In American politics it has become normal for candidates to brand themselves in order to garner support from special interest groups, voters and campaign donors alike even though there are times when voters are pitched one brand and campaign donors hear a totally different storyline. There is not always a distinct correlation between a candidate’s advertised credentials and their experience or actions, but some politicians are so far-removed from their public expression of themselves that voters cannot help but be aware of the divergence. Two of the Republicans seeking the nomination for the presidency have branded themselves as evangelical Christians who will transform the country into a “nation under the Christian god,” and although they are true believers, their actions as politicians are far-removed from a follower of Christ.
Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann advertise themselves to supporters and prospective voters as devout Christians who seek to change the nature of government to reflect “Christian family values,” but if voters take the time to compare their actions with the tenets of Christ’s teachings, they will find both candidates are the antithesis of a follower of Christ (as has been explained to me by the likes of
@TheGreatBout and
@jmallory.) First, it is important to review one very important commandment Jesus gave his followers that encapsulates nearly all of the Ten Commandments that do not deal with worshiping god, and it is the one bible verse that all Christians learn from a very young age. Jesus’ disciples asked him what was the most important commandment in the Mosaic Law and he replied, “You must love god with all your heart,” and “You must love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments the whole Law hangs” (Matt.22:37-40). Loving god is a personal dysfunction that is irrelevant to this discussion, but loving your neighbor is important because as Jesus alluded, it covers the parts of the Ten Commandments and Mosaic Law that deal with stealing, covetousness, adultery, and the various rules regarding interactions within society.
Bachmann and Perry have demonstrated that not only do they not love their neighbors, they hate anyone who does not adhere to their twisted religious views and neo-conservative agenda; more importantly, they hate people who need assistance. Both of the false Christians have shown their contempt for the poor by cutting programs that are specifically meant to feed and house the poorest among us. Each of the fakers claim that spending cuts are necessary because the government is too big and the country cannot afford to help poor mothers and disadvantaged children, but they have no problem giving the wealthy tax breaks and corporations entitlements. Their religion’s namesake said, ”If you want to be perfect, go sell your belongings and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21). Bachmann and Perry take from the poor with Draconian spending cuts so they can give to the rich, and it is curious that millions of conservative Christian voters know what Jesus said and still support the candidates that promise to continue depriving the poor of necessities like food and shelter.
Although Rick Perry is not in Congress, one of his first acts as governor of Texas was to throw 161,000 children off of the “S-Chip” Program that covers disadvantaged and handicapped children. Instead of cutting programs that reward wealthy donors, Perry chose to punish children in an act of Christian charity that would make Jesus retch in disgust. Perry also appointed his friends to the Texas Teacher Retirement System Board and they sent hundreds-of-millions of dollars reserved for teachers to the firms run by his campaign donors. Perry and Bachmann have shown a pattern of taking from the poor to give to the rich in direct conflict with Jesus’ commandments.
If Perry and Bachmann loved their neighbor like Jesus said, they would want to ensure that every citizen had clean air and water, but both Christians have been unrelenting advocates for deregulating and defunding environmental protections. Bachmann has promised her first act as president will be to close the EPA insuring that the entire country faces the same environmental fate as Texas which has the highest levels of carbon dioxide in the nation. One would think devout Christians like Bachmann and Perry would want all Americans to enjoy clean air and water, but because neither of them are loving Christians, their American “neighbors” are left gasping and choking so their wealthy donors’ profit margin continues rising. It is just another instance of the devout Christians hurting the masses to enrich their wealthy donors. What would Jesus think? No-one will ever know, but one thing is clear; if Jesus did show up, he would condemn Bachmann and Perry for hating the American people.
Jesus also told his followers, “Moreover, stop judging and you will by no means be judged, and stop condemning and you will by no means be condemned” (Luke 6:37). Both Perry and Bachmann have made a name for themselves with conservative Christians for their criticism and judgment of gays. Bachmann said that gays were part of Satan and promised to reinstate the discriminatory DADT policy even though it was just repealed. They also support a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage because it conflicts with their religious beliefs even though their religious leader commanded them not to make judgments.
Perry and Bachmann are as far from followers of Christ as the proverbial devil, and it is no accident. Each of the extremist Christians are part of the Dominionist movement that follows the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) instead of the New Testament with Jesus’ message of forgiveness, charity, and Christian love. It is fascinating that there are very few Christian leaders who are willing to point out the hypocrisy of false Christians like Perry, Bachmann, and every other conservative Christian politician. Where are the outcries from the clergy who certainly know what Jesus said? There are nationally recognized megachurch preachers like Rick Warren who are silent because they too are false Christians who advocate for hate against the poor while wallowing in luxury at their congregation’s expense.
It is not a bad thing for a politician to follow a religion and the Constitution certainly guarantees them the right to worship as they please. However, when they brand themselves as “special” or “anointed by god” to lead and then contradict everything their religion teaches they are misleading voters. But are they misleading their supporters? Not hardly.
There are increasing numbers of false Christians who oppose everything Jesus taught and stood for, and they support the evil that Perry and Bachmann personify every time they open their mouths and say, “I am a devout Christian.” It is incredibly unfortunate that fake Christians like Perry and Bachmann hold sway over millions of evangelical fundamentalists who share their hatred of the poor, children, and disadvantaged Americans, and they are gaining influence and power over the government. It is bad enough that politicians are inserting religious dogma into the laws and government, but when the religion they espouse is based on hate for the poor and love for the rich the entire country will suffer. Now if Bachmann and Perry advertised themselves as members of a religion that advocated punishing the poor to help the rich, at least they would not be lying hypocrites, but they are lying hypocrites and instead of being followers of Christ, they are followers of greed, selfishness, and corporate money. If it were not an insult to Satan, it would be appropriate to say Bachmann and Perry follow the Devil, but even Satan never said to use elected office to starve children and millions of Americans living in poverty because he was nowhere near as evil as those two evangelical, devout conservative Christians.
Note: I use terms like "false Christian" because I've been repeatedly lambasted for calling anyone who believes in Jesus to be a Christian. I was told that only those following Christ's example are true Christians, so for the sake of this post I'm using that definition.
Comments (180)
Conservative Christians save the hating on gays, being anti-abortion, and joining of Church and State (for political influence of course) which are all highly debateable as being Jesus' ideas....are much more closely aligned with Sociopathic Atheism. They proudly claim Ayn Rand as one of their Profits (sic).
i am imagining the second coming happening while Bachmann or Perry is President. Jesus is walking through the country preaching when he stops, says excuse me a moment, turns his head and begins coughing because of the air pollution. he's also jobless and neither Perry nor Bachmann gives a crap about him because he's poor.
and both are also hypocrites for speaking out against federal spending. Perry could not have balanced Texas' budget deficit if he hadn't used federal money to do so. Bachmann and her husband have been on the federal dole for years, accepting money for their clinic and the family farm. Bachmann pleaded in a letter or email that federal farm subsidies be extended. these two are snake oil sales people.
Let me tell you how it is my dear Krisko.
Christians don't give a flip about the environment, because Jesus is coming SOON. So naturally none of the tribulation stuff will happen until they are safely out of the way.
Jesus also said that we will always have poor, so why lift a finger to help them.
Being gay is an abomination to God, so it's obvious they will cover their collective asses on that one.
As for stealing from the poor to buy power from the rich, because that's what it is, read the parable of the talents. Obviously the poor squandered the money, so it SHOULD all go to the rich.
The church I've been dropping by is similarly anti-gay. I'm looking for good conversations on the topic with members int the near-future.
I wonder if early Christians really thought about ditching the Old Testament. The scripture seems more problematic than helpful.
@Da__Vinci - Well said!
Well, I'm a moderate conservative/libertarian and I'm poor. But I don't think it's right for me to take other people's money just because I have less money. Cutting social programs =/= hating your neighbor. Taxes are essentially legalized thievery on the government's part. To run a government it is inevitable that there will be some form of taxation, that's a fact. But I believe that raising the taxes because the government can't live within it's means when it wastes so much is stealing on an even worse level. There is a reason why I'm holding off as long as I possibly can before I try applying for food stamps or Minnesota Care. I do not believe I am entitled to that money and I do not want it unless there is absolutely no other way. That money belongs to my neighbors, not me. I honestly wish we had a flat tax so that we could keep more of our own money. I wouldn't be as bad off as I am right now otherwise.
I'm voting for Ron Paul though but yeah
@Da__Vinci - What about all the verses about selling all your worldy possessions and giving them to the poor in order to follow jesus?
America is fucked....
I never liked Michele Bachmann.
How does allowing government to wastefully spend tax payers money translate into the love of Jesus? Even with private charities I make sure that most of my donation goes to the actual cause and not wasteful administrative costs. Allowing greedy politicians to confiscate your hard earned cash as they try to shore up their political base is not loving your neighbor. Since when is standing idly by and watching professional swindlers rob both you AND your neighbor a Christian concept?
I'm afraid big spending politicians don't even come up to the pharisees of old.
@firetyger - I'm in the same boat as you!
@godlessliberal- I really enjoyed reading this article and appreciate your POV. You made some very good points and filled me in on stuff I didn't know.
@bakersdozen2 - Thou shall not bear false witness? Medicare administration costs 3% vs Private insurance 14% .
@Saridactyl - She obviously applies that to the country, not individuals. Sell (spend) all our assets then America will be following Jesus.
@firetyger - federal taxes are the lowest they've been in about 50 years. Obama has lowered taxes for the middle class and poor. that is one thing. another is that if we are to live together as a society we need to collectively care for each other. the expression "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link" illustrates a reasoning if common decency and compassion is not enough for some people. viewing taxes as robbery is one perspective. another is to view them as the collective will of a people to have schools for their kids, safe roads with things we take for granted like traffic lights and traffic signs, dams, national parks and national defense to name a few. taxes also exist to lend a hand when some among us fall on hard times. if anything robbery is far more prevalent in private industry. Lehman Brothers, the huge investment banking firm whose bankruptcy filing marked the downfall of our economy had no money, probably for years. i know personally it was in dire straights 6 months before its bankruptcy. i worked there and was informed of such. the firm allegedly worked out a deal with Citibank allowing it to borrow as much as $37 million per quarter to throw in the bank and claim as assets in its financial reports. once the reports were scrutinized the money was returned to Citibank. i saw the high ratings Lehman Brothers was given by S&P, Moody's, and publications like Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times. they were all wrong. regulation of financial institutions was intentionally crippled at the beginning of the Bush administration and this was taken full advantage of by the investment banking industry. Bernard Madoff was not even licensed to do the deals he was doing but there was no regulation and he was once the chairman of NASDAQ so others respected him like the Pope. there are going to be thieves everywhere but right now i strongly suggest we focus our sites more on private industry. i'm not talking about mom and pop businesses. i'm talking about corporate America. this is where we will find money being drained from our economy faster than an old clunker can burn oil.
there were many hard working employees at Lehman. they showed up and did their jobs and had every expectation that over time they could save for their futures and help forward the dreams of their children. every meeting spoke of how well the company they worked for was doing, then the rug was suddenly pulled out from under them. many probably needed assistance. many probably still do. is this their fault? i don't think so. if you find yourself needing food stamps i don't mind at all that i pitch in. in fact programs like unemployment are good for the economy. people pay into it while they are working and while on unemployment they are still able to put money back into the economy as opposed to dropping out and being on the street.
@tendollar4ways - Hahaha, You do realize you're talking to a MD's wife? We have real life practical experience with gov't pay out. Doctors have entire seminars related to how to chart in order to even receive Medicare payments. And medicaid?? It's not worth it. That program won't even cover the cost of an X-ray, Lol. And still they somehow manage to bankrupt these programs.
In July this administration decided to drop Medicare payments to all physicians... no reason, hmmm, just cuz.
Private practices were scrambling to borrow money to make pay roll. Can you imagine private industry pulling that number? It's amazing what our government gets away with....
@bakersdozen2 - So you aren't making as much money as you think you should? And medicaid?? It's not worth it. Fuck the poor sick people.
I think you highlight what this post is all about.
@bakersdozen2 - I have to completely agree with everything you just stated. That is why I hate both parties and like Ron Paul.
It is funny how often people who are not Christians take one passage and make it into a whole theology and ignore other passages of scripture. The Bible clearly says in II Thessalonians 3: 10 "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat.'"
The Bible is consistent with itself. We should not understand the one passage without understanding the other. The Bible in one passage threw welfare and most of social security out the window. If you don't work, you should not eat. But I have never once heard a liberal atheist quote that passage. Instead, they have an understanding of the Bible that is guided by one or two passages instead of the whole Bible in context. Nowhere in scripture does it ever indicate that a nonworking person should be supported by government.
We also have advantages today we didn't have then. A person like DearRicky can work a full time job now. I worked in a place where we had 5-6 handicapped people who fully supported themselves by working all day. Modern technology has made that possible.
But lets take the handicapped out of the situation for a second because the DearRicky's of the world are a pretty small group. We have so many able bodied people on xanga that claim to be on foodstamps. Why does an able body person need to be on foodstamps. We are hiring at my work. They are hiring at my wife's work.
@bakersdozen2 - "Since when is standing idly by and watching
professional swindlers rob both you AND your neighbor a Christian
concept?"
It's not, but neither is allowing the sick and poor to wither away and die.
I understand that many Christians feel strongly about charities and helping the poor, and that most conservative Christians despise government welfare programs. However, private organizations, while certainly helping some people, are not numerous enough to help everyone in need. Government-funded programs are costly and inefficient, true, but they are often the last resort for people who have no other options.
I also disagree with the conservative charge that government programs are only used by lazy moochers who don't feel like working. There are definitely some people out there who do that, and we need to work on weeding them out and exposing them. However, I don't think we need to axe entire programs because some people are abusing the system.
You know, BD2, despite me disagreeing with nearly all of your comments, I admire your ability to keep your cool. I don't think I've ever seen you go crazy or do any LoBorn trolling, and you manage to disagree without coming across as confrontational. Props to you.
@firetyger - I think it would only count as thievery if you were doing absolutely nothing to remedy your situation and you were just getting benefits because you were lazy. As it is, you sound like you're genuinely doing your best to succeed-but as life shows us, that isn't always enough.
You'll probably think this is Marxist mumbo-jumbo, but I believe that we, as a society, have a duty to help out our fellow man when they're down and out. If someone is out of money and they have exhausted all possible options, we can't simply say "tough luck, man, you're on your own." A society can't function without some sort of safety net to help others. Granted, some people are jerks and abuse that net, and I definitely think those people are worthy of contempt; however, that doesn't mean there aren't people out there who genuinely need help. And, unfortunately, private enterprises can't help everyone out. Hoover proved that during the Great Depression.
@TheTheologiansCafe - [It is funny how often people who are not
Christians take one passage and make it into a whole theology and ignore
other passages of scripture.]
I find it even funnier how often people who ARE Christians do that.
@TheTheologiansCafe - I agree that you need to read a book like the Bible in context to get the full message (or any book, for that matter), but that goes both ways. You can't quote passages like those to support conservatism and then ignore Jesus' hippie love-fest quotes in the NT.
And, as I mentioned above, not every able-bodied person is able to find work. Sometimes, after looking everywhere, a person can't find a job. My main problem with conservative school of thought is that it relies on the assumption that the free market can make room for everyone, which it can't. Government programs should be a last resort that can become available if need be.
@tendollar4ways - my elderly mother took a fall and broke her right leg and right arm about a month ago. she spent 4 days in the hospital and is now in a rehab center. Medicare is covering everything. her private health insurance which she paid into for over 35 years through the corporation she worked at and has continued paying into through her retirement right up to the present day was suddenly cut back by the corporation about a year ago without notice and against guarantees included in her retirement package. the private insurance would not cover her as Medicare is now covering her. in other words without Medicare she'd be up shit's creek right now. Medicare has covered everything, including X-rays, surgery to put a rod in her leg and the rehab center where she is now learning to walk again.
@TheThinkingPerson - The free market sounds harsh but in reality it grew the U.S. to the largest economy in the World. It is still number one in the World. Everyone is talking about China overtaking the U.S. It may do that. But China has to increase at its current level and it will still not overtake the U.S. until 2030.
It looks like the free market has been good to the U.S. You realize that so many are talking about how horrible the economy is and how they are without insurance and a job and yet they are still on xanga which means they have Internet. Most of those are not in a library. They have Internet in their home. They also have air conditioning and heating. They have microwaves and a fridge. They have a car and car insurance. They live in most cases only a few miles from a hospital where they could get medical treatment if they needed it. They have carpet in their house. They have food in their house that could feed a whole family in a foreign country for a few weeks. They are probably sitting here drinking a coke as they are commenting. I do not make the free market my religion. I only quoted a passage that indicated that maybe people are taking the Bible out of context and pretending that a Christian should be liberal and believe in big government.
I think the Bible tended to avoid teaching about what government should be. So when I appeal to a conservative mindset, I tend to say "look around you." If you are surrounded by a computer, a TV and your iphone, perhaps the free market has been good to you.