Call it The New Christianism?

The so-called "Christian Left" is the latest and greatest, new and improved name for the same old thing repackaged with a big shiny bow on it.

It's not like they don't keep trying either...
Communist? Sounds too scary,
Socialist? Still too scary,
Leftist? naw, too honest,
Populist? uhhh...not so much... (**)
Liberal? naw, sounds too ....liberal,
Progessive? hmmm, didn't work either...

However with big Republican wins in the 2000 and 2004 elections being credited (by the main stream media) to the so-called "Christian right", it should be obvious what their next new name was gonna be.

Written about, back in 2005 at the George Mason University History News Network, the new "Christian Left" has deep roots here in Oklahoma and might even lay claim to the foundation of the philosophy of the entire current movement.
Woody Guthrie (pictured above in 1945) is a legend in Oklahoma particularly among the left and of course music buffs, but arguably could be considered the very founder of the New Christian Left.

Woody Guthrie wrote "This Land Is Your Land" (originally titled "God Blessed America") as a rebuttal to "God Bless America" among many other famous tunes, but as we all know there was much-much more to Woody Guthrie than just his tunes.
Woody had a problem and a rather unique but logical (to some) way of solving it.
He studied communism, wrote for the communist paper, performed for great socialists and communists in and out of the country and desperately wanted to be a communist, but his strong belief in Jesus prevented his inclusion among the party membership. Guthrie was baptized into the Church of Christ, had a strong belief in Jesus Christ and for religion but organized faith was too restrictive and he rarely attended church... it just didn't fit exactly.
So, being the highly creative and clever fellow that he was, (and living in a free country) he combined the two into his own Christian/ Communist philosophy on life.
From the History News Network...

"Guthrie failed to perceive his Christianity as inconsistent with his sympathy for the Communist Party. To the folk singer, communism was nothing more than the support for the common people preached by Jesus. In one of his voluminous journals, Guthrie wrote, “When there shall be no want among you, because you’ll own everything in common."

This was no secret as you can see from Socialist based groups like the one below praising Woody Guthrie's philosophy... not from right-wing hate sites as some claimed.
The People's Weekly World provided this statement lovingly...

"Woody was a mainstay in the New York City Communist Party in the 1940s and 1950s. In addition to working as a performer, he wrote a Daily Worker/People’s World column for many years, “Woody Sez,” and was known to volunteer as a sign and placard painter (actually, his first profession). While Guthrie’s reputation is often that of a cliché hobo singer, his personal writings, songs, and columns tell a vastly different story".

They continue...

"Though his activism has never been questioned, Guthrie’s formal connection to the Communist Party has long been debated. While some writers have stated that Woody was never an accepted member of the Communist Party, his daughter Nora (director of the Woody Guthrie Foundation and Archives) has reported that, indeed, he was.

Oklahoma Central University college professor, political pundit and local blogger Kurt Hochenbauer who quotes Guthrie's "All you fascists are bound to lose" line on his blog Okie Funk claims that stories of Guthrie being a Communist are just right-wing propaganda in his post "The Heroic Legacy of Woody Guthrie". (link above)

So whether it is debatable if Woody Guthrie was a "member" of the communist party or not, it's not really important, what we know now... ...(but little did Woody know), was that he might be the founder and brainchild of a "New Christian Left" Democrat party scheme decades after his death.

In Oklahoma, we have an active thriving franchise of the self described "Christian Left" at the Mayflower Community Church (United Church of Christ) which I have written about here.
I'll bet you a Dr.Pepper that Dr. Rev. Robin Meyers (and congregation) know a lot about Woody Guthrie and also know a lot about preaching the leftist agenda and preaching partisan Democrat politics from the pulpit on Sunday mornings while condemning Republicans for using religion to get votes,... but that's another story in itself (link above).

Another tactic of the New Christian Left is to play the part of the poor victim...Democrat political pundit/college professor Dr. Kurt Hochenbauer (Okie Funk) writes ..

"Robin Meyers, minister of the Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City and a professor of rhetoric of Oklahoma City University, has been a consistent and tireless progressive voice in Oklahoma City for a long time..."

Dr. Hochenbauer continues...

"In the January 26, 2005 column, titled, “The irony of a Christian inauguration,” Meyers essentially argues that the spirit of Jesus Christ—on both literal and figurative levels—was not a part of the recent Bush inauguration even though evangelical, right-wing ministers participated heavily in the $40 million party".

However, Dr Kurt goes on to say...

"I read (Rev Robin) Meyers column as I was drinking a beer at the Cock O’ The Walk in Oklahoma City. Looking around the bar afterwards, I was struck by the lack of any obvious religious expressions among the clientele, yet there was Meyers’ column in the “cool” local newspaper, which has its own rack right there in the bar’s foyer area. It seemed so oppressive to me. In Oklahoma City, these days, you can’t even go to a bar and get away from the Jesus talk".

I have no clue what the illustrious Doc Hochenbauer is referring to... I just thought it was typically hilarious doublespeak and decided to throw it in... no extra charge.

So, anyway, I've got the next new name for them... *"Christianism". Actually I got the name from (of all places) the Daily Kos where they try (and fail miserably) to make the case that the real Christians are liberals (shocking) and the rest of us are ... something else. (lol) But as usual, liberal schemes backfire in their face more often than Wiley Coyote himself.

Example: Here is the Daily Kos definition for Christianism "Christianism uses Christianity in order to further its political agenda" which is exactly what the Daily Kos and the New Christian Left is doing! Caught in their own "Acme Co." trap... again.

Here is my NEW revised and improved definition of Christianism... the combination of Christianity with Communism in order to further a political agenda. It makes perfect sense and it also fits perfectly with the ideals of the so-called New Christian Left.

But in reality, and far more likely... if Democrats keep ignoring who the real threat is (Hint: it's not Bush) their new name will be "Islamic".

*With apologies to Woody Guthrie fans for not calling it Guthrie-ism, Woody-ism, etc.

Before you go off half-cocked in the comments section, read my anticipated FAQ's below to clear up anything before you jump the gun... or the shark, or whatever.

1- Now some of you might claim I am mudslinging Woody Guthrie... I say "how so?".
While I disagree with Woodie Guthrie on his philosophical, social, political and religious conclusions... Woody seemed proud of his belief and was man enough to say what he was... unlike the liberals...errr progressives...errrr Christian Left.
2- Some might claim I am mudslinging a church and pastor...
I don't care what his name is or what church it is... if someone (anyone) is condemning others from the pulpit for doing exactly what he is doing from the pulpit, he deserves someone to slam him just a little... "pulpit pundit"... fits perfectly in this case.... it's just too bad I couldn't work the word "hypocrite" in there somewhere.
3- Some might claim I'm mudslinging the king of mudslinging- Okie Funk... I say "sometimes you gotta' get a little muddy if your gonna make an Omelet" or something like that.
4- Some might claim I'm mudslinging Democrats... I say "see #5 below".
5- Some might claim I'm mudslinging Liberals, Socialists, Progressives and the Left... I say not unless exposing you for the same thing your philosophical guru Woody Guthrie was proud to embrace is somehow mudslinging. If you are not a Woody Guthrie fan then I apologize for assuming you might be. (Check into it though, you might become a fan quickly)
6- Some might claim I'm mudslinging Communists... I say "excellent".
7- Some might claim I'm mudslinging the so-called Christian Left... I say " see #5 then...if you need further assistance, see #4 above"
8- Some might claim I'm mudslinging Islamic throat-cutting jihadist murdering cowards... I don't know what to say.
9- Some might claim I'm just mudslinging. (see #10)
10- Some might not want to face the truth about what they really are.

And lastly, no, I'm not mudslinging Oklahoma the state.
-red
(** Edit and updated 9/20/07- populist?... not so much. (thanks to Oklahoma Lefty- comments)

UPDATE: If there is a right-wing, pro-war, beer guzlin' gun totin', Bible thumpin', liberal hatin', (etc) Woody Guthrie fan out there, ...somewhere... and I just called you a Communist, .... wow, man... I'm really sorry dude. I wasn't talking about YOU, ...I promise.

And... here is a piece on how Liberals fail to combine terms Islamic terrorists and Christian radicals into the new term... "Christianism".

- red