To some, it's a referendum on the application of fervently believed religious principles to conservative public policy. Former Sen. John Ashcroft is emblematic of the historical tension that evangelicals face when they take their faith into the marketplace of ideas. Yet despite their large numbers, evangelicals feel misunderstood, even persecuted, by the popular culture. The very same people who say the No. 1 value in life is tolerance can turn around and be intolerant of any evangelical who disagrees with their views. Evangelicals aren't politically monolithic.
Different dogmas divide evangelicals into hundreds of denominations.
But evangelicals and their critics agree that there's something about this broad brand of religion that rubs a lot of folks the wrong way. Whether because of their belief that there is only one path to heaven, their emphasis on absolute truths over evolving moral standards, or their faith-based views on divisive issues like abortion and homosexuality, evangelicals often are perceived as rigid and threatening. There's this impression that evangelical Christians are out to make this into a monolithic nation that's conservative and Republican and will erode civil liberties. When Lieberman said his faith motivated his positions on a host of campaign issues, he was applauded across the political spectrum. And Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, asserting that the faith of an overtly pious Jew might adversely influence his vice presidency, was roundly denounced for anti-Semitism.