Salon.com News | God is not a right-wing zealot: "The media finds itself attracted to two things, controversy and brief, neat answers. I recall speaking at a meeting several years ago in Seattle about the political influence of the religious right. Six hundred people were inside and three people (from the religious right) were outside, and the media, in this instance television, gave equal time to both sides. "

This is an interesting interview with one of the leaders from the Clergy Leadership Network, and I really liked this example about the media. I think it describes our media situation pretty well without deciding an ideological bias.

I also like how he describes his beliefs. They are closer to my own.

"I'm not part of the evangelical right. I believe that God's spirit is inclusive, not exclusive. I believe that the public marketplace -- the place where ideas are exchanged and decisions are made -- is not to be monopolized by one religious point of view.

I believe that we are an open country with religious and even non-religious diversity, and that's a good thing, a democratic thing and very American.

And then I believe part of the appeal of the evangelical religion is for offering certainty, not faith. Certainty about what's doctrinally correct. I think one of the dangers of religion is to believe we've got God all buttoned down. And I believe just the opposite. I believe in the freedom and mystery of God that doesn't allow us to be certain but allows us to be loving."

I would add that I believe that Jesus is not a capitalist, and that Christianity is not synonymous with either market capitalism (in fact contradictory at points) or American patriotism.