No, That's Not Christian

[e_moon60]

So Pence said today on television--I saw it, unfortunately (I was looking for local weather and got this instead) that he was a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order

Comments

[e_moon60]

I'm barely awake and have a migraine, so I'm missing something here..."Scotsmen flung at me..." doesn't seem like the usual response to saying that someone isn't really a Christian, at least around here. (I've been told I'm evil and the devil's tool, but no Scots were mentioned or displayed.) Please take pity on the sleep-deprived (the migraine was with me all night) and migrainous and explain the Scotsmen. (Calvinists? But he was Swiss, wasn't he, and the Scots just took to his theology, about which I also have strong ideas...being as I had a Calvinist great-grandmother who made my mother's life hell at once point...but also taught her needlework and the best oatmeal cookie recipe ever.)

[e_moon60]

Thank you! I completely missed that possible meaning. Yes, I do know the ones who hate on religion in toto or Christianity in particular because they can easily find examples and say "See--those are why."

I was brought up not to criticize other Christians (judge not lest...etc) but have come to think that *not* doing so, not pointing out to them and others that they aren't doing what Jesus said, and are doing what Jesus said not to do, is a form of education. The braggy ones are forever saying "I'm a Christian so I hate [whoever]" or "...so I have to vote for/against ] whoever..." when the reasons for the hate or the fear or the vote for/against are not remotely related to what Jesus taught.

Your point about people with peculiar theories claiming to be scientists (or doctors--I've seen those) is excellent. Not surprised that you get pushback when you say it, but good for you.

[ann_mcn]

The hypocrisy is stunning. It is bold and flamboyant, and doesn't even pretend to be following what Jesus said.

I grew up reading about WWII and the Holocaust, and I imagined being heroic and saving people, but I'm much older, and i doubt I have that sort of heroism available to me now, if I ever had it. However, what I can do is to try and prevent the situation that calls for heroism -- to not let the Nazis (or present day equivalent) into power. It isn't a matter of "killing baby Hitler"; it is changing the environment that let the monstrosity thrive.

Hope this made sense -- haven't had full morning coffee yet.

[sheff_dogs]

It made perfect sense to me and I agree with it too.

[e_moon60]

Makes sense to me, and it's definitely what needs doing. Cultural groundwork, hardest kind to do.

[sheff_dogs]

It is one of those quirks that in the USA where you separate church and state it is de rigeur for your politicians at at a high level to declare their Christianity, whereas in the UK where we do not separate church and state it is considered 'not done' to discuss your religious beliefs when you are in politics. When Tony Blair declared he was a Christian it was thought to be in bad taste by most and possibly introducing religion into politics in an unhealthy way by others. Although the 'rule' does seem to have an exception when it comes to the first Muslim whatever eg that Sadiq Khan is the first Muslim Mayor of London has been much commented on in the press.

Personally I think a situation somewhere between the two ways would be more healthy, where people let any religious beliefs be known, but didn't trumpet them. This is partly because when someone like Pence insists they are a Christian it does tell you a lot about them.

[fatcook]

THANK YOU!

Again you are the sane voice in the howling wilderness.

[kimuro]

I once quoted the Beatitudes to a self-professed christian conservative as a blue-print for how Christ wanted his followers to behave. She informed me that I was mistaken because that is for AFTER the Rapture, when all true christians are in Heaven with God.

I felt like the computer on Mudd's world in the face of such egregarious illogic. How was this person able to use the computer without the use of a functional brain?

Well, it was Facebook. That might explain it.

[e_moon60]

They do slither around the Beatitudes that way sometimes...but they have a harder time explaining away Matthew 25. It's so firmly prescriptive, and so obviously aimed at the here and now. They're rather read John 3:16, of course and bliss out on that, and then go wallow in Leviticus and other places, but drag them firmly to Matthew 25 and they're stuck. As are we all.

[thewayne]

Kimuro, thank you for this. It's amazing how many people profess to be Christians without reading with an attitude of trying to be critical and to understand what they're reading. They hear some polished public speaker cutting and pasting verses from all over the place trying to manufacture "God said..." when that was not what he said. As Ms. Moon said, they try to slither away from Matthew 25, when it's pretty clear what one of the basic concepts is