I’m happy to be corrected but as an outsider I see modern post-Bush Republican politics as a populist movement designed to galavanise support via a demonisation of an invisible ‘common foe’ (normally immigration or phoney culture wars based on the demonisation of a downtrodden social group) that espouses a small state philosophy to offer huge tax cuts for their rich backers and cutting benefits for the poor.

(What the USA often doesn’t realise is that the Democrats are also a right-wing party akin to perhaps the Conservatives over here in the UK, or at least the pre-Thatcherite version. They just look ‘left wing’ from where on the scale the Republicans currently sit.)

Jesus taught us to give up the idea of hoarding personal wealth and instead help the poor. He spent all his time with the downtrodden, the cast aside and the shunned. He taught us to love others and to forgive, to build bridges instead of burning them. He told us very plainly never to judge others. We should be a light unto the world by showing those society has shunned unconditional love and not by chasing them away with torches and placards.

I don’t see religious values under attack by anyone other than the religious because they are not speaking out the messages of love, tolerance and forgiveness which are supposed to be the core tenets of Christianity.