The Republican presidential candidates competing for the affections of Florida voters have plenty of labels with which to tar each other: Influence peddler. Failed politician. Cayman Islands account holder. Aspiring polygamist.

But perhaps the worst smear they could lob at an opponent would be to call him a “compassionate conservative.”

There’s no place for compassion in this race, which has featured debate audiences cheering the death penalty and booing the Golden Rule. Candidates have jostled to take the hardest line in opposing government-funded programs to help the poor, with Newt Gingrich calling Barack Obama a “food stamp president” and Rick Perry blasting “this big-government binge (that) began under the administration of George W. Bush.”

Just three years after Bush left the White House, compassionate conservatives are an endangered species. In the new Tea Party era, they’ve all but disappeared from Congress, and their philosophy is reviled within the GOP as big-government conservatism.

Is this just a case of the Republican Party wanting to distance itself from the Bush years — or is compassionate conservatism gone for good?

Bush was not the first person to use the phrase “compassionate conservative,” but his adoption of the label in the 2000 campaign made it instantly famous. Bush and his advisers sought to soften the GOP’s image, which had taken a beating during the years of Gingrich’s speakership and the Clinton impeachment. Bush’s faith-based initiative was the signature policy to grow out of his compassionate conservative philosophy.

In 2008, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee also ran for the GOP nomination as a compassionate conservative, refusing to apologize for supporting state tuition breaks for the children of illegal immigrants: “You don’t punish a child because a parent committed a crime.” Huckabee was fond of saying that he was a conservative, just not angry about it.

Like the Ecuadorian horned tree frog, a handful of compassionate conservatives can still be found, if you know where to look. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., who was involved with faith-based initiatives before Bush ever heard about them, is one. And former Bush aide Michael Gerson continues to preach the gospel from his perch as a Washington Post columnist.

After the Iowa caucuses, both Gerson and New York Times columnist David Brooks hailed former Sen. Rick Santorum as the second coming of compassionate conservatism. And it’s true that in his victory speech in Iowa, Santorum sounded very much like a populist, arguing that Republicans need to offer more than tax cuts and balanced budgets to Americans who are struggling.

But when it comes to specifics, there aren’t many government policies — particularly domestic programs — that Santorum supports to help alleviate poverty. He cheered most of the harsh cuts in hunger and housing programs that House Republicans proposed this summer. Santorum, a devout Catholic, has said that he believes the U.S. Catholic bishops are wrong to back immigration reform, and he has confessed he is unfamiliar with the phrase “a preferential option for the poor,” which is an essential component of Catholic social teaching.

There is a meanness to the way many Republicans talk about the poor these days that was not en vogue during the Bush years. Unlike Huckabee, they are angry conservatives.

Gingrich spits out the words “food stamps” and implies they are gold coins showered on undeserving recipients. When debate moderator Juan Williams asked Gingrich whether his comments are “intended to belittle the poor and racial minorities,” he was roundly booed by the conservative audience in South Carolina.

The conservative Heritage Foundation released a report last September arguing that those living under the poverty line in the U.S. aren’t really poor because they have refrigerators and microwaves.

What happened to compassion? One answer is that it turned out to be expensive. Providing housing and food assistance, giving grants to charities that help low-income Americans, supporting job training programs — these all cost money. The federal deficit ballooned during the Bush administration, and though much of that came from funding the Iraq War and an expensive Medicare prescription drug benefit, Bush’s domestic faith-based programs and tripling of U.S. aid to Africa have been tagged with the blame.

In addition, the Tea Party movement has embraced what political writer Jill Lawrence calls “Darwinian conservatism.” You could also call it “Ayn Rand conservatism,” after the libertarian philosopher whose work many congressional Republicans praise. In 2010, Republican Senate candidates attacked programs such as Social Security, student loans and unemployment benefits, saying they made Americans lazy.

The debates in this election cycle have also encouraged the turn away from compassionate conservatism. Led by Gingrich, the candidates have played to audiences hungry for red meat. These party faithful lustily cheer attacks and boasts, and they boo any statement that carries a whiff of moderation.

Just before the South Carolina primary, a progressive Christian group called the American Values Network released an animated video, “Tea Party Jesus,” to mock the disconnect between popular conservative rhetoric and Gospel teachings. In a “Sermon on the Mall,” a cartoon Jesus stands flanked by GOP politicians and pundits as he declares, “Blessed are the mean in spirit … blessed are the pure in ideology.” It didn’t take long for a Tea Party site to promote the video instead of taking offense.

Tea Party activists might not have gotten the joke, but if the Republican Party rejects completely the idea of compassion for struggling Americans, it will be no laughing matter.

(Amy Sullivan is a writer and former senior editor at Time magazine who covers politics, religion and culture.)

Zondervan, the world’s leading publisher of the Bible and other Christian books, purchased recently through its Zonderkidz division, The Beginner’s Bible.

The Beginner’s Bible, originally published by Mission City Press, has been among the top 10 bestsellers of Christian children’s books for the last 20 years. It has stood out for its unique artwork and simple storybook-telling style, and is today considered a classic.

The Beginner’s Bible is geared to children age six and younger. It presents Bible stories in a way that is both entertaining and educational, and is widely considered to be a pioneer in this category.

Robust product line

Zondervan has had since 1997 a distribution agreement with Mission City Press. In 2004 Zondervan became the exclusive publisher of the book through Zonderkidz.

Zonderkidz has since then fully revised and updated the text and illustrations of The Beginner’s Bible. It also added a robust product line including various Bible storybooks, devotionals, children’s books, Bible covers, audio products, I Can Read Bible stories and others.

To date, all editions of The Beginner’s Bible (now available worldwide in over 20 languages) have cumulatively sold six million copies. The entire product line (including storybooks, audio products, et. al.) has sold over 18 million units.

“Zondervan has enjoyed a great partnership with Mission City Press as both organizations have long shared a common vision to bring God’s Word to life to the youngest generation,” Scott Macdonald, President and CEO of Zondervan, said.

“We are honored that Mission City Press trusts us to carry forward this wonderful brand, and we intend to continue to enhance and develop it to impact more young hearts for Christ,” Macdonald said.

Tim Lyles, President of Mission City Press said, “There are times when a highly successful past turns out to be just the warm-up for an even more astounding future.  We feel that way about The Beginner’s Bible.”

Lyles added, “[The Beginner’s Bible’s] amazing legacy as a No. 1 bestseller for over 20 years was preparation for the best that is yet to come. There is no better company than Zondervan, our longtime publishing partner, to take [this] brand to new heights.”

Zonderkidz has produced over 55 products for The Beginner’s Bible brand, including an interactive website with games and teaching resources. Zondervan is also planning new products for the brand including:

• The Beginner’s Bible: Kid-Sized Devotions for children to use daily.
• The Beginner’s Bible Book of Prayers, which includes a Bible verse and a biblical character per prayer.
• Heroes of the Bible, from the I Can Read series. Hardcover editions will also have an audio CD.

The newest episode of Glee, “Grilled Cheesus” tackles faith and religion, and primarily advocates tolerance.

The episode is considered to be the series’ most emotional to date. In the show Finn (Cory Monteith) sees a vision of God in his grilled cheese sandwich which leads his fellow glee club members–and even Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch)–to dwell on their thoughts about spirituality, Entertainment Weekly reported.

USA Today said the episode explores the “power and limits of faith and religion in a democratic society — and of our need to find something or someone to believe in.” The story is focused on the relationship between Kurt (Chris Colfer) and his father (Mike O’Malley).

Songs in this episode include “Papa Can You Hear Me,” “One of Us,” “Losing My Religion,” “Only the Good Die Young,” “I Look to You,” and “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” TV.Com said.

Ryan Murphy, co-creator of the show told Entertainment Weekly, “To me, it just shows that everybody in our society, particularly young people, are just desperate to believe in something.” Murphy also said that he and co-writers Ian Brennan and Brad Falchuk tried to present faith and spirituality in a balanced manner.

Murphy told Entertainment Weekly, “We went through and counted it word by word and line by line. Every time somebody said something anti-religion, we made sure somebody said something pro.” The show may also be timely in light of the recent stretch of gay youth suicides.

Murphy said to Entertainment Weekly, “This episode starts off our arc about tolerance and respecting other points of view. That’s what the whole season, particularly the first 10, are about: All our kids rallying around the different people in the glee club who are persecuted and bullied. It’s a very powerful subject, but also we’re doing it with humor.”

Politicians, activists and academics decried recently a violent attack on Christians from HKBP church in Bekasi, Indonesia. They asked the government to revoke a 2006 ministerial decree requiring churches to get building permits, which extremists constantly use to justify their harassment of faith worshippers and suppression of their human rights.

Last Sunday, hard line Muslims attacked the HKBP congregation. In the melee, Asia Sihombing was stabbed in the stomach and critically wounded, The Jakarta Post said. Rev. Luspida Simanjuntak, who ran to his aid, was beaten with a wooden plank on her head, the AP said.

Simanjuntak told reporters, “I was trying to help get him onto a motorcycle so we could get him to a hospital.” The HKBP has been regularly harassed by the Islamic Defenders Front, who coerced local authorities to shutter the Christian church early this year, the AP reported.

The church, which has some 1,500 members, had been worshipping in a house for 15 years, then applied for a building permit in 2006. This became an excuse to eventually shutter the church so that no one could worship inside of it. (For background, go to http://theundergroundsite.com/index.php/2010/08/indonesian-christian-open-air-service-threatened-by-300-muslims-13281).

The church received permission from the Mayor to worship in an open field. On July 9, Muslims surrounded the Christians, despite the presence of some 300 police assigned to “protect” them. One attacker got through the police cordon and hit Simanjuntak on the cheek, The Underground said.

More recently they have thrown water bottles and shoes at worshippers, and interrupted services by noisily chanting “Leave now” and “Infidels.” They have also dumped heaps of feces on the field where the Christians hold their worship services, the AP said.

In the case of this most recent attack, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered the police to apprehend and arrest the people who stabbed Sihombing and beat Simanjuntak on the head with a wooden plank, the AP said.

Police told the AP that they questioned nine witnesses and have the identities of the perpetrators. However they did not feel they could provide a motive. The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, a human rights group, said that in 2010 there were 64 incidents of religion-related attacks including burning churches and physical abuse, compared to only 18 in 2009 and 17 in 2008, the AP said.

Critics note that this was only one of many religious discrimination incidents, and that for six years Yudhoyono’s administration has been turning a blind eye. They asked the government to meet with religious leaders to settle the issue of repression of their religious rights and the general failure of the state to defend their constitutional right to freedom of religion, The Jakarta Post said.

They said the requirement for building permits issued by the Religious Affairs Ministry and the Home Ministry in 2006 has enabled multiple interpretations and manipulations, especially by Muslim hardliners, The Jakarta Post said.

Some 4,656 people have gone to www.petitiononline.com and signed an online petition for the government to comprehensively resolve the conflict which is threatening pluralism in Indonesia, The Jakarta Post said.

On Tuesday, the President ordered Cabinet ministers and the governor of West Java to work with the Bekasi mayor and religious leaders for a solution, The Jakarta Post said.

Indonesia, with a population of 237 million people, has more Muslims than any country in the world. Of late, the extremists have become more violent and vocal, encouraged by the inaction of the government which relies heavily on Islamic parties in parliament, the AP said.

The Islamic Defenders Front is pushing for hard line Islamic-based laws to be implemented. They have repeatedly threatened the HKBP and are known for attacking transvestites, smashing bars, and wielding bamboo clubs and throwing stones at those whom they accuse of blasphemy. However, they are rarely punished or questioned by the police, the AP said.

Technology is a given and there is no turning back.  With this in mind Jennifer Worthington, a Christian mom, decided to use technology to take preschool basics and blend them with Christian messages.

The result is Worthington’s Little Angels product line.

The Little Angels collection is interconnected, so that lessons build and enhance one upon the other.  Core Christian values come across through the product line’s two DVDs, one CD and three iPhone applications, according to Marketwire.

The CD is a collection of hymns, while the first DVD video features Bible stories like Noah’s Ark and the Last Supper.  The second DVD video is called “Little Angels ABCs” and lessons are integrated with spiritually uplifting messages of love.  The iPhone applications include numbers and prayers, and are particularly useful when on the go, according to Marketwire.

Worthington devised it because she noticed the plethora of children’s teaching materials, but none that imparted spiritual values which she wanted children to learn at a young age, according to Marketwire.

At the same time she felt that using technology—whether it is the television, DVD, CD or iPhone–would empower moms and provide a way for children to access positive and encouraging messages with technology that would be pleasant and appealing, Marketwire said.

According to Marketwire, the Little Angels collection is a convenient way to expose children to faith, enable early childhood discovery, build up their self esteem, and spark their imagination.

Many parents believe that the earlier faith is taught, the better.  With this view in mind, some may want to take a look at this teaching tool.