Reply #32: Evangelical, used correctly, is an adjective [View All]

rather than a noun. Therefore, someone who is "evangelical" in their faith, believes in "evangelism." This means that an "evangelical" Christian believes in sharing his/her faith with others in an attempt to persuade them to join that faith.

However, in Jimmy Carter's faith, as I understand it, he does want others to be "Christian" in the more liberal definition of "Christianity." For Carter, "evangelism" is more a "living of one's faith" through acting as Christ did...feeding the hungry, providing shelter for the homeless, taking care of the sick, etc." and he hopes that others will join him in that way of life.

For fundy Christians, evangelism, is trying to get a "sinner" to "pray the sinner's prayer" and be "saved" from eternity in what they believe is a very real hell...eternity of suffering in a fiery place ruled by the devil. As long as you pray such a prayer...in the fundy's mind, you are "saved" for eternity, and therefore, your temporary condition of hunger, homelessness, addiction, or whatever really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

In fact, many fundies would go the length to say that if you are homeless, it's a sign that you're not "obeying God" and you, therefore, deserve to suffer. If you are a teenager, pregnant out of wedlock...abortion is nothing more than helping a "sinner" escape her "punishment." AIDS is God's judgment on the "sin of homosexuality," etc. Therefore, to spend government money helping someone with AIDS, or trying to eradicate AIDS, is a waste of money...for God WANTS those with AIDS to suffer divine wrath.

So, the difference in how Jimmy Carter, for instance, views "evangelism" and how a fundy Christian like Ralph Reed views "evangelism" is the difference between viewing God as a loving parent (Carter) who loves unconditionally, despite one's shortcomings, and a strict father who stands ready to "punish" every mistake (sin) a person makes....a God whose love is doled out when a person is "good."