Young People Fleeing the Religious Right

Young people raised in strict evangelical homes are increasingly rejecting their parents' extreme religious beliefs.

So says, Rev.Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners, a group of progressive Christians. Iin an article on CNN's Belief Blog, entitled, "Has the religious right lost its children?", Wallis says that the increased focus by evangelical churches on just two issues, abortion and same-sex marriage, is a real turn off to the younger generation.

Wallis told CNN's John Blake, "The religious right has lost its children."

Wallis added, "They really object to the tone of the culture wars. I’m on the road a lot and I’ll have these young Christians say to me, 'If they force us to only care about two issues, they’re going to lose my generation.'

Wallis claims that the religious right peaked in 2004, with the re-election of George W. Bush and is currently on a downward slide in popularity. Read the full story here.

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Ant-Abortion Domestic Terrorism Suspect in Custody

(From huffingtonpost.com) WICHITA, Kan. — A man suspected of fatally shooting abortion doctor George Tiller in church was in jail Monday while investigators sought to learn more about his background, including his possible connections to anti-abortion groups.

Tiller, 67, was serving as an usher during morning services Sunday when he was shot in the foyer of Reformation Lutheran Church, police said. The gunman fired one shot at Tiller and threatened two other people who tried to stop him.

The suspect, identified by one law enforcement agency as Scott Roeder, was taken into custody some 170 miles away in a Kansas City suburb about three hours after the shooting.

Tiller had been a lightning rod for abortion opponents for decades. The women's clinic he ran is one of three in the nation where abortions are performed after the 21st week of pregnancy, when the fetus is considered viable, and has been the site of repeated protests for about two decades. A protester shot Tiller in both arms in 1993, and his clinic was bombed in 1985.

Abortion Provider Assassinated at Church by Christian Terrorist

(The Wichita Eagle) WICHITA - George Tiller, the Wichita doctor who became a national lightning rod in the debate over abortion, was shot to death this morning as he walked into church services.

Tiller, 67, was shot just after 10 a.m. at Reformation Lutheran Church at 7601 E. 13th, where he was a member of the congregation. Witnesses and a police source confirmed Tiller was the victim.

No information has been released about whether a suspect is in custody.

Homicide detectives and Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston have arrived at the church.

Members of the congregation who were inside the sanctuary at the time of the shooting were being kept inside the church by police, and those arriving were being ushered into the parking lot. Witnesses are being transported downtown for interviews and other members of the congregation are slowly being released from inside the sanctuary.

Tiller has long been a focal point of protest by abortion opponents because his clinic, Women's Health Care Services at 5701 E. Kellogg, is one of the few in the country where late-term abortions are performed.

This message was posted on the anti-abortion website armyofgod.com:

"A great day for the unborn children scheduled to be murdered by Babykilling Abortionist George Tiller. George Tiller reaped what he sowed and now has been cast alive into everlasting torment and fire for the innocent blood he has shed. Psalm 55:15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. I pray the person who performed this deed is never known or apprehended."

These are the same people who oppose marriage equality and LGBT rights of any kind. How can anybody take them seriously or see them as anything other than domestic terrorists?

We need to show the American people just how dangerous it is to let these nut-jobs have any say in government, public policy and civil rights decisions. They will stop at nothing to achieve their goals, no matter who gets hurt or killed, all the while playing the victim. Soon enough some spokesperson will release a statement saying "this was the action of a lone, disturbed individual and we do not condone violence."

Bullshit!

When your words motivate people to commit acts of violence against anyone who disagrees with you or your religious beliefs, you are not simply practicing your faith, you are a jihadist.