GOP's `Christian nation' -- Cathy Young

[Khephra]

AFTER A SHORT respite from the fight over the Pledge of Allegiance, the Republican Party has once again thrown itself into the fray over issues of church and state. This time it's the Republican Party of Texas, President Bush's home state, which has approved a plank in its platform affirming that "the United States of America is a Christian nation."

The plank, which also pooh-poohs "the myth of the separation of church and state," has elicited protests from Jewish groups. So far, however, it has not been rejected by the national Republican Party. This is in contrast to a similar flap in 1992: A statement by then-Mississippi Governor Kirk Fordice at a Republican governors' convention that "the United States is a Christian nation" was met with rebukes from leading Republicans, and Fordice eventually had to apologize.

True, the Texas Republican Party's plank also includes the "Judeo-Christian" formula that the national Republican leadership defended in 1992 ("our nation was founded on fundamental Judeo-Christian principles based on the Holy Bible"). But the affirmation of Christianity as the core of the American spirit rings far louder than the small nod to the Jewish heritage.

Some conservatives in the media have not merely refused to criticize the "Christian nation" plank but rallied to its defense. Interviewing Texas Republican Party chairwoman Tina Berkiser, the Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly described the plank as "largely symbolic" response to secularist activists and judges who would throw God out of the public square. On another Fox News show, "Hannity & Colmes," guest host Mike Gallagher suggested that objections to the plank stemmed from anti-Christian "bigotry."

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/07/12/gops_christian_nation/

[NC_Nurse]

1. WWJD?

I think he'd :puke:

[Catfight]

2. Go fuck yourself Christain nation! n/t

[NC_Nurse]

3. LOL!

That was great!:D

[skippysmom]

4. I read this this morning

And I must say, Cathy Young makes my head spin. Sometimes she can be a complete moron, sometimes she writes good stuff like this. Is she a liberal, a conservative...or what?

[Jade Fox]

9. She's in a class by herself....

Kind of like Camille Paglia without the arrogant "living in my own private
Idaho idiot savant basically conservative" quality.

She is a Russian immigrant who moved here at 15, and is a rabid free-
marketer. When I've read her she seem's woefully unaware of the
way monopoy Capitalism and forced "free" trade actually destroys true
free markets. I chalk it up to growing up in the Soviet system.

She wrote a very interesting book called "Ceasefire" which was a good
critique of "men are the enemy" style Feminism. I didn't agree with
everything she said by any means, but her thinking was refreshing, and
unlike Paglia, she seems genuinely concerned with something other
than self-promotion.

[The Zanti Regent]

17. Just what we need, another idiotic Ayn Rand clone!

Just look at all the damage and destruction Ayn Rand unleashed on America with her promotion of selfishness and encouragement of a "me first and CHENEY YOU attitude!

[Jade Fox]

33. Young is hardly an Ayn Rand clone.

Don't know how you got that from my post.

[jeff30997]

5. So...

The US is becoming a theocracy now ? Ayatollah Chimpy can kiss my Asscroft!!!:evilgrin:

[myopic4141]

6. Religous tolerance by Christians?

Judeo-Christian is a term that came into existence in the 1960's as a response to the exclusionism of Jews practiced during the 1920's through the 1950's. Anti-semitism was as much part of the American culture though its practices was much subtler (in Philadelphia, it was not uncommon to see signs "No Dogs or Jews Allowed" in the 1950's). Public schools had mandatory closure for Christian holidays whereas a note of absence was required for Jewish holidays (this too was in the 1950's and early 1960's). Jerry Falwell's assertion that being a "Christian Nation" allows for Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or Atheism freedoms is full of MBE. Truth is that such freedoms are in spite the claim of being a "Christian Nation" rather than because of it.

[Iris]

8. "anti-Christian bigotry?"

How can anyone say this with a straight face? Can anyone in this country get through a day in mainstream American without someone bring up God or Jesus?

[myopic4141]

12. They bring it on themselves.

If the vocal fundamentalist Christians did not practice in your face Christianity, there would be no problem; however, they do and there is. What these Christians do not realize is that "freedom of religion" cannot be implemented without "freedom from religion". Their freedom from ours and our freedom from theirs is all any one asks.

[fdr_hst_fan]

30. AMEN, Myopic4141-

no pun intended!

[pathansen]

7. Christ would be a strong Democrat - He supported Democratic values

[zmdem]

11. Jesus was not a Democrat

The party didn't exist until almost 18 centuries after His death. The notion that God favours one political party over another is a bit silly.

[myopic4141]

13. Maybe not a Democrat;

but, definitely a Liberal for Jesus fought against the conservatism within the Temple.

[zmdem]

14. Perhaps, but...

He also accepted the legitimacy of the Roman Empire to rule Israel, "render unto Caeser that which is Caeser's".

I am not a Christian, but it seems to me that Jesus' message was about personal redemption, not politics. At least as portrayed in the New Testament.

[myopic4141]

15. The context

The problem with the Christian story of Christ is that they take it out of context with the whole OT and Christ was raised to the level of deity. If taken in context, then the story is the final chapter in the rise and fall of the Jewish priesthood. The short story: Judaism started out as a religion with a direct personal relationship with God. The rise of the priesthood introduced an intermediary into that relationship creating a once removed relationship. Christ's story is about a return to the direct personal relationship. It is for this reason that the story of Christ should be included in Judaic scriptures (not raised to the level of deity) for the chapter would complete the story of Judaism's return to its roots.
And yes, Christ was definitely a separation of church and state individual; however, we live in a world of a representative democracy instead of a monarchy. Democracies require a level personal involvement in governmental affairs even if only for the selection of leadership. Given Christ's tendency toward personal responsibility and fellowship of others, he would have been involved to meet that responsibility and as a Liberal in keeping with the fellowship. Conjecture of course; but, I think a logical one.

[classof56]

25. Welcome to DU, zmdem

Glad to have you aboard. I am a Christian, and you are absolutely right: Jesus' message was and is about personal redemption, the result of which is a one-on-one relationship with God, to whom each of us answers individually. Wish many of my fellow Christians had that as straight as you do, and got over this idea of shoving it down everyone's throats by "officially" making the US a "Christian nation". That's always scared me, for numerous reasons. I'm pretty sure when we finally face our God he's not going to ask which country we're from or what political party we're affiliated with. In fact, I'm very sure of that!

Tired Old Cynic

[willardcottrell]

27. respond to the right wing element please

As a Christian, I feel it is imperative to respond to the right wing fundamentalists. If we do not do that we abrogate our responsibility and let them dominate the discussion. I write many, many letters to editors challenging the Bush/right wing agenda by citing their results against their rhetoric.

Even non Christians can comfortably get into the fray. Bush's talk and his actions are 180 degrees out.

willard cottrell

[classof56]

28. I do my best, Willard

But after a lifetime of exposure to the ultra-RW types, I know their way of thinking so well it's hard for me to articulate to them my doubts about their "born-again Prez who prays to Jesus every morning". I have done so in a Bible Study I attend, but they are so firmly fixed...well, it's frustrating. And hard for me to explain to them the crisis of faith I'm experiencing, almost to the point of shattering it into pieces. I've been thinking of writing directly to some of the TV evangelical types, but always wonder if it would be productive. They'd just question my salvation, and I don't need to deal with that.

Congrats to you on your efforts, and welcome to DU!

[Manix]

10. ..revenge of the bible thumpers..

[ixion]

16. dominionism is the heart of those who would seek to destroy our republic

and replace it with a theocracy.

Make no mistake. These people have every intention of executing or jailing every one of us 'free thinkers' and secularists. Concentration camps are not out of the question with these cretins.

The would gladly do to the US what the Taliban did for Afghanistan. Statues would be destroyed, books burned, professors executed... think I'm going too far? If you do, you are underestimating what these people have in mind, to be sure.

[gtar100]

23. I agree wholeheartedly,

no reasoning or rationality will get in their way. They have kept up a constant, furious fight against democratic, liberal ideas for at least the last 20 to 25 years. We can't go on thinking that their stupidity will collapse under the weight of its own absurdity.

[fdr_hst_fan]

31. My friend, you're

describing NAZISM to a "T"!

[silverlib]

18. The Texas Republican Platform...

is full of contempt. This is only one of the ridiculous platforms it embellishes. Republicans, on a national level, should be screaming also about the statement 'immediate withdrawal from the UN." This platform was published within the same time frame that Bush was making his "solicitation" to the UN to help with the handover in Iraq. Just where does the Republican Party stand? I think it stands directly with the Texas Republican Platform and I hope this platform receives extensive circulation throughout the country prior to elections.

[sui generis]

21. the 2000 platform was worse

They had something about declaring homosexuals to be criminals and requiring that they be institutionalized if I recall correctly. round 'em up and shoot 'em.

[jgardner]

19. This land is my land, this land is your land...

I'm not Christian. I'm not Jewish. I'm BUDDHIST. And I'm American. As a non-Christian, I am constantly faced with a feeling that George Bush's American is NOT my America. It's not the America that we learned about in high school civics class. Without overstating, George Bush FRIGHTENS me deeply, and I reeeeeeally hope to see him leave office in November.

[sui generis]

20. welcome to DU jgardner!

many happy postings -

[newyawker99]

22. Hi jgardner!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[jgardner]

26. A welcome is always welcome!

And it does make all the difference - thank you! I just browsed by DU yesterday, and I LOVE this site. I've sent links to all of my democratic liberal lefty friends.

With many posts to come -
Jen

[BlueJazz]

29. Let me add a Warm Welcome also. Welcome Aboard! NT

[fdr_hst_fan]

32. Welcome!

[classof56]

24. "This land was made for you and me."

Always liked Woody's songs. His government did not always treat him so kindly, but he did love his country, IMHO. Welcome to DU, jgardner. Glad to have you aboard. Maybe the more of us who find Bush truly frightening, the more chance he'll be defeated soundly in Nov. I'm also a bit frightened about America being a "Christian" nation, and I am a Christian. Question I always ask is: Just which denomination are we talkin' about here? There are tons of them and the differences among many are quite profound. Can only imagine the chaos that would result as they attempt to sort that out.

Tired Old Cynic

[rob-ok-vin]

34. Interesting

This came up today on our local AM talk radio as a reference to the fact that at sometime in recent history that Congress ruled we were a Christian Nation. It was discussed in relation to the same sex marriage debates.