being religious and left...

This article highlights the tension that often exists when religion tries to play a role in leftist politics.

Particularly interesting is the interchange between Tony Campolo, a liberal baptist minister, and a man in a tunic. Campolo is arguing that spiritual leaders should know the Bible and use it more in Washington, because powerful people in Washington respect the Bible, even if they don't know what it says.

The man's response: "I thought this was a spiritual progressives' conference," he said. "I don't want to play the game of 'the Bible says this or that,' or that we get validation from something other than ourselves. We should be speaking from our hearts."