Is there a religious left?

You hear a lot about the religious right, what about the religious left? Are there particular denominations that are more often left than right?

are either Quakers or Unitarians

The Episcopalians (sorry about spelling) are both the most conservative and liberal at the same time. Some areas it is very right wing - still believe that women should not be able to preach, other areas are much more liberal- look at Bishop Robinson for instance. The elder Bush is a member and I was a member. go figure.

Though I can speak only for the Christian side, but the Quakers, the Mennonites, the Unitarians, the United Church of Christ, even some parts of the Methodist, Presbyterian, Northern Baptists, and Lutherans. And the Episcopal Church has a very strong and active left-leaning component to it.

Even the Catholic Church has some very lefty programs and social activism (while at the same time, having some very right-leaning, unprogressive attitudes).

The problem is that the left-leaning ones tend to do their social activism in quiet, helping people rise above their oppression without much fanfare or need for public media attention, and what they tend to do isn't all that exciting in media terms. The religious right, which tends to do things based on hyperbole and hatred is very much into getting media and drawing attention to themselves, and are also quite attractive to the media because they're outrageous, and outrageous is what attracts the media.

Burning a pile of books while decrying the teletubbies because of their pro-gay agenda and demanding that your parishioners boycott disney because they offer benefits to gay partners and becasue they put subliminal sexual messages in their movies will get far more media attention than the United Church of Christ fighting in DC to get better education for inner-city kids, or working to end racist sports team names (Redskins, Indians, Reds, etc.), or fighting for gay rights, or providing missionaries to theird world countries not to convert them, but to help them find ways of being self-sufficient through craft-making, water-pump building, sustainable agriculture...

The problem is that the left-leaning ones tend to do their social activism in quiet, helping people rise above their oppression without much fanfare or need for public media attention, and what they tend to do isn't all that exciting in media terms. The religious right, which tends to do things based on hyperbole and hatred is very much into getting media and drawing attention to themselves

The very moment I read that, the following Biblical passage popped into my head:

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

(edited for spelling)

I like that verse as well.

Though I like much better, "As you have done to the least of these, so you have done to me". Jesus said that when he was telling people that if they deny the hungry, the poor, and the thirsty, they are denying Jesus himself.

Jesus was a liberal

Something lost on most "Christians".

People seem to forget that all the time... What's the verse about helping the least fortunate among you? Oh, wait, aren't there about 50 like that? ;)

In fact, there is a group of ministers that is actively working to defeat the GOP propaganda machine. As soon as I get my real work done, I will look it up for you.

Stephanie

they were the ones standing next to us on the protest lines just before the war.

My website:
http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm

A quick definition of what Liberal Christians believe:
http://www.geocities.com/lib_christian_2000/liberal.htm

And this: http://www.uua.org/aboutuu/uufaq.html

And for something funny and informative: www.dogchurch.org

Yes, despite the humor, this is a serious liberal theological site:

The Virtual Church of the Blind Chihuahua (aka VCBC and dogchurch) has been "the thinking cur's Christian presence on the Internet™" since it was launched on July 4, 1996. We invite all people of good will to visit and join us, including those other than Christian, and those other than straight. We also welcome moral relativists, even though they have eaten more from the Tree of Knowledge than they admit. If you are put off by the traditional approaches to Christianity, this site may be for you. You may bring your dogma, but only if it doesn't bite.

Christian denominations: the United Church of Christ, the Presbytarian USA, some Lutheran denominations, Unitarian/Universalitist, Unity, the Episopal Church. Large factions of the United Methodist Church and the American Baptist Church are liberal. I was baptized UMC, confirmed and grew up attending UCC, and now attend a Unity church. Unity has a metaphysical view that some can't always get behind, and a definite new age, "A Course in Miracles" feel to it.
I know some very liberal Catholics and Greek Orthodox who view their religion as also being a cultural thing. We had friends who attended a Paulist center. The priest there was pretty liberal-he would give them dispensation when went to confession and confessed using birth control.
The Reformed Church of America takes some liberal stands, but is mostly conservative. They were a prime sponsor of anti-apartheid movements in the 80s, so I give them some kudos for that, but the college they run (Hope, in Holland, MI) is about as conservative as you get.
Reform Judiaism is what I think is the liberal branch, but I'm not jewish, so I'm not absolutely sure.

Wiccans and Neo-Pagans are for the most part pretty liberal, although some are not (just read the letters in the Green Egg forumn). You can find those groups through Circle Network, the Unitarian Church and various websites.

Social Gospellers, Methodists, United Church folks, Presbyterians even (plus of course the Catholic left). The first leader of the NDP, Canada's Socialist party was a minister, there's always at least a couple of prominent party members who are preachers, such as Winnipeg's Bill Blaikie. We cherish our religious left.