I have to admit that I am like most Americans, I rarely get riled up or offended, and if I am by chance offended, I normally let it slide until comments go overboard.
I ignored the comments that Fox News made about Michelle Obama recently. Calling her “Obama’s Baby’s Mama,” “Mrs. Grievance,” and “A terrorist.” I sat by and watched while they took her “for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country,” statement out of context, just like they did with Rev. Wright. I even sat idly by and ignored when one of the anchors on Fox News called for the assassination of Barack Obama after he won the primary.
But enough is enough, I have decided to give my two cents about a few things pertaining to politics and religion after reading this article on the Huffington Post. The article talks about how the Christian Defense Coalition compared supporting slavery to supporting abortion rights. Even including a depiction of an old slavery cartoon to make their point, that’s when I said I have had enough.
As a champion of history and theology, I have decided to debunk a few statements that the Republican party makes to get Christians to vote for them. Its quite distressing how these tactics work but I insist on clarifying some things. As one philosopher said, “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Knowledge is definitely power and most Americans lack the proper knowledge needed to make just, inform decisions.
Falsehood #1 This country was founded on Christianity
Truth: Truth be told the founding fathers were trying to avoid a country ran by religious zealots. The original Puritans left Europe because they were tired of a continent run by “religious” authority to come to the new found land to practice their brand of religion. As a matter of fact one of the key constitutional statements is for our government to abide in a place “that is free of religion.” That there would not be a dominant religious power..period. Even Jesus believed in a separation of church and state, “give unto Caesar that which is Caesar and unto G-d that which is G-d.”
If you want to go a step farther, a nation founded on Christian principles would not have enslaved a people based on their skin color, oppressed women and it definitely would not have killed off 98% of its indigenous population. No indeed, this country was not founded on any religious belief, at all.
Interjecting religion in politics lead to fanaticism. Take for instance, the Crusades, which was supposedly a holy war. Since when did killing people in the name of God, satisfied God? The Jews were commanded to cry over the lives lost in Egypt when they left seeking the promise land. Life is important to G-d. How about fanatic Islamists? Islam a religion of peace that teaches that one must respect all, has succumb to this very idea of using religion for political gain. It is shameless and godless.
Falsehood#2: If you are a Christian, you should support Republicans because they are opposed to abortion and gay rights.
Truth: Wow, really? When did Jesus ever mention these two things in any of his sermons? Ever? The basic tenants of Christianity–most religions in fact– are feed and clothe the poor, heal the sick, and comfort those who mourn. And above all things, love thy neighbor as you love yourself. And love God. In saying this, the Republican party is juxtapose to these ideas. You can call a Democrat a Socialist, but the very person you worship was the first ever socialist. He believed in helping his fellow man when he fell down, go rescue him from the ditch, don’t just past by and then pretend you are so righteous. Republicans want to cut welfare programs (feed/clothe the poor), republicans cut the amount of bereavement time to 3 days (comfort those who mourn), republicans want to nuke and control the world and push their brand of democracy down everyone’s throat(love thy neighbor). To me, it seems the Christians are in the wrong party.
But homosexuality is an abomination, well so is gossip, fornication, ejaculating outside a woman’s womb (many men should be dropping dead, condoms are an abomination), talking back to your parents, and the list goes on and on. Interestingly enough, we like to only use what is convenient, so before you start pointing fingers, look within.
But, we do not want our country destroyed by G-d because we condone homosexuality like in Sodom and Gomorrah. Hmm, now that you bring this up, let’s recall the story. The funny thing that people forget about this story is that it wasn’t the act of homosexuality that caused G-d to rain fire and brimstone on the population of Gomorrah, but the raping of children. But even after that, he told Abraham, if you find me ONE righteous person, I will spare the whole city. So what you are saying to me is that none of you are righteous enough to save this country?
Take it from the Jew, your rationale is flawed. It is bigotry against someone that you do not understand and against a lifestyle for which you are afraid of, therefore you hand-pluck scripture to justify your hatred.
We call Obama unpatriotic because he does not wear a lapel pin and because his wife stated she is proud for the first time in her adult life of her country and not because her husband is doing well but because hope is making a comeback. True patriotism, according to our founding fathers, is the ability to recognize when your government is taking a destructive path and to, if necessary, overthrow it when it is not functioning correctly for the people. Our government was created for the PEOPLE not the other way around. Our government has not catered to us in a very long time. Don’t you think it is time that it does?
I leave you with the words penned by one Thomas Jefferson from the Declaration of Independence.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
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