Oogedy-Boogedy

The alienating nature of certain strands of American Christian evangelical conservatism.

Discussing the intersection of religion and politics in the U.S. presidential election, syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker wrote,

As Republicans sort out the reasons for their defeat, they likely will overlook or dismiss the gorilla in the pulpit. Three little letters, great big problem: G-O-D. I’m bathing in holy water as I type. To be more specific, the evangelical, right-wing, oogedy-boogedy branch of the GOP is what ails the erstwhile conservative party and will continue to afflict and marginalize its constituents if reckoning doesn’t soon cometh.

Pundits were in turn baffled and offended by Parker’s use of oogedy-boogedy – so much so, that Parker felt obliged to explain herself in a second column: “Despite its sudden popularity, oogedy-boogedy is nonetheless causing some consternation and confusion,” Parker wrote; “What does it mean and whence does it come?”

Parker gave no simple definition of oogedy-boogedy saying, as with pornography, “I know it when I see it.” Yet, it seems she considers the term to describe a wing of far-right Christian conservatism whose political application of God and religion is simply unpalatable to a majority of mainstream voters.