partition, but I sure remember the oil embargo in the 70s. when a Minister spoke in favour of Israel.

We always favoured Israel, because many Jews had lived and worked in Amsterdam and Leiden and other university cities in the past.
But since the building of their wall you could say that we are probably lukewarm when it comes to Israel and how they deal with the Palestinians.

Don't ask me things about Dutch politics. Since I have no TV anymore I do not follow the (national) news, nor do I make any effort to do so.
So I guess it is only my opinion ( as it often is).

And, I can't think of more than one acquaintance who attended Church--any Church.

I think that there aren't that many people who go to church as in the 70's.
Only the older generation faithfully goes to church every Sunday and there is hardly any new blood.

[ontheroad]

You may have misunderstood: Way back in the dark-ages of the 70s, I didn't know more than ONE acquaintance who went to church; if fewer attendnow, I would suspect this one acquaintance stopped going.

And, it doesn't surprise me that Holland would not look fondly on the wall.

Thanks for your response(s).