I could write a lengthy thread on all of my issues with the Christian Right, but I don't really feel like it. I am, however, proud of myself for cleverly naming this thread. You know...since the elephant is the symbol of the Republican Party.
I understand the social issue part of it: gay marriage, abortions. What I don't understand is the perpetuation of massive wealth inequality, and the valuing of the rich above the poor, since Jesus was totally a champion of the poor. It's no small stretch of the imagination to say that, if Jesus were to be transplanted to our modern times, he would be some kind of religious socialist.
Another thing I don't get is the glorification of the military. War is bad. I mean, of course there are such things as a just war, but I think we should do everything we can to prevent wars. Maybe I'm just a silly young idealist?
Also, the whole gun culture. You know, if Jesus were around today I'm sure he would have a large collection of guns in his basement.
And the environment. I'm not sure, don't you think Jesus would want us to protect the environment?
And the ridiculous, fervent nationalism. Do you think God has some kind of special destiny for America? We're just a country, like any other country. Nations are a human construct. Do you really think the God of the universe cares about flags and anthems? He doesn't love an American more than a Frenchman or a Mexican or a Nigerian or even a filthy, godless Chinese communist heathen.
It just all makes me facepalm, folks. A lot of Christians claim to love the Bible and the Constitution. But the Constitution is not a religious document. It is a secular document. America really, truly is a secular nation. That is what the Founders intended. They were sons of the European Enlightenment, a movement that was skeptical of God. In our republic, you aren't supposed to have laws based on a particular religion (gay marriage in mind here).
But yeah...anyone out there agree with me? You've got poor southerners signing on with the party of the rich simply because of religion.
And a lot of Republicans don't believe in global warming even though they know absolutely nothing about it.
Oh brother. Sometimes I wonder how socialists can connect with faith, they seem to have none, in ANYTHING. Everything is negative. Death to the unborn, sinful lifestyles and marriage, high taxes, prejudice against success and hatred of the military and doom and gloom over a made-up theory of global warming.
You are not a silly idealist, but you are confused and obviously buying ALL of the liberal talking points. When it comes to the poor, you seem to think that Republicans are all well-off and insisting that the government ignore the poor. That is so not true. Republicans are people just like you and most of them are poor or middle class. They were just either raised in Christian homes and taught moral values, love of their country and respect for the military or they are the few who survived socialist teachings in college and somehow came to their senses when they entered the job market. There are also Republicans who have no religious beliefs but are fiscally conservative. NONE of these people want to see the poor neglected. However, when help comes from government, money is just handed to people without teaching them a trade or a certain type of work and so it is the Democratic Party which keeps them poor and it helps the party in the end because the poor people think Democrats are the only ones who care and it insures that they will always vote for them. What you are believing is a lie. The Republican Party wants everyone to be able to enjoy earning their own money and taking care of their families, not just a few. But as long as Democrats continue to send checks to everyone, more and more have decided not to work and men don't stay with their families. They're not needed. And with the administration you have put in the WH, there ARE NO JOBS now so we are sinking deeper and deeper into dysfunction in this country. No one has anything against helping the poor, but helping is temporary. It's "helping", not "keeping" or "lifelong provision". What you call help, in public aid and housing, insures permanent poverty.
You are right. War is bad, but the military doesn't start wars, the leaders do. As a result, young men and women, are being killed, often over a lie and they firmly believe that they are protecting their countries. Those kids die for their fellow man and according to God's Word, are in heaven. Why WOULDN'T citizens love their military. Can you imagine losing your life over your country at your young age? They have given their all. And kids like you who have grown up with communist teaching and a serious lack of true teachings of history, insult them and question why we care. They are true heroes in that they died for a cause and that takes courage. Unfortunately they are used sometimes by evil leaders who know that the young are courageous and they can force them to fight these silly wars by lying to them. The ones who survive come back suicidal, maimed, emotionally and mentally ill. To want to prevent wars is honorable but you are speaking to the wrong people. You need to speak to the ones who work in the Oval Office.
I think you have been mislead by your history teachers. This country was started by people who had not been tolerated by the Church of England. They wanted a country where religion did not rule and that everyone had freedom. They fought being taxed by England and many of the soldiers at Valley Forge were barefoot in the dead of winter, fighting for their country. That is why we love this country. We have lost a lot of that freedom but we still have more than most countries. That is why people want to come here so badly. Have you ever lived anywhere else? You would come back quickly in spite of the terrible situation here.
Gay marriage is not part of a religion. Government is not tied to religion. Yes, Christians read the Bible and the Bible calls homosexuality an abomination. If man's laws are different from God's laws, we are to obey God's laws. Just because gay marriage is legal doesn't mean that it's right.
People, rich or poor, do not sign on with a party because of religion. Many do, but many just plain don't want socialism. It is a thinly veiled term for communism, except we don't get killed if we disagree, yet. It is supposed to be an economic system, but you can't have that economic system along with freedom. The two don't fit so then the government starts to take over and remove freedoms and that leads to communism. Small countries or less populated countries can be managed under socialism, but the U.S. cannot without a takeover. We in this country DO NOT WANT SOCIALISM. We want our freedom. Period. That is why many are, IMO, going to switch to the Republican or Tea Parties. The poor do not improve and the country is failing.
Those who are Republican because of moral issues believe strongly that abortion is WRONG and will not vote for a party which has abortion in it's platform. Gay marriage is WRONG and we will not vote for a party that promotes it. Our moral values are important to us and yes, we are directed by God's Word but I don't know anyone who would say well, I vote Republican because I'm a Presbyterian or a Baptist.
And last but not least, I don't believe that Jesus would be a socialist. He never promised wealth to anyone and even spoke against it. He said that we should help the poor, not pay taxes to the government who steals most of it and gives a small percentage to the poor. He did, as someone already said, say that we are to work. So when you put a government in place which wants to promote a "nanny state", jobs disappear and motivation to work disappears and many cannot work. Our country is very sick and I hold the Democratic Party responsible for that, although I'm not in favor of the Republican Party either. Neither puts the people over their own agendas.
Global warming? It's below zero wind chill where I live right now and has been all week. It's another lie to get people riled up about nothing so they can remove more of our freedoms. They've all but destroyed the coal industry and as I've said before, most homes were heated with coal when I was growing up and there were no mass die offs of animals back then. No one had lung cancer. While they are telling us this big lie they are filling our foods with GMO's and killing us with fast foods and noodle meals in a box.
