These days the Christian Conservatives have worked really really hard to portray the left as secular enemies of the faith, and spread the myth that one cannot be a good Christian and a political liberal, that the left-wing agenda of using the government to care for the needy, defend freedoms and protect the weak is somehow in fundamental conflict with the teachings of Jesus.

Now, I normally don't like to tell Christians how they should interpret their faith, and I'm not going to start now, but I think any Christian should seriously consider the following question: What in the teachings of Jesus would condone discrimination against social pariahs (like gays)? What in the anecdotes in the New Testament would encourage the savage me-first capitalism of Bush's Republican Party?

As an outsider, I don't see the connection. Actually, I'd have a sincere interest in how Christianity has become so conflated with conservativism, so if anyone cares to explain their side, I'm all ears.

As I understand it, jesus didn't have much time for theology and stuff. When he was 12 he did have a chinwag with religious leaders in the temple, but he grew out of such discussions. The little bit I understand is that he then got on with bringing attention to the poor, the oppressed, the unjustly accused, the wretched, the vulnerable, the confused, the exploited, the suffering, the
weak. If he had a bit of religious anger it was to castigate the ossified parody of Judaic values being promulgated by the priesthood of his time.

he then got on with bringing attention to the poor, the oppressed, the unjustly accused, the wretched, the vulnerable, the confused, the exploited, the suffering, the
weak.

Exactly.