Biden "Jesus Christ" Called "Hate Speech" By Conservative

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

Mark Tapscott, the editorial page editor of the conservative Washington Examiner, has nothing but fire and brimstone for Joe Biden. In an op-ed last week, Tapscott expressed outraged over the vice president's use of the phrase "Jesus Christ" in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

Speaking about Iran's nuclear program, Biden had said, "I can see Putin sitting in Moscow saying, 'Jesus Christ, Iran gets the nuclear weapon, who goes first?' Moscow, not Washington."

The language may seem innocuous enough to a layman. But to Tapscott, the blasphemy comes across loud and clear. The public silence in the face of this "hate speech," Tapscott claims, has revealed a glaring double-standard:

"Either way, had Biden used the name Mohammed in this manner, Muslims would be crying foul. Quite possibly rioting in the streets, to boot. And if the vice president had used "gay" or "Black" as swear words, folks would be rightfully angry about that, too. Hate speech is hate speech, whether it is aimed at Christians, Muslims, Gays, or African-Americans."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/03/biden-jesus-crist-called_n_250009.html

[zbdent]

1. "had Biden used the name Mohammed in this manner"

Tapscott would have said that Joe is liberal Christian hater who wants to destroy America ...

I think that Jesus might have approved of Biden's use of his name as opposed to the way that many "conservative christians" use his name ...

[glowing]

2. Wow.. I bet Putin does speak like that, and Biden would know.

[drm604]

97. Putin? I have little doubt that Putin speaks like that, and worse. n/t

[Eric J in MN]

3. Religious people should like the idea of people calling out to God....

...when they're under stress.

Examples:
"Oh my god, what's happening?" "Jesus Christ, what next?"

[NoPasaran]

4. By the hammer of Thor!

Some people are getting really desperate to feed their need for outrage.

[KamaAina]

5. Jesus Christ!

What a moran! :eyes:

[alcibiades_mystery]

6. Probably 85% of Americans speak this way

Good luck fueling the outrage there.

[Captain Hilts]

8. The profanity vs. vulgarity issue has significance for Catholics and other religions.

This is why it made no sense that folks were shocked when the world's most famous church volunteer, Susan Boyle, says 'fuck', it is not profane, merely vulgar.

Biden's Roman Catholic, so he probably 'gets' the beef with his comment.

It is not, however, 'hate' speech.

[pattmarty]

16. It ain't shit, and shoulda never been bought up.

[Captain Hilts]

18. That's a different issue. nt

[pattmarty]

24. Your answer puzzles me. I don't know if you knew what I was saying...............

............when I said that "It wasn't shit and should not have been bought up", I was talking about his original statement when he said it. AND, I'll repeat: It wasn't shit, and should have not been bought (and I'll add) by the mainstream media. Hope I clarified it.

[karynnj]

72. If you mean that the media should never have made an issue of this - I agree

These were words of habit used without thought of the actual meaning. No one could seriously think otherwise. Now, you could say that he needs to carefully filter every word before it leaves his mouth, but it has to be impossible to live like that 24/7 for years. No one can.

It is the hypersensitively of the media to anything that can be twisted that makes this an issue. That environment, where everything you do or say for decades matters for naught when these things are spun out of context, has to make some good people wonder if being in a high public office is worth it.

Biden seems to be a very good, intelligent man - yet the media seem to have a game of trying to make him look foolish and thoughtless.

[sandnsea]

32. Awww, jesus joseph & mary

what the hell are you talking about. I don't know a catholic who doesn't say jesus christ.

But fuck? No, you would never hear that word out of the mouths of any of my Catholic aunties, no way.

[Captain Hilts]

37. They're more comfortable with profanity, can confess it and then it's all okay.

Everybody's different.

[DesertFlower]

50. exactly.

i'm a former catholic too. my grandmother always used to say "Jesus, Mary and Joseph" and she was the most religious person i ever knew.

[dflprincess]

94. Also, "Holy Mother of God!"

along with "Jesus, Mary & Joseph".

If I recall correctly the nuns at Catechism labeled these verbal outbursts "pious ejaculations" (no shit, that's what they called them.)

[snagglepuss]

106. so true. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

43. I grew up Catholic in one of the most Catholic areas of the country

Every single person I knew muttered "Jesus Christ!" at least three times a day.

This is nonsense for fundies and fundies only.

[MBS]

49. " " " " " " " " " " n/t

[karynnj]

69. nicely said!

[karynnj]

68. Actually, 85% of the people DO NOT speak that way -

many are not backgrounds where "Jesus Christ" would be said other than when speaking of religion, which in many cases means never. Only those where religion is a real part of their background would likely say that. ("Oh, my God" is more pervasive)

Biden has always spoken of being Irish, attending Catholic school with the nuns - these were things he occasionally transitioned to even in SFRC meetings. This is who he is. Those words out of him do not bother me in the least, but I think there will be some people genuinely offended.

I would say that I grew up Catholic in the 1950s in a more conservative area in Norther Indiana. There we were told it was taking the name of the Lord in vain. Culturally - it took until my sophomore year in college to comfortably say "Hell no we won't go" - even though the prohibitions of "hell" were far less than for "Jesus Christ".

I don't know how this is viewed by evangelicals. I do think the answer if it becomes an issue is that it has to be put into the context that Biden is someone who shows his religion far more than most and he is very much apart of that community and nothing bad was meant.

[Captain Hilts]

92. I'm not religious, but I don't use it. nt

[karynnj]

102. I don't either and didn't even when I was Catholic, because it was not

part of the culture of my family or peers. I did read it in books, where it lent color to the characters. To me, it even seems a tad bit old fashioned. Even in books, it seems to be used mainly by Irish Catholics who still had some connection to Ireland - even if their family left decades before.

I personally rarely hear anyone say that.

[Captain Hilts]

103. I actually hear a lot of folks say it, of varying degrees of religiosity. nt

[Dappleganger]

101. I learned how to swear in catholic school.

[Captain Hilts]

7. It is considered as "taking the Lord's name in vain." Biden's an RC, so he'll have to confess that.

Conversely, if he said 'fuck', that is NOT profanity, it is merely vulgarity, so he would not have to confess it.

[pattmarty]

20. I hate ALL religions and was bought up Catholic and went to Catholic...........

............grammar school and ALMOST to a all boys Catholic HS. Talk to any priest, fuck is also a "sin". The Catholic church (along with ALL religions) has a bunch of "crap" that is considered a sin. My answer to this "problem" is

TAX EVERY FUCKING RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION IN THE USA!!!!!!!!!!!

[midnight armadillo]

108. The proper quote is from Frank Zappa

Tax the FUCK out of the churches!
-- Frank Zappa

[krabigirl]

90. meh....

[dflprincess]

I was taught that the most misunderstood commandment was the one

about taking the name of the Lord in vain.

It doesn't actually refer to saying something like "Jesus Christ" - but more to using "the Lord" for your own selfish ends. Those who teach the "prosperity gospel" (aka the gospel of greed) would not have gotten along well with my second grade Catechism nun.

[dflprincess]

95. Self delete - post duplicated

[Buzz Clik]

9. Biden should just accept the fact that his mouth is where he stores his shoes.

His foot is in his mouth far too often.

Joe needs a filter between his brain and tongue.

[Captain Hilts]

10. But he's keepin' it real. It's okay with me. nt

[Buzz Clik]

11. Keepin' what real? His reputation of talking first and thinking later?

[pattmarty]

23. Congratulations!!! You have just bought in to ALL the RW propaganda........

..........on Joe Biden!!!

[Rebubula]

25. RW Propaganda???

Please....Joe speaks from the hip without a filter.

He is the guy that called President Obama 'Clean and articulate' and stated that you needed an Indian accent to shop in Delaware 7-11s.

His reputation is well earned and the main reason that I did not want him as VP - but I guess that is just because I have been brainwashed by the RW Prop machine.

Sheesh...it is OK to criticize our own leaders...

[pattmarty]

30. So what Biden said was hate speech? That's what the OP said.

You can criticize (I am not all too happy with Obama and have said so loudly here) but if conservatives say he used "hate speech" you won't defend him? You ought to try FreeRepublic, or WorldNut daily, you would fit right in.

[Buzz Clik]

34. Not hate speech, but careless.

I'm not defending Biden to wingnuts here.

However, I do like your invitation to leave DU simply because we criticized Biden. Who does that remind you of?

[pattmarty]

38. I don't fucking know. Please enlighten me. If he had used "hate speech"........

.........then OK, fire away and rightfully so. Saying "Jesus Christ" is NOT hate speech or "careless". It's a name, it's words, get fucking real.

[Buzz Clik]

42. Meh. Get a grip. This is nothing.

[Rebubula]

63. See...

...this is the problem of many people on this site - thank you for the teachable moment.

I question you on your comment and you infer things that are not there (I was not addressing Hate speech - in fact neither were you, I was addressing your statement that someone had bought the RW Propaganda) and then you accuse or imply that I would be better suited for FreeRepublic or some other anti-Democratic site. It is an incredibly weak way of debating.

Many people on this site feel that they need to be more liberal than others and will take great pride in pointing it out to the extent of calling them freepers or racists.



So...do you want to address the original debate point - That people saying that Biden is Gaffe prone are nothing more than a RW propaganda tool??

[LanternWaste]

40. For valid reasons, yes.

"Sheesh...it is OK to criticize our own leaders..."

For sound and valid reasons, yes. Everything else is either hyperbole, or buying into the hyperbole.

[karynnj]

75. The problem is that noboby monitored 100% of the time

will not say something that could be spun out of context. There is no one who could avoid ever being caught on something unless they stuck to carefully vetted sound bites.

[Buzz Clik]

33. Nope. I don't even listen to RW propaganda. I do, however, have ears.

[pattmarty]

35. You should be defending him "this time". Saying Jesus Christ or...................

.................JesusfuckingChrist IS NOT hate speech. Get fucking real.

[Buzz Clik]

41. Won't defend his clumsy speech other than to say that he gaffe is not hate speech.

[backwoodsbob]

80. no one is saying it is hate speech here

the point is that Joe has a habit of giving the repukes freebies to do shit like this with,giving them an easy distraction from real issues.

It most certainly was NOT hate speech.

The thing everyone is saying is he has a habit of lobbing them softballs to hit out of the park.It's a stupid ass non issue but the fundies will spin it for days and it's something he should have learned to avoid by now

[rd_kent]

83. Nah, he is doing fine. Saying what he means, and means what he says.

We need more of that, not less.

[krabigirl]

91. big effing deal. Is this all they can come up with on him? ROFL

[OilemFirchen]

12. Moron doesn't even know what blasphemy is

Blasphemy is "use" of gawd's "name" in "vain". Specifically, it's requesting gawd to damn someone or something to hell. Examples include:

Gosh darnit
Gol' darnit
Gol' dabnit
Golly gee
Golly
Dagnabit
Egads
Gads
Gadzooks
Heck

Since Jesus was not a god and couldn't damn anybody or anything to anywhere, examples do not include:

Jesus Christ
Jeebus Christ
Holy Jeebus
Holy Jeebus on a pogo stick
Holy fucking Jeebus
Holy fucking Jeebus on a holy fucking pogo stick


Doofus.

[Captain Hilts]

17. Jeeeezus! Christ on a bike!, Jeeezus H. Christ! are considered profanity by many religious folks.nt

[OilemFirchen]

22. Maybe so, but they're equally misguided

Jesus wasn't a god, so he can't be profaned.

I know... semantics. Another concept lost on the boors.

[karynnj]

76. I think in Catholicsm all three parts of the trilogy are considered to be one and to be God

Just googling the two words, there are many Christian sites where Jesus is said to be God.

[amandabeech]

113. The Methodists agree with the Catholics on this one.

I believe that most other Protestants, fundamentalist to liberal, would see the divinity of Christ the same way.

[Dogmudgeon]

39. From the FYI File

"Gadzooks!" = "By God's Hooks!" = "By the nails with which Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, was attached to the Cross!"

Still, I agree. The fellow is a doofus. I think that's Latin for "Freeper".

--d!

[OilemFirchen]

77. By god's hooks

I stand corrected.

[NickB79]

47. According to the Holy Trinity of the Catholic Church, Jesus was God

He was both God and the Son of God at the same time.

I know, it makes no sense.

[Bluenorthwest]

52. I beg to differ

The taking of the Name of God in vein, and the particular blasphemy associated with it has nothing to do with saying "oh my God" in surprise, and has everything to do with taking the name of God for the objectives of man, that is hanging God's name upon your agenda, whatever that maybe.
There are several types of blasphemy, but swearing is not one of them. The use of the divine for one's own ends is a large one, called the unforgivable by many. It is also the unrecognized, as people focus on exclamations.
So the editor who wrote that is in fact using the divine as a tool of his own worldly agenda. But when Joe Biden declares that he opposes civil rights because of God as part of his election plan, he is also using the divine for his own worldly agenda. And when I say Jesus Christ what a bunch of hypocrites, I'm actually in prayer.

[Zhade]

86. Blasphemy is a victimless crime.

NT!

[stopbush]

13. Some of us find the teachings of Jesus to be quite repellent,

so invoking his name at any time could be considered hateful.

Same goes for Mohammed. Religions are full of hate, and are therefore full of hate speech themselves.

[Rebubula]

64. Uhhhh....

...What lessons of Jesus do you find repellent?

I have been an atheist for 25 years and do find the idea of organized religion abhorrent and the incredible amount of disbelief that must be suspended in order to believe this shit way too much- but to say that the teachings of Jesus are repellent is simply ridiculous. He taught love and understanding - it is in the marketing of his life and the Old Testes that is full of hate and fear.

Kind of like hating Nietzsche for the use of his thoughts in Nazism.

[stopbush]

71. What love and understanding do you find in these quotes from Jesus?:

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." -- Luke 14:26

BTW - the Greek root word for the word "hate" in this verse is just what it says it is: hate.

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." - Matthew 10: 34-37

"God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death." -- Matthew 15:4

"And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to dogs." - Matthew 15:22-26

Jesus' healing and mercy doesn't extend past the Jews, apparently. To heal a non-Jew would be casting the food of your children to the dogs. You don't find it repellent that Jesus calls this woman a dog?

Perhaps the most-repellent teaching of Jesus is that of a hell of eternal fire and suffering for those who don't believe in him. Not even the creepy and angry Yahweh of the OT was as vindictive as was Jesus - the OT doesn't contain this idea. The idea was a creation formed out of the mind and ethos of gentle Jesus, meek and mild.

Seems that Jesus demands servitude in this life and the next or you're gonna burn. Sounds like Jesus was a totalitarian of the first order.

If that's the love of Jesus, you can have it. What kind of love depends on threats of eternal torment to convince people to embrace it?

BTW - ya'll can spare me the apologetic "interpretation" for what Jesus meant by these words, as no two Xian sects can seem to agree with what the meaning was. If I'm to take the "good words" of Jesus at face value, then I'll take the shitty words at face value as well.

[Rebubula]

74. Well...

...you certainly put a lot of work into that response.

Good Job.

[stopbush]

78. Thanks for your kind words.

It goes without saying that I can only speak for myself, but I trust I made my point.

[Warpy]

14. That conservative god is such a thin skinned weakling

He'd never be able to do anything without conservatives keeping the rest of us in line for him.

[pattmarty]

15. Jesusfuckingchrist, don't these psycho "conservatives" have ANY ideas????

[Mr. Sparkle]

19. That is a bit rich coming from a guy who supported George Bush and the atrocities he committed on ..

American and Iraqi people. (Katrina and Iraq invasion)

[pattmarty]

26. Oh, Biden supported Bush??? You're on the wrong website, you were...........

.........looking for WorldNut Daily.

[Mr. Sparkle]

54. My bad , i pressed the wrong reply button. I was responding to the original post.

[berni_mccoy]

21. He's Catholic.

[Captain Hilts]

27. It's truly that simple. nt

[undeterred]

84. He's Catholic down to his fingernails.

[Gormy Cuss]

104. Which to the nutters is not Christian.

They think that only their sects can use that term.

[BumRushDaShow]

28. Aren't these the same people who rail against "Political Correctness"?

Or whole-heartedly support those who call others nasty names while claiming the victims are "being 'PC'" when they complain? :shrug:

[Blue_Tires]

59. +1

[ProudDad]

29. Terminal silliness from the myth upholders... (n/t)

[sinkingfeeling]

31. It's not hate speech. Might be considered Blasphemy by some, but it ain't hate speech.

[Buzz Clik]

36. Sweet Jeebus on a trailer hitch. Literally.

[madmom]

61. LOL, I was just going to reply..But it's ok to put jesus christ on a trailer hitch!

[shadowknows69]

44. Jesus Christ on a trailer hitch. Something I've actually seen by the way.

I find it amazing how sensitive all these myths can be about the use of their names. Oh, wait, that's right. It's only their uptight believers getting their knickers in a knot. I'm sure Jesus gives a shit.

[yellowcanine]

45. I used to have a Catholic colleague who would say, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph"

And he was talking to kids at a Catholic high school. No one seemed to mind.

[DesertFlower]

48. i'm a former catholic and

we said that all the time. we also said "holy mary, mother of god". these phrases were like prayers.

[frylock]

46. santa maria!

STFU you tool!

[The Stranger]

51. The U.S. Taliban has spoken.

[madamesilverspurs]

53. A rather prissy - and inaccurate - view of blasphemy.

We were taught that blasphemy is a matter of false attribution, as in "God/Holy Spirit/Jesus told me to do it." As for "thou shalt not take His name in vain" - the important words are 'take His name', as in a bride taking her husband's name; in other words, 'taking the name' involves behavior consistent with that relationship. Given the hypocrisy that is rampant among so many on the religious right, these hyperbolic wounded responses are pathetic and laughable.

[Bluenorthwest]

56. As a heretic with a pedigree, I really agree with your post.

And you said it better that I was about to.

[Robb]

62. Indeed. Again, I wish I could recommend a subthread

Well put. :D

[Mr. Sparkle]

55. That is a bit rich coming from a guy who supported George Bush and the atrocities he committed on ..

American and Iraqi people. (Katrina and Iraq invasion)

[AsahinaKimi]

57. Right Wingers

sure have their priorities in the wrong place.

[glinda]

58. Conservatives take the" Lord's Name In Vain" every time they use "him" as an excuse or reason

to make political inroads. My husband's father was an Episcopal Priest and my husband has looked this up and researched the idea that they do this and according to his upbringing, they do!

[pink-o]

60. The real "hate speech" is turning Jesus, the penultimate liberal, into a war God.

I'm an agnostic, I'm not at all interested in anything supernatural, I only care how humans interact psychologically and sociologically. But as an outsider, I think if you take the teachings of Jesus in their pure form (ie, Sermon on the Mount) you're gonna find a dude who has compassion for the poor and scorn for the rich. A man who believed in peace and not bigotry or judgment. These idiot fundies are the haters, the ones who've turned a peaceful philosophy into a club to pound people into submission, who scream and inspire fear in vulnerable children, who make people feel ashamed of natural human instincts. Those are the ones spewing hate speech.

Joe Biden just speaks without thinking, and ultimately offends at least one person in the room. Something I've done most of my life--which is why I don't run for Public Office!

[WheelWalker]

65. Mother of many.....

father of few.

[Norrin Radd]

66. ...

Боже мой!

Господи Иисусе!

[marshall]

67. Maybe he should switch to cursing Muhammad

He'd get the Christian fundies off his back--but he'd have to stay away from the Middle East.

It's always a "Catch 22".

[No Elephants]

110. Jaysus! Biden did not curse Jesus or anyone else.

[truthisfreedom]

70. Keep pushin' it, thugs. You're marginalizing yourselves, leaving little work for us.

Fucking weirdos.

[snooper2]

73. Jesus H. Fucking Christ, this stupid topic has 71 reponses already

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[mitchum]

79. Onward Christian Whiners

[WePurrsevere]

81. These idiots are all to often hypocrits who go on about

profane words while they do profane deeds.

[Jazzgirl]

82. These fuckers are really making me sick.

I am so fed up with this bullshit it isn't even funny.

[and-justice-for-all]

85. Hate speech? give me a fuckin break..

that is not hate speech.

[totodeinhere]

87. Consider the source of this article.

The Washington Times is a right wing as you can get and they are trying everything they can think of to derail the Obama Administration.

[Sub Atomic]

88. I'm sure this douchebag was all kerflempt when Cheney told Leahy to go fuck himself as well, right?

:eyes:

[dana_b]

89. I am so sick of these freaks making big issues out of

nothing! Obviously there is nothing more important than this. :sarcasm: distract...distract...distract.

[Catch22Dem]

93. Jesus Fucking Christ. Fuck you, Mark, you motherfucker. How's that for hate speech? (n/t)

[Divine Discontent]

109. nooooo, saying that just means you're a disrespectful 'attention whore'

what Biden said was not mean spirited - what you said is something that the dopey guy at the paper could call hateful.

[Catch22Dem]

112. Good. It was intended to be hateful. (n/t)

[BradXXX]

96. Jesus Fucking Christ

Why are republicans such babies?

In before the inevitable apology from Biden.

Fuck.

[drm604]

98. Manufactured outrage.

Manufactured outrage has become a standard Republican tool. What makes it really obvious that it's manufactured outrage is him calling this "hate speech".

I have never heard it called "hate speech" before, have you? Of course not, because it's not hate speech.

It's a standard Republican tactic to try to find ways of accusing their opponents of the very things their opponents fight against. This is what Tapscott is doing, and this is what makes it completely obvious that the outrage is manufactured.

[iverglas]

99. Lie. Blasphemy, yes; hate speech, no

This individual is complaining about blasphemy. And calling it hate speech is a lie.

Not just because Biden is himself a practising Roman Catholic. It's not inconceivable that a person of one ethnic/religious/sexual whatever group could engage in hate speech against that group.

It's not hate speech because it isn't hate speech. Period. It is not an incitement to hatred of any particular group.

Cartoons that portray a group's revered personage as a bomber, and thus portray the group itself as worshipping bombers, are hate speech.

A Muslim muttering "Allah damn you" isn't.

It's always so hard to figure out whether people who say such completely idiotic and completely false things are stupid (if they believe them) or evil (if they don't but say them anyway).

They're often both, so it hardly matters.

[daggahead]

100. Who gives a shit? I mean .. .really! n/t

[Ignis]

105. When an Irish fookin' Catholic can't swear like a sailor...

Then the terrorists have already won!

[Supply Side Jesus]

107. WOT

Waste of Time

[No Elephants]

111. Saying the name of Jesus equals hate speech against Christians? Since when?

:wtf:

Journalists need to stop repeating stupidity verbatim and passing it off as a news story, ffs.