European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Pago 10 the stars and stripes religion saturday july 23, 1994 poll finds religious right in t easily by Richard l. In Finkk new York l Imes the Christian right which h the focus of i intense debate in the Republican party is a far More diverse group in terms of geography politics and even religious doctrine than is generally suggested by either its critics or its most vocal proponents the latest new York times lbs news poll shows. Predictably these christians Are More conservative on social issues like abortion and homosexuality than most americans and even most republicans. But from there the caricature of Republican southerners follow ing a monolithic religious Agenda Breaks Down. Many americans who describe themselves As conservative christians reject any attempt to Lump them selves into a a movement a preferring to describe themselves in specific doctrinal terms. Some said they resented being associated with prominent conservative. Christian figures such As the Rev. Jerry Falwell. They Are As be democrats As republicans. And while they Are disproportionately from a tie christians live in All parts of the country. While the poll indicates that there is a genuine division the Republican party Over the appropriate role of its religious oriented groups it suggests that the debate cannot be painted in the sort of Black and while terms offered by either Side. Many Republican leaders have denounced As bigots those who crib seize the influence of religious groups in the party. But 4 out of 10 rank and file republicans said they Loo were worried that the growing influence of these people could Divide the party and a majority of americans said they did not consider it proper for politicians to preach on the Campaign Trail or for preachers to talk politics from the pulpit. Nearly a third of republicans said the political involvement. Of the religious right strengthened their party. Quo Dave Hatcher a 35-year-old Glazier from Omaha neb., said in a follow up interview after the poll was conducted that he was concerned that the religious j ii it would Quot Start Irvine to write the Laws out of the a a. A but Cynthia Swari Houi a 25-year-old homemaker Tom Willard . Said religious conservatives such As herself could save the Republican part. A it we went Back to what w e should be according to the Bible we would t be having half the problems we have now Quot Swari Houi said. Quot the religious right still , for morals and the Liberal people the democrats done to have any . In the nationwide Telephone poll of 1.339 adults conducted. July 14 to 17, percent identified them selves As Pari of the religious people w to identity with the religious right Are overwhelmingly protestant and far More Likely to attend religious services every week than Oiher americans. A most americans the. Poll showed a perceive. These people As overwhelmingly Republican but while most people who identify with the religious right voted for a George Bush in the 12 presidential election thee split almost equally in their affiliations Between republicans and democrats their education my backgrounds Are roughly the same As Alt americans a a and poll Only half considered themselves to be. A angelic Al a Fundum Utehs or charismatic in their sonic members of the re Gigous right say they resent being associated with prominent conservative Christian figures such As the Rev Jerry Falwell. Religious beliefs. Some of those who identified Vilh the religious right in the Survey said in the follow up Calls that they did not want to be grouped with religious leaders who take the forefront in the Public political debate and who portray themselves As leaders of Christian americans. These respondents viewed such prominent figures As less tolerant than themselves. Quot i done to want to be with that Jem Falwell said Bobi a 66-year-old Retiree from Rural Texas who declined to give her Las t name. Quot he s gone overboard. I think he a just a fanatic believe in High moral standards but Don t believe people should say such awful things about other she Vas referring to Falwel s attacks on president Clinton. Bobi. An Independent who voted for Bush in 1992 also said that while she personally opposed abortion and homosexual rights she did. Not relieve people should be excluded trom a political party for not sharing her position a. M can t understand the homosexual thinking she said Quot but if i had personal dealings with someone be that. 1 could probably change my. Mind right but Janet Istre of Gueydan la., who also considers herself a member of the religious right takes a far harder line saying condone homosexuality or abortion should not be Welcome in the Republican party. A a a a. A they should not be allowed in the Republican. Party because they done to have moral values a abortion is said Istre 20, clerk in a drugstore. Quot and if they Don t have any moral values. 1 done to Sec Bow they can help republicans. Quot a a retiring priests a tons face shortfalls by the associated press catholics have contributed s150 million in special collections to help aging nuns and priests but the re Kucment fund shortfall for religious orders has climbed to More than so billion. A a a inflation. Ris Irig health care posts and aging membership sent liability for 103av men and women in Catholic religious orders soaring si.4 b Jion to Sty since 1�41. According to the 1c-4 retirement needs Sumer of h2d institutes. The crisis has forced some orders to rvs none and demand that dioceses pay higher salaries for work once done for a pittance. A Quot fewer and fewer religious can work without a Saluri and past Rev on the rot of the order to support and sister . Director of the Tri Couter enee retire men p meet in building an immigrant Church into Trie nation s largest. Nuns and p tests from religious orders worked m1. Quot a even so hour a week m schools parishes and hospitals. In return they were Given minimal compensation relying on fresh supplies of novices to meet the retirement members. A a but the number of people entering religious orders has dropped precipitously since the put Wand to docs Catholic orders arc Gray ing rapidly. A a Quot the Survey administered by the Church s Tri Conler ence retirement office found that 3 percent of nuns were under age 39 in 1993. Compared with s percent As recently As 19s5f the percentage of members Ages so and Abov e increased from 14 percent to 21 percent 1955.many orders have Ocean retirement planning programs. But fewer than 10 percent of the orders have adequate retirement funding the Survey found. In his Survey analysis. Daie Kent. A Painter in the Arthur Andersen accounting sum who led the Survey Mam. Said congregations need to use Noii traditional fund raising efforts such As having dioceses Pav nuns and priests from religious orders the same salaries Thev Pav Lav worker. Stashed Cash benefits congregation in Pittsburgh from the associated press. Pittsburgh a Church volunteers who were renovating an old House found $1,497 stashed in Mason jars in the fruit cellar. Nolson ring Biseti a professional Gardener who used to can tomatoes and Corn in his basement apparently Squirrel led the Money away before his death six years ago. The Rev. Drug Pratt whose memorial Park presbyterian Church bought the Mccandless Home gave t h e Money Rece Nelly to r i n be i be n cd Aughtr Margaret Brandau. In turn she gave a Little Back to the Church. A obviously i was shocked because i had no idea my father had done this a Brandau said. She said her father was not fearful of Banks and had accounts at several. The Bills most from the 1980s, were stuffed in Clear quart sized Glass Jar in Ohio shun Church Cincinnati a fewer than Haf of the ohioans in the viewed for a Sta Tew Ide Survey Sai d t hey h and attended a Church or synagogue within the previous week the Ohio poll reported. Still 59 percent of those surveyed said religion was important in their daily lives 2s percent said it was a somewhat important a and 13 percent said it was not important the poll said monday forty percent said they had attended a Church or synagogue within the previous week White 60 percent said they had not. The religious preferences of the ohioans Are similar to those of the nation the poll reported. Fifty five percent of those questioned said they Are protestant 28 percent said they Are roman cat to i in 8 Perce it said they p referred d som e Ole r religion and 9 percent said they have no religion. The University of Cincinnati a Institute for policy research conducted the Telephone poll May 18-28 w Ith 794 randomly selected adults. The University and the Cincinnati Post sponsored the poll. The poll s margin o f err or w a s 3.5 percentage Points. a. Debate invitations sent los Angeles the los Angeles roman Catholic archdiocese has invited gubernatorial candidates gov. Pete Wilson and Democrat Kathleen Brown to debate in a forum proposed by Cardinal Roger Mahone. A a in a not aware of anytime before that the Catholic Church did this a said the Rev. Gregory Coiro a spokesman for the archdiocese. A but Cardinal Mahony Felt there Are some very important. Issues this one Issue that the Church is especially interested in is immigration and health and welfare Reform. Both Wilson and Brown have run television ads touting their Tough stance on illegal immigration. The archdiocese has yet to receive a response t rom either candidate to the invitation which was issued last week. The two dates suggested were aug. 30 and aug. 31. A. aides to Brown and Wilson said that More than .50 requests from various groups have been received. All will be reviewed when the two sides meet to negotiate on Law criticized c11 est e a s. C. A the sky Council has passed a revised noise ordinance that has upset some Street preachers who say the new Rule is aimed at quieting them Down. The ordinance limits Public disturbances and noise making but docs not specifically mention preaching. Quot a Chesnee police however say they will warn the preachers to watch the volume of their sermons. "1 he last resort would be to put a preacher in it. Jack Wiggins said. Quot Well warn them and warn them and warn Bor the past two years members of at least two t hence churches have spent sunday afternoons preaching to teen agers cruising the town. They Nave stepped up their efforts in the past several weeks a j he Rev. Charles Vati criticized the reused ordinance. A "1 think it s another blow to christianity a said i halt pastor of the Baptist Church., Quot they re trying to Block the Church from doing what a its supposed to
