Can you believe it? They’ve barely stopped counting the provisional ballots and already pundits are blasting Evangelicals as brain dead, cold hearted, religious zealots who pose the greatest threat to democracy since Adolph Hitler.

I told myself as a TV news anchor I wasn’t going to write much about the election prior to the vote because I wanted to remain objective. You bet, I have strong feelings about the candidates. They both had huge failings, in my humble opinion. Still, my solemn obligation as a journalist is to deliver accurate, fair, balanced information to my viewers void of any political slant. I must be doing something right because I quite regularly get blasted from both sides. Mentally and emotional I prepared myself to remain claim during our election night coverage, whichever candidate pulled the most votes. I was blessed with two expert Democrat and Republican analysts to provide their own unique and informed “spin”… and a co-host to provide all the “color”. To quote the late Johnny Cash, “I walked the line”.

Today I cross that line in this column and switch hats to commentator, not on behalf of a candidate, but on behalf of Evangelicals and their belief in Jesus. There I’ve said the “J’ word. In their most recent columns over the weekend and their appearances on TV those masters of analysis have proven, once again, they “don’t get”.

Andrea Mitchell of NBC news says the victory was about, “guns, God and gays”. I don’t recall any gun initiatives on any ballots. Did you see a space marked “God” on the presidential race? George Bush IS NOT God! And unless my math is bad, which it could be, 39 states DID NOT have gay marriage bans on their ballot.

Boston Globe columnist Ellen Goodman (Nov. 6, 2004) says Evangelical’s set of values don’t include things like Iraq, equality, or the economy. She concludes one of the main reasons Evangelicals turned out in mass was the amendment banning gay marriage passed in 11 states. Not a bad argument except the 11 states in which the amendments appeared drew nearly the same percentage of voters as the states without the ban. She does have one premise down pat. “The blue candidates will never convert people who believe that homosexuality is a sin, or that the fertilized egg is a human being, or that evolution is a scam taught by secular humanists.”

And you know why that is Ellen? Too many blue candidates treated the reds as if they were ideological idiots. There are plenty of scientists and doctors and learned men and women who have come to their faith conclusions after years of inquiry. The blues goofed when they chose Hollywood as the epicenter of American morality. The reds do see fine lines of distinction in the so-called cultural war hot buttons of abortion and stem cell research. What they are asking is more time to digest the implications of those acts in the light of the “Bible”, that vexed document you believe was scribbled down by drug crazed, starving Jewish rebels. By the way, Ms. Goodman, did you happen to read the article in last months “Scientific American” that reported on the use of fat as stem cell generators. Yep! Fat cells, the kind that wrap around many Americans like a second belt, may be able to produce the same kind of cells scientists thought only came from human embryos.

Then there are the insights of former Florida ACLU director, Robyn Blumner, suddenly a “born-again”, and I don’t mean in a religious sense, columnist. An avoid atheist, this sharp-tongued bomb thrower equates this Evangelical outpouring as a return to “the Dark Ages”. She writes in the St. Petersburg Times (Sunday, Nov.7, 2004), “You wanted a man in the White House who talks to God as his only advisor—a man who is willing to stop the advance of science if necessary to uphold his religious convictions—and you won the day.” Sorry Robyn, no Evangelical would tell you that God is his ONLY advisor because scripturally man receives God’s advice through at least two other sources, the written word of God and the counsel of Godly men. She concludes, “What happened on November 2nd is much more than the Democrats losing, it’s about the most dangerous and damaging elements in American society winning big. I fear for the next four years… and beyond.” Gee, I don’t remember any Evangelicals planting any car bombs in front of your office.

And if you thought that was irrational try this excerpt from Garry Wills writing in the New York Times, November 5, 2004. He expands on the notion that Evangelicals are dangerous and equates them to Al-Qaida. He summarizes that the election was nothing more than a declared Jihad. “The moral zealots will, I predict, give some cause for dismay even to non-fundamentalist Republicans. Jihads are scary things. It is not to early to start yearning back toward the “Enlightenment”.

Finally, there are the likes of Paul Begalla and James Carvel and Terry McCullough. Talk about denial. They give Carl Rove and Jerry Falwell all the credit for this Evangelical onslaught. Wrong, wrong, wrong. And if those pundits don’t listen they are doomed to witness the same onslaught in 2008.

As an Evangelical let me spell it out based on hundreds of conversations I have had with other E’s.

E’s voted for Bush because he is an honest, sincere, sinner who speaks their language. Many aren’t happy with some of his economic policies but they believe he is acting in the nation’s best interest.

E’s voted for Bush because he took a strong position in support of the sanctity of marriage and not against gays and lesbians in general. Nuance is the key. Contrary to the elitist view, many Evangelicals do wrestle with the issue of equal protection for gays. The do believe being gay or lesbian is a choice and a sin but are often torn on how to respond to it. Most try to respond in love by providing counseling and support for those with aids. Of course, we do have our own black sheep of the family!

E’s are against abortion but appreciate President Bush’s statement when he said that this country needs a change of heart before it will be possible to change Roe V Wade. That’s something God will have to do, not a sitting President or the courts.

E’s voted for Bush because after much prayer they saw him as the only alternative. Mr. Blue often quoted the Bible saying, ”faith without works is dead” but then didn’t back it up with any works or display of his faith that Evangelicals could see.

E’s pay no homage to the new God of Tolerance. There are Ten Commandments, not suggestions. I know that comes as a shock and a great disappointment to the “Enlightened ones”. E’s do believe in love and acceptance and that all men are born with certain inalienable rights but not at the expense of surrendering their God-established values.

E’s were ticked, big time at Michael Moore! Mr. Large did more to energize the right than a thousand prime-time commercials. You could hear the E’s dropping away from the blue bandwagon the microsecond he suggested that Hollywood represented the true American values.

E’s were afraid if Mr. Blue won he would appoint activist judges that would make it more difficult to express love and commitment to God in public or in the pledge.

E’s believe the war in Iraq is as much a spiritual battle as it is a political fight.

E’s would and have voted for Blue candidates who treated them fairly and support some, not necessarily all, of their views, as long as they aren’t anti-God!

E’s listened to the voice of God in their own lives. For the benefit of the atheists in the audience it works like this. You pray for His guidance. You read the word to make sure you aren’t acting in the flesh and it all agrees. You listen and seek counsel from other believers. You act in accordance with all of the above, attempting to leave as much physical emotion out of the picture. Does that sound like an ill-informed, Dark Age practice to you!

Bottom line, Evangelicals are people of faith and surprisingly, not all Christian. They are a group of people who believe that morality is not some loosely defined, changing with the wind, ambiguous concept that can be ignored. They believe if you get the morality right the economy, education, helping children, health care, social security and the war will all follow suit. Combined with the traditional conservative elements, the independents and discontented Democrats they made their voice heard. This time around, the silent majority was anything but silent!

Al Ruechel, Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved

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