From the front page of today's Chicago Tribune under the headline A bitter pill for conservatives:
COLORADO SPRINGS - Kathleen and Myron Buzby listen closely to conservative talk radio, consider themselves "serious Christians," and count themselves blessed to have 18 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
They are exactly the kind of people who flocked to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the Colorado caucuses and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in other contests, not to Sen. John McCain. Now that McCain has virtually clinched the Republican nomination for president, the Buzbys are dismayed and somewhat dispirited."
I think McCain is temperamental and he gets revenge," said Kathleen Buzby, who can easily tick off the issues where she disagrees with the Arizona senator, starting with campaign finance reform, his unsuccessful attempt to overhaul immigration laws and his two votes against President Bush's tax cuts.
Pardon my French, but what the #&@$ does being a "serious Christian" have to do with campaign finance reform, immigration laws, or tax cuts? The only thing I know that Jesus taught that touches on any of those topics was "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" and that does not sound like an argument against taxes to me.
I am currently reading God is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens and I am not eager to embrace his argument that religion's natural tendency is to do more harm than good. I have not yet felt compelled to take the step from agnosticism to atheism and I still find the liberal theology of a John Shelby Spong very appealing. On the other hand, when I see people who insist on justifying purely political positions as mandates of their religious faith, it is very hard to curb my cynicism about the whole enterprise.
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That's the beauty of all holy books, especially the bible, that you can make it say whatever you want it to. First, slavery good, then slavery bad. First women should be subordinate, then they should be equals. First gays are bad, and slowly some are coming around to they're ok. Likewise, you can use it to justify tax cuts, immigration reform and defending the rights of corporations to buy themselves candidates and favorable legislation. You know what makes that even easier? If the flock you're selling your interpretations to don't bother to actually read the bible.
ReplyDeleteYou should be frustrated by this. All Americans should. It's bullshit wrapped in a flag and a bible and sadly many Americans are eating it like it's hot apple pie.
"Pardon my French, but what the #&@$ does being a "serious Christian" have to do with campaign finance reform, immigration laws, or tax cuts? The only thing I know that Jesus taught that touches on any of those topics was "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" and that does not sound like an argument against taxes to me."
ReplyDeleteI think you are correct here. I am an evangelical and I get really pissed off about crap like this. I really am enjoying conversing with you on my church's blog and look forward to visiting your site and talking with you more.
I look forward to it Scott. Evangelical Christians often complain about attacks on their faith, but I think that they force the discussion in this direction. I would prefer to address questions of tax cuts, campaign finance reform, foreign policy, climate change, and health care as political policy questions, however, when conservatives start claiming that their position on these issues are matters of their Christian faith, then I am forced to discuss religion.
ReplyDeleteI agree. My late mother in law used to say about Evangelical Christians who puts their trust in government as their Lord and Savior, "They are all Caesar, whether Republican or Democrat, Conservative or liberal." I also find it important in my discussions of conservative/liberal to distinguish between political and theological. I am a part of the Acts 29 Network and it has been said by our own that we are theologically conservative and culturally liberal. Many in the evangelical church would be very angry at me for saying that, but it's true. I love God's Son, I love His Word, and the person in the White House doesn't change any of that. This doesn't mean that I don't have my preferences to who gets elected, but it means that my Christian faith is not based or centered on it.
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