That rather colorful description comes from Boston University sociologist Peter Berger, who is working to challenge those stereotypes in a new study. At this point in my life, I’m very grateful for his work seeing how I am an evangelical living in "Tobacco Road" who is blogging barefoot at this very moment.
A recent Op-Ed in the Washington Post carries the same idea – the media and academia should pay more serious attention to actual evangelicals and less time to reinforcing their stereotypes of the group. The authors point out the successful and important history of the evangelical movement in America.
What strikes me as ironic is that while Washington Post wrote the infamous "uneducated and easily led" comments about evangelicals in 1993, the CNN article, describing the need to move beyond stereotypes of evangelicals, engages in many itself and refuses to go beyond the surface for much of their statements.
They equate the believe in evolution versus creationism as the defining difference between evangelicals and fundamentalist, with the later being the group that believes the Bible "literally." I’m not sure what that says for us evangelicals.
The story also quotes a sociologist critical of evangelicals. His point is that evangelicals must not be confident enough in our worldview and academic tradition because, we have founded strictly evangelical schools which refuse to hire professors who believe differently.
Well that’s odd I could have sworn I read some articles about most major universities applying their own litmus test over certain beliefs for professors and guests speakers? But that couldn’t be the case because that would clearly indicate that they are not confident in their beliefs or their academic tradition and that can’t be the case.
End Question: Is there a stereotype for evangelicals? Is the stereotype true or does it need busting or at least redefining?
There’s a stereotype for evangelicals just as there’s one for gays. Part of the reason is that media tend to simplify matters to make an easily digestable point and love to print images of freaks (red-faced tv evangelists poinding their Bibles, half-naked, boa-bedecked men with mascara). Thus, evangelicals get tarred with the redneck, white-trash, ignoramous brush while we’re constantly bombarded with images of the most flamboyant gays and stereotypes of gays as promiscuous, disease-ridden, child molesters out to destroy marriage and the family. So, I can sympathize with you. Too bad you won’t return the favor.
No, you're right there is a stereotype for gay individuals. I don't think it exists as much in academia, but it does certainly exists.
So contrary to your assertion, I do sympathize with you on that front and have said so repeatedly. I believe both sides could learn much more from one another if we stopped thinking based on the frames we are given from the stereotypes and started simply thinking of those we talk with as individuals.
This is a terrible media for thinking of people as individuals. Words on a screen aren't people.
An afterthought:
I don't think it exists as much in academia, but it does certainly exists.
This may be true, but academia is such a small, insular world. In the greater world where most of us live, the stereotype is alive and well (though fading as more and more gays come out). Unfortunately, I think it's probably most alive within the church community – or that alternative reality that evangelical/fundamentalist Christians have created for themselves. That's the pity of the situation.
Unfortunately, I agree with both of your comments.
It is vastly more difficult to view words on a screen as coming from an actual person. Some of us are worse at conveying a true sense of "personness" with our words. It also creates an atmosphere where stereotypes are easily perpetuated and can be the only visuals our minds have when in discussions.
I also agree that a negative stereotype for gay individuals exists more prevalently in the Christian community. That is a sad condemnation of us and our tendency to create our own ghetto, while refusing to engage those outside of our comfort zone.
I can't beleive the love fest that is going on here. Am I at the right blog? :)