Afternoon News Bytes: Jan. 17, 2012 | Sojourners

Afternoon News Bytes: Jan. 17, 2012

THE NEW REPUBLIC: The End Of The Christian Right
Is the Christian Right still a power in American politics? The lavish coverage which its partisans and their favorite issues have received during the current Republican campaign certainly leave that impression.
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POLITICO: ‘Occupy Congress’ Protest Planned As Lawmakers Return
As Congress returns from winter recess on Tuesday, lawmakers on Capitol Hill will be greeted by throngs of Occupy Wall Street protesters, who are trying to organize one of the largest gatherings that the movement has seen.
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THE HILL: GOP Debate: Crowd Gets Rowdy When Candidates Talk Foreign Policy
The crowd at the GOP debate in military-heavy South Carolina got rowdy during a discussion of foreign policy, booing Ron Paul heartily and whooping and cheering when the other candidates took a hard line on foreign involvement. Scattered boos and jeers drowned out Paul's call for a "golden rule" in American foreign policy.
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THE WASHINGTON POST (ON FAITH): Survey: Half Of Churchgoers’ Lives Not Affected By Time In Pews
Almost half of churchgoing Americans say their life has not changed a bit due to their time in the pews, a new survey shows.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Theological Differences Behind Evangelical Unease With Romney
Many evangelicals have numerous reasons, other than religion, for objecting to Mr. Romney. But to understand just how hard it is for some to coalesce around his candidacy, it is important to understand the gravity of their theological qualms.
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TIME: After Two Days Of Debate, Evangelical Leaders Unite Behind Santorum
A group of 125 evangelical leaders met in Texas this weekend and after eight hours of conversation and a final ballot taken on 3 x 5 cards named Rick Santorum as their preferred GOP candidate. “I will have to admit that what I did not think was possible appears to be possible,” event sponsor and Family Research President Tony Perkins announced Saturday morning.
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ABC NEWS: Perry Tells Evangelicals Together They Can Create ‘Next Great Awakening’
Texas Gov. Rick Perry spoke like a preacher from his pulpit to an evangelical crowd today, telling them that if they support his presidential campaign, together they can bring about the world’s “next great awakening.”
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THE ATLANTIC: Making Soldiers Into Peace Officers: Are We Asking Too Much? (OPINION)
Our armed forces are trained to "engage and destroy." Our police are instructed "to protect and to serve." Expecting young recruits to play both roles at once can lead to disaster.
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THE HUFFINGTON POST: A Jesus For The Great Recession (And Other Dark Times)

One of my online professional groups is more like a family: an assortment of advertising people who have been trading wisecracks, debating the latest TV commercials, and sharing life's ups and downs for more than 10 years. These "family ties" sometimes give rise to conversations with a depth you'd never expect online.

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THE WASHINGTON POST: Economic Unfairness, Not Overregulation, Is The Problem

The Post just released a new finding from its new poll that goes directly to the heart of the big argument over capitalism and economic unfairness that will decide Campaign 2012. It finds that a sizable majority sees the current economic system as inherently unfair in a way that favors the wealthy, and sees this as a more serious problem facing America than government regulation of the free market.

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