I abhor Ashcroft and his prayer circle, but some of the comments about Christianity on this thread have been ludicrous. Remember the abolition movement? Largely a Christian social/political movement. Remember the civil rights movement? Largely a Christian social/political movement. Blacks in the civil rights movement were overwhelmingly active Christians. Where would the anti-interventionist movement speaking up for justice in Central America be if it were not for radical Catholics?
There are many different types of Christianity. What pases for intellectual discourse on this thread has dropped into prejudice and stereotype. The assumption that White Christian conservative evangelicals represent the range of Christianity is simpy bigotry, and is a form of secular White racism that dismisses one of the most significant institutions in Black America.
Weber's study of capitalism and Protestantism had some great analysis, but his description of Christianity has been shown to have been deeply flawed.
-Chip Berlet radical Christian