While the Democrats are really good at making the outsider feel at home.....

Sorry Jonah. I love you man, but the Democrats don´t make me feel at home - not when they scorn all I hold dear.

Let me ask this: If we strip the term ´Christianity´ away, does anyone object to the ideals behind the belief system? Do we agree that people should not bear false witness, that they should not commit murder or cheat on their spouse? Should we love our neighbor and be our brother´s keeper?

My Christianity - the act of following my master - is not defined by a political party and, contrariwise, I do not expect my political party to confirm my Christianity. However, the moral system that comes from God is good for all men, whether they choose to acknowledge Him or not.

So the question is not whether the GOP needs to acquiesce to Christ, but whether they should maintain the moral standards that come from Him. The answer to that will determine the fate of the GOP.

Dems are great at putting on Christianity when it bonds them to a voting block, like putting on a baseball cap of the local team, but I would argue that most Conservatives live their faith as a huge part of their total makeup. Those voters swayed by any ´tribal´ connection aren´t the achievers Jonah speaks of so how do those smart Asian Americans not see genuine morality vs patronization?

I understand where Jonah is coming from, but he doesn´t understand Christians. Does any other religion have as its Founder One who sacrificed His life for them? He is the most-loved head of a grateful family. Other Believers are our brothers and sisters, and it´s like a family reunion when we get together. I think that´s what unbelievers sense, and understandably resent because it can come across as rude.

Color me a little skeptical here. For one thing, quite a few Asians are devout Christians, e.g. many Koreans.

And wasn´t Dinesh D´Souza born Catholic -- and very happy for it? (Or at least he used to be happy to say he was Christian, before his recent public moral slip.)

Someone else floated a theory about the Asian vote that I found more plausible:
Asians have been taught to identify the GOP as the "white" party.

It is sad, but apparently true, that skin-color-solidarity seems to have far more currency than national interest, or even economic self-interest. In ´08 Obama promised to be a "post-racial" president; but he has been anything but.

I understand where Jonah is coming from. As a catholic, I prefer using the name of Jesus in religious settings but in non denomination arenas I think it would be prudent to use terms like Lord or higher power to incorporate all faiths. By all rights, Asians should be Republicans and he has been told by some why they are turned off by the GOP. One other thing, just because Asians register as Democrats, doesn´t mean that´s how they vote. Many immigrants mistakenly believe the Democrat Party still stands for the little guy. LOL

Jonah, Jonah, Jonah.

As a Catholic "minority," I never joined the dRATS because they have no true moral compass, yet two of my brothers did. I am the descendant of a glorious Faith and Country whose Founding Fathers were visionary enough to include their Maker in their documents. The simple "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance was part of my correct assimilation into later believing in God, Duty, Honor, Country.

If any other "constituency" can´t grasp the basic goodness in the innovators and capitalist that brought them here, then join the dRATS party. At least you will have the ability to someday blame yourself for the failure of achieving your dreams.

Much of the Asian "thing" is simply emotional attraction to one of color (very light)who has Asian ties....Indonesia and Hawaii. Also, his half-sister, still in Hawaii...except for trips back and forth to Japan and Washington, makes obama even more attractive to some Asians. Nothing to do with politics or religion.

The accepted terminology is all wrong today. It should not be: Liberals, Moderates, and Conservatives. I should be: The godless, the lukewarm, and the Godly.

Sorry Jonah, but I am not looking for a political savior.

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.(Col 1:16-17).

Scripture is clear that all civic and political institutions were designed to represent the judicial righteousness of God.

God help me, for the first time in my life I see the need for a White Christian Party.

Christians and Whites are being denigrated and exploited by those in power - and told to ´like it.´

Render unto Caesar what is Caesar´s, and unto God what is God´s.

Not a good idea to conflate or confuse the two. That goes double for party politics.

Jonah´s summation: ´´The challenge now is to figure out how to talk in a way that doesn´t cause decent and dedicated Christians to pull in like a turtle, while also appealing to non-Judeo-Christians and the nonreligious. That´ll be hard, requiring more than name-dropping Confucius or Krishna.´´

That makes me so sad. You want to find a way to talk that isn´t offensive to anyone. Is that honest?

This article more than anything else makes me think there is now no hope for our country. The believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob formed a great nation by following God. By turning our backs on Him, by thinking there´s strength in numbers rather than knowing our strength is from the Lord, we have brought the country down to the point where it is now. America needs to bless God, before they can expect God to bless America. He won´t do it.

Oh Jonah. For the first time I am embarrassed for you. You truly don´t get what it means to be a Christian. And it doesn´t involve putting my faith in a human political figure. My faith goes where it belongs, to God and His son, Jesus.

Maybe before you write something like this again, you should interview Jonah Goldberg the author. He is a Messianic Christian and understands the Christian faith very well.

Yeah, because this "natural Republican" meme worked so well with Latinos.
Apparently not.

The Constitution is a job description. I vote for someone to follow that. I don´t vote for them to be spiritual leader. That job is taken. I believe that is why the founders provided for separation. They knew the purpose of government. When that changed for America it was the start of a long and slow decline. I mourn the loss and pray for a return of the Republic as it was founded. If it never happens the fate of my eternal soul remains unchanged however. America was never meant to be a Caliphate.

Perhaps the NR needs to revisit what its founders stood for. Buckley created his magazine to counter the prevalence of creeping, antiAmerican, antifamily, countercultural influences rising out of academia and the gentrified political class. Whittaker Chambers embraced Christianity.

The truth doesn´t stop working. Don´t be afraid of it, champion it.

A lot of denial here. I guess some don´t hear how they sound among others. No one is saying to abandon values--as if Jonah would ever advocate that. But it´s telling that when Jonah suggests being more inclusive and being sensitive to other faith traditions, someone starts spouting scripture--a passage that has nothing to do with Jonah´s point about being receptive to their traditions.

You´re also in denial if you think Asians are natural Republicans or if they voted for BO because he´s from Hawaii. If you live in Calif, you know that Asians are overwhelmingly Dems, probably because of immigration and, like Hispanics, they like the idea of a big government--that´s the only thing they know from their homelands.

I´m a devout Roman Catholic and even I find a lot of believers obnoxious. I´m sure a Buddhist does.

It is the duty of our Christian churches to reach out to minorities and the poor and to change our culture.

It is the duty of our politicians (at least those I support)to protect our country, the constitution and capitalism.

Agree with most of the above, especially 13-render to Caesar--and 15-- Romney was too good in this envy charged country. (By the way, many "intolerant" Christians voted for the Mormon, despite their supposed prejudice.)Maybe Asians, seeking to, as Jonah says, "earn like Jews," want to be on the winning side--the side with influence, the side that can grease the skids for their fellow party members. A purely practical matter, not religious, I would posit. Also, the Indians coming here and the Chinese I have met, are from socialist and commie societies. They are elites in those societies or they would not have gotten here. People in the slums of Calcutta are not packing their gold and heading to the USA. Elites gravitate to the party of Harvard and Yale. I am Catholic and don´t care what anyone else is, as long as they revere and adhere to the US Constitution. If Jonah saw tolerance in the Democrat convention as compared to the GOP´s, I don´t know what to say to that.

To me a lot of comments here are making Jonah´s point for him. I am not religious but I am highly libertarian. I want the government out of my private life and out of my finances (which SHOULD be part of my private life) and out of my religion or lack of religion. Whenever I hear religious invocations from Republicans I reflexively filter them out and try to get to the political issues, but it DOES make me feel a bit like an outsider, so I can only imagine how others feel who haven´t come round to acknowledging that Republicans share more in common with them than the other parties do. It is absolutely crazy that Asians would vote for democrats and it´s just as crazy that most Hispanics would. We have to figure out a way to get those who don´t think like democrats to vote against democrats.

As a Christian, let me make a politcal statement and wish all of you wonderful Ldotters a very Merry Christmas! ( Yes, since PC arrived on the scene, saying that instead of Happy Holidays has become a political statement )

I´m having surgery on my dominant hand tomorrow and will not be able to use it at all for at least 4-6 weeks - which means no typing and therefore no posting. I´ll will be lurking, though.

Blessings to all of you for Christmas and the New Year. And try to keep the faith!!!

It is very common for immigrants to enroll their elderly parents, whose entry into this country they sponsored, in Social Security and Medicare. So even though Asian immigrants are highly productive, they often receive this indirect form of welfare assistance. If they assume that it is more secure under Democratic rule, they are probably correct.

Also, in places like California, it is an act of non-conformity to be a Republican. Most people want to fit in, and Asians probably more so.

Having said that, my wife is a Chinese immigrant, not a Christian, but a conservative Republican. I´ve never heard her complain about Republican religiosity; but, I have to admit, it does sometimes bother me.

First, hoping and praying for you in your hand surgery, #24. The surgeons do miracles now. Been there, done that, only it was a brain tumor. Take care of yourself and a speedy recovery.
Back to topic, I agree and disagree with our dear Mr. Goldberg.

Whether Romney is a good man or not is irrelevant. For sure he was a loser. As Acton observed, "Good men are never great".
The election was for POTUS not Pastor of the Flock.

Jonah´s point is that the Asian community , as well as the Indian community and Jewish community
should be natural allies of Republicans because they all share common values.
But, they´re not any longer.
The Republican Party has become known , fairly or not , as the party of Christians only .
And not just Christians, but, the fundamentalist branch.
I wish I could remember his name , but, Bill Bennett had a very interesting discussion recently with
a conservative author who
has written books dissecting voting trends.
He made the same point after viewing the exit polling from
this past election.
People will tell pollsters that they are conservative, but, they don´t vote that way.
The author said the party is perceived as being angry , intolerant , rigid and wants the government to control social behavior.
He said that perception is reinforced during the primaries
where social and religious litmus tests are mandated.
Until conservatives stop giving verbal beat downs
to anyone who recommends
we put social issues on the back burner
and concentrate on fiscal and national security issues , the party will continue to lose elections.
Republicans lost 8 House seats , a net loss of 2 Senate seats and the presidency last month.
Obama and his Senate allies will stock the USSC and the judiciary with radical judges
who will decree everything the far right hates .
They continue to shoot themselves in the foot while the left is much more savvy and stealth in choosing their issues and candidates.
Victoria Toensing was blasted recently by the far right for
advocating " As for morality, our party should live it, not legislate it."
Amen.

I agree with Jonah. When Romney made his 47% remark, he automatically excluded a whole bunch of high-income folks, many of whom are women. Republicans generally -- and libertarians specifically -- chase off lots of potential voters with dogmatic positions. Surprised to hear this? That´s part of the problem. I have Hispanic and Asian female friends who in no way relate to Rush Limbaugh and the like. That´s just a fact. I suppose we can just right them off, but now might be the time to examine a few of our premises.

We have a friend who is in local politics in a conservatively leaning, albeit blue state. He is a Christian, a pragmatic and hard working Republican. He has told us many times that he gets more civility and cooperation from Dems than from Christian Republicans (and sorry if that is offensive, those are his words) who tend to take their ball and go home (or as Jonah says, pull into their shell) when he doesn´t do exactly as they dictate. He said it is very disheartening, and it shocked him when he started the job; as he expected the opposite.

Yesterday we had an interesting thread about the Korean rapper, Psy, who apologized for his extremely offensive anti-American lyrics from 8 years ago. The world watched as Barack Hussein Obama met him and apparently publicly forgave him. There were no words of Christianity being the motivator, and I have no idea where Obama was coming from, but the ideal of forgiveness was clear...the world is watching. Asian American kids are watching. They vote.

FTA: "While the Democrats are really good at making the outsider feel at home, the Republicans make little or no effort."(Dinesh D´Souza)
Oh, really? Believing Christians are routinely ridiculed and ostracized by the Democrats.

A large number of Asians--Chinese and Korean--are evangelical Christians. Google any big college or university and find the link for the club for Christian students. If you look a the pictures, there are a lot of Asians--sometimes all or most.

I like Jonah but I must have missed the part where the last election was a call to Christ.
I thought Romney/Ryan hammered fiscal issues and personal responsibility above all else. They still lost. I´ve no doubt identity politics played a part in that loss but I really don´t see how to fix that problem.

Here´s an issue to bring out GOP white Christian voters...
without being overtly offensive or obnoxious about it...

Propose we elect CongressHo´s who will pass a new constitutional amendment...
which redefines the First Amendment...
so that prayer is allowed in public schools once again...
especially Christian prayer...
since in reality the First Amendment does not proclaim freedom FROM religion...
but freedom to exercise whatever religion an individual may choose... if any...
(The constitution does not mention "separation of church and state")

The commie left Warren Court bastardized America beyond recognition...
our nation is no longer what it once was as we knew it...
thank Ike´s commie lib appointee Earl Warren...
former GOP Guber of California.

(Ike gave California the veep spot and the Chief Justice spot for their delegate votes he needed over Taft in 1952. That´s how and why we got Nixon and Warren. Sheesh.)

Certain passionate issues bring out massive vote.
Put a constitutional amendment to allow school prayer in the forefront.
You´ll elect your CongressHo´s and president, and maybe even get the amendment done someday.

Worth trying, and it would generate excitement.
Pensions, taxes, entitlements and sacrifice do not generate positive excitement.
School prayer does.
As a stalking horse or Trojan Horse it´s better than any other issue.
It´s innocuous and well-intentioned.
It´s for the chillrun.
And adults, too.
(You can also include language that permits Nativity displays in public areas at Christmas.)

Once we elect conservatives, GOP or otherwise...
ostensibly to get the amendment revamp...
we can then address the financial predicaments we face, too.

Find a way to win.
Get control. Then address the problems.
This amendment proposal could be a way...
or the way... to git her done.

# 31 Oh, really? Believing Christians are routinely ridiculed and ostracized by the Democrats.

African Americans are among the most fervently Christian voters and they are solidly dem.

George W. Bush received 44% of Hispanic and a similar number of Asian votes. George HW Bush had 55% of Asian votes. So these blocks are not ´lost forever´, they can potentially become GOP voters again. Between 2004 and 2012 there was this whole focus on social issues starting with Terri Schiavo and stem cell research, that probably began to turn off Asians. If Romney had won the same proportion of Asian and Hispanic voters that GWB won, he would be president.

The problem isn´t an Asian, a Jew, and an Indian attend a Republican gathering and the "jokes ensue" because they are non-Christian outsiders.

The problem IS that we, on the right, have allowed the Democrats and their accomplices in the mainstream media define us as "the party of RICH, white, HYPOCRITICAL Christians, who are racist, jingoist and homophobic." In other words, any so-called ethnic group is taught very early on that the GOP is the party of elitist Christians who could care less if the common man, especially the "common brown man" gets ahead in life.

Until we can get up, over and around the mainstream media, this will continue.

Sorry #34, you´ll never get the votes.

Say it isn´t so, Ethel: even Jonah Goldberg has jumped onto the "blame it on the Christians" bandwagon. That dog don´t hunt, Jonah.

Looks as if almost all the posters here are saying to white christians to just sit down and shut up, your opions are not needed.

I´m a Christian and usually vote GOP, but the GOP is chasing EVERYONE away. They have NO TRUE BELIEFS. It is time for a new party.

He´s right. I asked some friends of mine - who originally came from India - why they weren´t Republicans when they were business owners. They related the story on how they went to the local Republican meetings, they were always pestered to convert to Christianity.

The GOP´s problem is weak leadership, period. Because we do not fight back through our so-called "spokesmen" we are defined by a biased media. People (all people!) have a strong tendency to believe what they "hear, see & read". When Republicans are ALWAYS depicted as uncaring rich people who hate gays, want to hold back blacks & Latinos and are anti-woman, it doesn´t take long for that unearned bad reputation to stick and to scare anyone from joining that party. The lunatic fringe of the Democrat party is never emphasized the way the GOP´s few losers are highlighted. Who wants to join any party that sounds like every member in it is a nut?

I am a Christian and member of the Methodist Church and a REPUBLICAN and I do not mix the two and never have been in a church that does. Gads, people, lighten up.
Too much fighting about nothing.

American is rapidly becoming No Country for Old White Men, Christian or otherwise.

#24, we will miss you. Learn to hunt and peck with the other hand. May the Lord give rapid healing.

The dem party is a devious, theatrical gathering place for special interest groups to barter for special favors from pols who will promise them anything for their votes. ...Pull back the OZ curtain and what do you see? ...Not a pretty picture.

The GOP is a mixed bag of both conservatives, who are naturally up-front about who they are, principles upon which they stand, and why they so cherish Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness in the U.S.A., AND some entrenched RINOS who seem most interested in the beltway social circuit & money rather than Liberty´s foundational capitalist system which has enabled the USA to thrive, prosper and provide freedom & justice for ALL for over 2 centuries. ...The Founders got it right & Conservatives respect that fact.

As a traditional conservative and evangelical Christian who works in the world of higher education, I understand what it means to feel "not at home" in a group. My colleagues have no idea how offensive many of their remarks are to me. Here´s another example - There was never any alcohol in my family, and we were taught that using it in any circumstance was bad. To this day, though I will drink a glass of wine now and then, I never ever go to bars and I am uncomfortable in gatherings where liquor is flowing. Thus I think that Jonah has a legitimate point in making us think about how we welcome "outsiders" to a political party.

There is a time and place for invocations and benedictions at political gatherings, but representatives from a variety of faiths should be invited to take part. (And when it´s the Christians´ turn, they shouldn´t apologize for praying in Jesus´ name). Proselytizing has no place in these gatherings.

But let us also remember that our founders routinely used the words of scripture and we should not apologize for the foundational principles on which our nation and its constitution rest. There is no point (in my view) to back political agendas that seek to thwart those principles.

Ramona (the Pest)

Reagan was an unapologetic white male Christian. His passion for this country helped others see the value in being a conservative. First in California, then the nation.

The GOP doesn´t need to try to thread a PC needle. They need to find a passionate conservative leader -- and probably a Christian, too. The media won´t allow them to thread that needle, Jonah. Look how they identify the Tea Party: racists, kooks, etc., with no proof whatsoever.

Find an unapologetic, yet charming Leader. With a capital L.