Christian ideals and Republican policies

[steve2470]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4105229.stm

By Humphrey Hawksley
BBC world affairs correspondent, Ohio


For many Republicans, Christianity and support for President George W Bush go hand-in-hand, but if the two begin to clash, will the friendship continue?


Pastor Russell Johnson has hugely increased his congregation
Inside aquarium tanks lining a foyer of the Fairfield Christian Church in the small town of Lancaster, Ohio, are some of the most striking fish I have ever seen.

Sharp yellows, blues and reds with graceful movements as they swam between the small areas of rocks and vegetation.

"See that," said Pastor Russell Johnson.

"Don't tell me you get such beauty from the randomness of evolution. This is the product of intelligent creation by God."
<snip>

[Demit]

1. See, that's what just floors me. Why couldn't the beauty come from the

randomness of evolution? Beauty being a subjective experience in the first place. And what is Pastor Russell's position on ugliness? That's not created by God as well?

[saltpoint]

2. Pastor Johnson evidently suffers from --

-- Christian Infantilism Disorder, characterized by an almost infantile belief in abstract invisible playmates.

This is not to be confused with adult Christianity, which is a noble world religion whose tradition suggests a man, Jesus, who rose against the oppression of Roman imperial authority in an attempt to bring comfort and affirmation to the poor and downtrodden and excluded.

People who suffer from Christian Infantilism Disorder (CID) trend toward black-and-white problem-solving and vote in large numbers for simplistic, often deceitful political candidates on whom they project their hopes and fears.

To become a donor to help rid the world of this terrible affliction, please donate generously to liberal non-profit organizations, to DU, and especially to progressive political movements of your choice.

It's in the public interest.

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edit: spelling

[colonel odis]

3. thank you, pastor johnson, for reminding us that pharisees are alive

and doing quite well.

if jesus came back to earth and preached the same gospel he did 2000 years ago, can you imagine how they'd vilify him on fox news? can you imagine rush limbaugh parodying him? or sean hannity pretending to be more holy than the son of god?

in a weird way, i'm glad today's religious right is so prominent and so crazy. because they remind on a daily basis that just because someone invokes christ's name doesn't mean he knows a blasted thing about the love of christ. and just as jesus's teachings were despised by the religious leaders of his day, the love, compassion, and forgiveness he taught are despised by the religious leaders of this day.

[MichiganVote]

4. Actually you really can derive beauty via evolution

everything nature does is designed for survival - life - isn't that what creationists are all about anyway?

[MasonJar]

5. Thank you all for sharing those thoughts; it amazes me that Bush

and his admirers and all holier-than-thou Christians believe that they can see into the mind of God. How incredibly presumptuous! St Paul told us that we see through a glass darkly. A God of peace and love is not sending any messages to an "eye of a needle camel" like Bush about killing innocent Iraqis.

[BadGimp]

6. interesting summary..

"..the raging debate about Christian values that may well decide the future path of America, very much.

As the debate between extremist and moderate Muslims is likely to set the tone for the future of the Islamic world."

I suspect they (the extremists) will win in the near and maybe even mid term. They know it's a war and that's how they fight it. Their core values are stronger and their emotions more visceral.

I am reminded of the polls taken among US Troops prior to the illegal invasion of Iraq, and the wholesale slaughter of thousands of innocent Iraqis. When polled as to how many US Soldier believed Saddam was behind 9/11, the percentage was something over 70 if I remember correct.

Truth is irrrelevant. Inflame peoples passions and you can get them to do, or let you do, most anything. As log as you provide a reational justification (WMDs/AlQueda).

Imagine if before they shipped off to Iraq, each soldier was informed that Saddam was not behind 9/11. How many would have felt so strongly about going over there and kicking some towelhead ass? Now imagine if they were told that no WMDs woudl be found.

oh well..