Comments on: Does the Holy Spirit Vote Republican?

By: Mary W. Lukens Goodson

Mary W. Lukens Goodson — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 23:16:00 +0000

There is good reason – no, EXCELLENT reason – for the separation of church and state. W…. Where is the taking care of the poor and sick and the mothers and children?
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Gee Sunshine, you make the Bible sound like it’s advocating Socialism!!! Citizens taking CARE of each other???? WHAT??? How unAmerican of you! Where’s your Capitalist Spirit!? Don’t you know that all those deadbeat unemployed people are in that situation because they’re all n—-rs or bums? Don’t you know that all the sick people are only sick because they’re morally inferior? The mothers and children who need help are only suffering their plight because of God’s WILL???

If we helped them, then we’d be acting like those evil Commies and Socialists!

Vote the Republican Ticket, and let’s send all those darned Spics and Africans back where they all came from!!!

(Oh, sorry, I was momentarily possessed by a Republican…)

By: chrishyde

chrishyde — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:26:00 +0000

I’m a pastor who tends to vote liberal. I’m probably going to hell.

By: David

David — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:16:47 +0000

Love the above logic. LOL

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 12 May 2010 22:14:57 +0000

Reading these posts, I can see that politically-minded Christians generally fall into 2 categories: 1) right-wing fascists and 2) left-wing fascists. At least the right-wing fascists will allow me the freedom to let God to decide what to do with my income/property.

By: Mors

Mors — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:56:43 +0000

I think the issue comes down to the age old question that was posed to Jesus by the Pharisees: What are the greatest commandments. Do you believe that it is more important to love God and be holy as He is holy or is it better to love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself. The idea that supporting Republicans because they take “Righteous” stances is ridiculous when many of those stances end up further marginalizing the poor. From my reading of the Bible, Jesus seems to be far more interested in justice, truth, and caring for the poor than he was about people’s personal morals (which is not to say he wasn’t concerned with those, he expected his followers to be more righteous than the hyper-religious hypocrites of his day. His teachings concern the heart whereas the Pharisees were only concerned with outward actions.) In fact, the more I study the teachings of Jesus, the more I drift to the left politically. (I was raised in an extremely conservative household, so I’ve ended up a centrist. I’d go so far as to say that anyone who puts party affiliation ahead of the well-being of our nation is a traitor to his country.)

If I have to chose between a party that stands for “Righteousness” but that fails to live up to the ideals they’re trying to push on the rest of us and a party of sinners that seeks justice for the downtrodden and oppressed, I’d take the sinners. After all, “I was hungry and you took away the lunch program, I was thirsty and you dumped toxins in my town’s water source, I was sick and you fought tooth and nail against providing me health care, I was in prison and you fought for stricter laws to keep me there longer. What you did to the least of these, you did to me.”

By: Deb

Deb — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:30:02 +0000

I've said this for a long time now. If Jesus walked the earth today, he would be a democrat. Your words bring it home: “I was hungry and you took away the lunch program, I was thirsty and you dumped toxins in my town’s water source, I was sick and you fought tooth and nail against providing me health care, I was in prison and you fought for stricter laws to keep me there longer. What you did to the least of these, you did to me.”

By: JustTheFacts

JustTheFacts — Mon, 10 May 2010 14:30:08 +0000

According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, America is actually about 78% Christian, about 5% "Other" and 16% "Unaffiliated", with remaining 1% not saying or don't know.

In America, 71% are certain in their belief in God. Among Christians, 84% of Protestants and 72% of Catholics are certain in their belief in God. Inversely, 16% of Protestants and 28% of Catholics aren't certain in their belief in God.

In America, 40% attend church at least weekly. 50% of Protestants and 42% of Catholics attend church at least weekly.

In America, 35% read the bible at least weekly. 48% of Protestants and 21% of Catholics.

In America 44% of adults have changed their religious affiliation in some way. This includes Protestants who change to another Protestant denomination.

See all the stats at the Pew Forum website.

By: Charles

Charles — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:23:05 +0000

I agree with the above in the sense that i don't encourage abortion, however, throughout history abortion has been performed quite commonly, even when it was illegal. Now that it is legal, to criminalize it would simply be two steps back in the sense that people who are now getting safe abortions would probably turn to home or back-alley botched abortion methods that are extremely dangerous ("baby fishing" with a clothes hanger or chemical cocktails). I don't encourage abortion and think its wrong, but anybody who thinks criminalizing it will make it disappear is living in a fantasy world…

By: Charles

Charles — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:16:55 +0000

Not to rain on Ross' parade or anything, but the OT doesn't really mention Hell (at least not in the same sense as the NT). What is mentioned (often translated as Hell, the Grave, or the Pit) is the area of Sheol, which is simply the dwelling place of the dead. ALL OF THE DEAD. It is really much more similar to the Greek concept of Hades in the sense of that it was conceived of as an underground place where people just kind of hang out after they die. New Testament Hell was much more fiery and based on judgement, however, i still dont think its a point of major contention or discounts the revolutionary ideas of Jesus in the area of Social Justice in any way…

By: Janice

Janice — Mon, 10 May 2010 10:24:18 +0000

Simple answer: God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are on an Independent ticket: GRACE. With it we are saved, without it we are lost forever. Unfortunately, most (not all) politicians have sold out to a cause to save a pet project. Grace allows us to give and give with nothing in return. Can't think of any politicians today that fall into that category.