This isn't going to be a long, drawn out post. I'm waiting for my "American Romanticists" class to start, and figured now would be a good time to argue with people. Actually, any time is a good time for an argument. That's probably why my arms are always tingling. Go, adrenaline!
I have a question, though, for my non-left leaning readers: how do you reconcile your beliefs in the Christian God/Jesus Christ with your right-wing political slant? Obviously, this question only applies to people who are both Christian and right-leaning.
Why do I ask? Because you're all hypocrites, plain and simple. I don't meant to start this dialogue with name-calling, but it's kind of a fact. That's what you are. Christianity and the beliefs of the modern day Republican party clash worse than an orange shirt would with green jeans.
So... why? You can't be both. Pick one. Consider me to be the arrogant, pompous individual in charge of all things moral and just in the world. Write in the comments section (no "anonymous" comments will be posted, cowards) with your opinion. If your comment does nothing but insult me, it will not be posted, as it will have no positive effect on this dialogue.*
Tell me why you are a Christian and a Right-Winger. Explain to me your beliefs. Tell me how you interpret the New Testament. I want to know. Convince me.
I'm looking forward to this discussion, if it even occurs.
*I'm not saying not to insult me. Go ahead. Try to make me cry for all I care (and you probably will, if your comment is stupid enough - er, well... tears of joy, anyway). All I ask is that contribute in a meaningful way.
11 comments:
Hey, certain shades of orange and green really look good together. I think I would have compared the pairing of Christianity and RWNJs to a clash between Liberal and Conservative simply because the Christianity I grew up in looked very "Liberal" leaning to me. Of course I dropped the religious stuff when I was around seventeen. But here's another possible 'clash point' - white tube socks and leather sandals in Vatican City. Jesus would have gotten a chortle out of that!
So hang on here. Aside from your article, you're telling me no anonymous posts AND you get to choose what gets posted as a comment? I think you need to MAN UP and post everything that comes your way. Whether its helpful or not, criticism is criticism. How do we as readers know you're not posting good comments that have a point and make you look bad? And that you only post comments that you yourself can bash upon? I'm just saying. Writing an article on hypocrisy and then choosing your own comments to post...kind of makes you a hypocrite yourself wouldn't you say?
I appreciate your feedback, Mr. Cahuzac, but I assure you that your presumptions are false. I outlined in a post long ago my comment policy. For your convenience, I have copy and pasted that policy below:
"So here's the deal: I will publish your comment so long as it is not "Anonymous" and it does not attack another commenter. That's it. You can curse, call me names, argue your possibly racist or sexist views, and I will not take it down so long as you are not "Anonymous" or attacking what I'll call an innocent bystander.
I guess there is a double-edge sword here, though. If you give it, be prepared to take it; I reply to all comments. All of them.
And this is for the few of you I know personally that have told me that I shouldn't respond to these negative comments, or that I shouldn't act so offended: I will respond, and I'm really not offended. In fact, I find it funny. I welcome comments of all shapes and sizes. It amuses me to the point where I enjoy responding more than I enjoyed writing the actual post!
So I'm begging you... please comment. I'd obviously prefer them to be positive or, in some way, a knowledgeable contribution (personal opinion, parallel experience, etc.), but if you've got something you want to say, then say it."
The article cited above (if you want to know more about my reasoning) can be found here:
http://asanebreakfromtheinsanity.blogspot.com/2012/01/comments-how-fk-do-they-work.html
In other words, ALL comments get posted so long as an individual does not attack another commenter (you can lay into me all you want) or remain anonymous. I don't care if the name is a nickname or even a made-up name. I just want to know who I'm arguing with.
Agreed?
Dawg any position a Christian picks whether its right or left would make them hypocrites. We're all hypocrites if that's what you're going for. Ones religious beliefs does not have to agree with ones political beliefs. Do you think politicians really mean what they say by the way? I mean come on, to attack them and single them out is unfair.
I appreciate your feedback, Mr. White, and you are correct - politicians don't mean what they say. But most ordinary people do.
I'm not asking politicians to stand up and tell me what they believe, though. I'm asking regular, every day folk.
I genuinely want to know how American Christians that are also Republicans (or right of center politically) justify one belief with the other. It's not an attack, it's just curiosity.
Mr. White, my apologies. I accidentally deleted your most recent comment instead of publishing it as I intended.
I assure you that I am aware of the little things we do everyday that make us all hypocrites. I'm certainly not absolving myself of being one from time to time.
What I am trying to say is that Republicanism and Christianity are not compatible with each other. Their beliefs (in my own personal opinion) clash. So what I am wondering is how people make those beliefs NOT clash. Like what their reasoning is and such.
Well then can you justify a Christian as a left-winger then? And how they cannot be a hypocrite?
Can you justify how Christians can marry Jewish people as well?
Once again, political beliefs do not always have to coincide with religious beliefs. Sometimes we all have to compromise in this modern day and age. There's no need to call anyone out on it.
There IS a need to call people out on it. If you're a Christian that believes that God wants you to have a gun with which to take a life (if need be), then you're going against just about everything that Christianity stands for.
Christianity is the religion of peace, tolerance, and charity, and yet every day we watch Republicans talk about taking more things away from the poor, using guns to kill criminals, and attack the rights of homosexuals. All the while, mind you, basing their beliefs on what the Bible says.
But the Bible DOESN'T say those things. Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek when threatened with violence, and that the rich do not go to the Kingdom of Heaven. He taught us to love thy neighbor, and that "...all who draw the sword will die by the sword."
Sure, I'm calling people out, but not to attack them. I'm genuinely curious. I want to start a dialogue about it. And you're throwing variables into the argument that I'm not asking for.
Of course people have different circumstances, and of course those circumstances should always be taken into account. Maybe some aren't as Christian as others.
Some liberals say they are Christian, but don't do as many Christian things as they should, just as some people are Jewish but don't attend service. That's not what I'm trying to tap into, though.
Republicans consistently cite God as the reason for passing a certain piece of legislation that, honestly, would not be seen so favorably by the very God that they are citing. Do Democrats do it too? I'm sure they do. But certainly not nearly as often.
Check out this really well-written article about Christianity's involvement with the gun debate:
http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2013/01/christianism-and-violence.html
I feel like, Mr. White, you know what I'm trying to get at. Perhaps the way I worded this post was a bit off (and maybe too aggressive) and for that, I apologize. Just know that I almost completely agree with you, and that this post's intention wasn't meant to be malicious.
Haha the Bible you say? You talk about hypocrisy and you bring up the Bible? Let me ask you this, have you ever read the Bible let alone studied it? If you have, then you will note the amount of times the Bible contradicts itself. For instance, there are two creation stories.
Christianity is most definitely not a religion of peace, tolerance, and charity. Do you honestly believe that? How can it be a religion of peace when there are stories of God as a man of war yet also proclaiming God's peace to all? Another contradiction mind you.
God also has favorites, I wouldn't want to be an Egyptian first born back then. Also, apparently we can see God and also not see him as well.
So quite honestly I'm very confused and don't know what God wants. Why would a Christian who claims themselves as a Republican know any better? Justify to me how a Christian can be a Democrat without any contradictions please.
Religion has become a way of life in the modern world than an overbearing factor in life. Times change and people today pick and choose what they want to believe in, regardless of whether they would be called a hypocrite or not.
Ray Lewis says God watches football. People use God to make a hard point, not necessarily because it is true or untrue, whether it is what God wants or doesn't want.
Ahh, so you agree with me! As an atheist, I never understood how one could read the Bible and NOT see all of the contradictions that it makes.
This, Mr. White, is exactly what I'm getting at. I totally 100% agree with you - people pick and choose what they want to believe in these days. I don't think that's right, and I'm trying to get a dialogue going about it. It turns out, I did!
You and I see eye to eye, it just sounds like you believed me to be oblivious to the fact that people pick and choose what they believe in. I'm not oblivious to it, I was merely asking for some reasoning.
I like what you have to say, sir. I hope we can continue this discussion and, more importantly, I hope you continue to comment on future posts.
Do you believe, as I do, that religion should be kept (to the best of our ability) out of politics?
Also, you said this and I found it interesting:
"Christianity is most definitely not a religion of peace, tolerance, and charity. Do you honestly believe that? How can it be a religion of peace when there are stories of God as a man of war yet also proclaiming God's peace to all? Another contradiction mind you. "
I do not believe that Christianity is a religion of peace, tolerance, and charity. Certainly not as it is. But as it WAS and as it SHOULD have been, yes, I do. Even as an atheist, I admire Jesus Christ (fictitious person, normal everyday guy with a lot of smart things to say, etc, or not). He had a lot of good things to say that people would do well to take to heart.
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