I think what smoke is saying is that the administration is mangling mainstream christianity so badly that even folks who used to freely associate with conservative christian thought are rethinking their position.
More people are angry at Christianity BECAUSE of the administration.
Does that make better sense?
Ah, thanks, that does make a bit more sense.
Ignore that rambling post of mine…
Sorry I didn’t see your question sooner, clayton_e, but jarbabyj pretty much nailed what I was trying to get at.
Your point about the definition of tradition clarified something in my mind though, that I couldn’t adequately express before. Bush has highlighted and embraced many of the negative aspects of tradition and religion, which have no place in a progressing society, at least not in lawmaking. One of the many problems with this is that it becomes all too easy for progressively-minded people to “throw the baby out with the bathwater” in dismissing them. Not all tradition is bad. Same goes for religion.
And believe me, I’m as cynical as most on these boards, but I really feel bad for America these days in that it often feels like we have more to be ashamed of than proud of these days. I guess I’m just fighting to maintain the positive aspects of our culture and heritage, while discarding those that are unjust.