Pro-McCain Pastor Casts Election as Religious Contest

[maddezmom]

Source: Fox

Stoking religious tensions in an increasingly heated presidential race, an evangelical pastor supporting John McCain delivered a prayer that appeared to dismiss faiths other than Christianity and cast the election as a referendum on God himself.

"I would also pray, Lord, that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November, because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god -- whether it is Hindu, Buddha, Allah -- that opponent wins, for a variety of reasons," said the Rev. Arnold Conrad, former pastor of the Grace Evangelical Free Church.

"And Lord, I pray that you will guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day," he added.

Conrad's prayer came before McCain arrived at the convention center blocks from the Mississippi River. The McCain campaign immediately distance itself from the prayer.

"While we understand the important role that faith plays in informing the votes of Iowans, questions about the religious background of the candidates only serve to distract from the real questions in this race about Barack Obama's judgment, policies and readiness to lead as commander in chief," McCain campaign spokeswoman Wendy Riemann said in a written statement.



Read more: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/11/pro-mccain-pastor-casts-election-religious-contest/

---

sorry about the link

[skooooo]

1. Lots of crawly things under the rocks.

[solanus]

23. This must a joke

Telling God to protect his reputation!!! wow that would be funny if not so serious O8)

[xxqqqzme]

50. Just a tad arrogant it seems to me

This fundie clown is telling god what he should do?!?!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

Religious tug-of-wars.

:woohoo:

[Bicoastal]

2. Don't forget the Jews! I prayed to Adonai this week that Obama would be elected!

Man, I feel so left out. x(

[TACstrat]

3. Maybe a witchdoctor would work better for them? - nt

[scarface2004]

4. the democrat god is going to kick..

the republikkkan god s ass!!! i got luxury box seats for the event!!!

[felinetta]

9. Remember the nut job that wanted it to rain in Denver?

How did that work out for him?

[TwilightGardener]

5. My god can beat up your god.

[Miss Chybil]

6. My god's bigger than your god.

My god's bigger than yours...
My god's bigger cause he eats Kennel Ration,
My god's bigger than yours!

[starroute]

19. How do you measure the size of gods? Parsecs?

And how well do gods multi-task? Is it better to be the worshipper of a small god who has only five other devotees -- or the worshipper of a really big god who has 5 million devotees and may leave you on hold or drop your call?

These are really serious theological questions, you know? Why isn't anybody out there answering them? Is there a godwiki somewhere to go for these comparative statistics?

[Miss Chybil]

21. I think GodWiki is a great idea!

Damn. I wish I'd thought of it.

[starroute]

25. It should probably include consumer satisfaction ratings as well

How efficacious are prayers to this deity? Rate on a scale from 1 to 5.

What are the pros and cons of worshipping this deity?

Does this deity perform as expected?

Would you recommend this deity to your friends?

[Miss Chybil]

52. Exactly! nt

[kayell]

60. There's a God FAQ. Will that do?

http://www.400monkeys.com/God/

[paparush]

62. God reads Viagra Emails?

[TerribleLarryDingle]

7. Yet he still holds Tax exempt status?

Theocracy? No thanks.

[TexasProgresive]

24. Ministers are liable to pay income tax on their salaries

just like everyone else. It's the church as a non-profit that is tax exempt like all non-profits.

[Bake]

64. If he delivered that prayer from the pulpit (and I assume he did)

That might entangle the tax-exempt status.

Bake

[TexasProgresive]

65. Yes of the church.

I just wish that people would not assume that because someone is an ordained minister that their salaries are tax exempt. It is ignorance but with a little effort ignorance can be alleviated, excepting quantum physics!?

[Bake]

71. Correcting myself: I think it was the invocation at a McCain rally.

That's what it looked like on the news last night, anyway.

Fortunately, this is getting a lot of coverage ("Worst Person in the World!").

Bake

[felinetta]

8. I Miss George Carlin!

Religious leaders are just dispensers of fairy tales. They all talk so nonsensical. Since I've never seen god, the easter bunny or santa claus, they are all fairy tales to me. Going to war over religious differences makes about as much sense as if people were fighting over santa claus vs. the easter bunny. And I'm sure Jesus would be Republican and against the poor and carry again. Yeah right! I miss George Carlin so much!

[Mad_Dem_X]

26. Me too. I would have loved

to have heard what he'd say about all of this.

[Kalifornia.Kid]

10. Holy Shit ...

[InkAddict]

47. Cute cartoon...and so true.

And here I thought it was fire and the wheel, round and round and round, over and over and over...Is it any wonder that the early Gods threw primordial lightening bolts into swamps that somehow energized cells in such an undifferentiated manner that it produced homo sapiens?

[NOW tense]

11. Not good enough!

"While we understand the important role that faith plays in informing the votes of Iowans, questions about the religious background of the candidates only serve to distract from the real questions in this race about Barack Obama's judgment, policies and readiness to lead as commander in chief," McCain campaign spokeswoman Wendy Riemann said in a written statement.

Conrad should have been brought out on stage and made a fool of like the lady in Minnesota. Intolerance has zero place in American politics.

Dear John McCain
As you may have noticed I didn't use Senator. In my mind you have lost all respect of this country. Who's country do you put first? All of ours or just your narrow little view of America. You have lead your campaign down this ugly path for your personal gain. Country First a slogan that you have pissed on. Country First should be changed to 25%ers First. Please stop using "my friend" too. You are not my friend. You have endangered our country so that you could try an fill your ego that doesn't deserve to even get a little boost. You want to talk about honor? Here is an honorable thing to do. Take out a commercial to apologize for your campaign of lies and leave the race.


Sailor's Creed

I am a United States Sailor.

I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and I will obey the orders of those appointed over me.

I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and all who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world.

I proudly serve my country’s Navy combat team with Honor, Courage and Commitment .

I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all.

What in this creed have you John McCain lived up to in the last month?

[sarcasmo]

12. If Obama wins he must eliminate EVERY churches exempt status.

[ikojo]

13. It will never happen. NEVER.

Ministers have a lot of power in the US and both parties are well aware of it.

[sarcasmo]

18. I never understood tax exempt for something, the church, that makes a lot of money.

[Critters2]

53. Very few churches make a lot of money. Most are living month by month.

We hear about the mega churches, but most congregations in this country have fewer than 200 members, and no savings.

[InkAddict]

48. Would the Bible lie?

I think the verse is "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them. Sounds political to me - but there like a what, referee? So, just how does the ref defend his call "call." Instant replay or a big rock on up through an automatic on up through splitting the atom - RESPONSIBLY?

[Zhade]

57. Hmmm - do rabbits chew their own cud? Is pi 3?

NT!

[krabigirl]

51. Never say never. Things can change, pendulums can shift to another direction.

[Critters2]

33. Not relevant here. In this setting, he was a private citizen. Private citizens

have the right to a political opinion. If he had done this in church, that would be different. But even then, the church would be liable, not him.

I'm a pastor, and everyone knows what party I belong to and who I'm voting for. I've offered grace at the local Jefferson-Jackson dinner. I can express my political preferences. My church cannot.

[progressivebydesign]

14. Notice the types of clergy they're trotting out now?? Evangelicals???

Usually, for a campaign event, you choose fairly middling religious types, so as not to offend anyone.

[Shallah Kali]

36. They have lost all voters except the super rich and the radicals

that leaves them with people like these who are willing to overlook UnChristian behaviors like not giving a damn about the poor in order to have fundamentalist 'Bring it on! Yay Armegeddon! If we bomb it (Iran, Russia, etc) HE will Come' types who are in raptures over Palin. One minister was thrilled to bits to tell Sarah she is a chosen vessel of God which brough her to tears - http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_fundamentalist_100808

One of Palin's mentors is out promoting her as a political chosen one as well
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/10/7/13329/4808/Front_Page/%22Seven_Mountains%22_and_the_%22Joel's_Army%22_plan_for_takeover

More on her
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/10/7/54010/1830/Front_Page/Palin_and_the_Apostles

[OwnedByFerrets]

15. Look me in the eye Conrad....now open your ears so you can

hear me say LOUD AND CLEAR....FUCK YOU AND YOUR DIVISIVE MESSAGE. GOT THAT?

[RoccoR5955]

16. Someone should remind them that God is Dog spelled backwards. n/t

[trthnd4jstc]

17. If G-d is the force of Life, then maybe the Republicans are the ones serving the Anti-Christ.

Even though they are against abortion, as a platform, they hate life. They hate the environment, they do not believe in Freedom, unless it is to own guns, so that people and animals can be killed, Republicans love war and imperialism. In my opinion, they Hate Life Itself.

I do know that not all Republicans are horrible humans, and even a horrible human may have moments of kindness and consideration, but one can judge them by their actions.

[Judi Lynn]

20. Thsi clown is calling out The Almighty. Amazing.

He admonishes the Spaghetti Monster not to be a wuss, snap out of it, get in the game!

"......I pray that you will guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you ........step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day."

Where do they get these halfwits? Holy Moly!

If there WERE an omniscient Being in the neighborhood, he'd be convulsed with laughter. Or bored to tears while these fools drone on and on and on, trying to a Divine, Immortal Host with their shopping lists of urges, whims, wishes, and grudges.

[Poseidan]

22. Conrad, you have crossed the line

As the God of Sea's, I dismiss claims of your 'god' being greater than myself. The next time you are near a large body of water, you will feel my wrath.

[InkAddict]

49. And if Zeus casts a lightening bolt on the sea, everything shorts out.

that's not grounded. Boy, do we need some sort of yet undefined alternative energy plan.

[Chovexani]

70. Hey, your Foaminess?

You might want to get Hermes or one of the muses to proofread your posts next time, just sayin'.

[LiberalFighter]

27. The pastor is admitting his belief in more than one god.

[Oak2004]

29. Yes: the opinions he is expressing are a known Christian heresy

but then why would one think that people who utterly reject anything approximating human intelligence would be smart enough to know their own (nominal) beliefs.

[AlbertCat]

28. Scared to friggin' death of the Black Man, aren't they?

[Crowman1979]

30. So the election is the battle of the gods?

Is this gonna turn into one of those "Mortal combat", "Godzilla" and "Independence Day" epics all rolled into one?



No, just a bunch of scary stuff to say in order to keep the funds coming in and keep the masses in line.

[Crunchy Frog]

31. They must believe in some sort of Republican tribal god.

[HillbillyBob]

32. I have heard several of the religious types say that they are looking

to start a "revolution" (read slaughter) to rid our country of blacks, latinos (illegal immigrants, humaseksuls, liebruls(democrats progressives), heathens, and anyone else that disagrees with their program. Some of these same whack jobs even told me what weapons they had stored up ranging from regular civilian shotguns several kinds of heavy assault weapons were mentioned too, but I cannot remember the designations, I was busy trying to look and act like a redneck while I made a not too hasty exit lest I excite too much attention. This happened several times. I look pretty much like a biker redneck myself(camouflage ya know, beard, tats, leather) A couple of times it was inadvertent and a time or two I sniffed something that I just might need to know. I have been out gay for a long time and have developed a nose for trouble.
We have since moved to a place in the woods...and planted a garden.
BTW Our house is voting for Mr Obama
Here is to hoping that they don't get that chance or excuse. I fear that the election of Barack Obama as Pres will be used as the excuse they want and he and any supporters could be in danger. We should all be prepared.
I grew up around various flavors of evangelicals from dominionists pentecosts to mild methodists.
Christians are not our enemy, nor are evangelicals per se. Hard core Kreestians are the enemy of free and civil society.
What else that bothers me is the infiltrations of our Air Force and Army by hard right evangelicals, I do not know anything about the other services..
Having only heard about some scandals.
Sh t I wish they would all just smoke dope and be placated, but no they want their damned Armageddon, and the fascist regime running the boosh admin keeps feeding the monkey on their collective backs. That kind of "religion" is an addiction.
The god or religious wiki sounds like a good idea.
While Mr Obama is not my first pick as President my objections to him are more that he works within the current political system not his race or beliefs. My objection is based mostly on the FISA vote. While I realize he has to work within the system, I do not like the current system of accepting campaign funds from corporations and pacs that are really covers for corporate corruption. Public funding seems a good idea to me and nonpartisan election committees and vote counts.
Faith can inform, it should not rule our decision in elections.
I'll stf up now.

[xchrom]

34. just when you thought the stupidity couldn't get more blatant.

:eyes:

[daleo]

35. According to Christianity, people have free will

So telling God to fix the election is stupid, even on theological grounds.

[panzerfaust]

37. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent - also according to Christianity

Thus anything that happens is the preordained Will of God.

Here is Texas, He is thought to take a keen interest in the outcome of high-school football games. Which is odd, since He already knows how it is going to turn out, but He could change the outcome (perhaps because of an especially cool prayer) - but would that then change what he already knew, or did He already know that He was going to change the outcome from what He had previously already known? Being omniscient, being able to attend to the fall of a sparrow, he must have.

I certainly don't know.

But I ain't voting for God.

No, I guess that I am voting against Him. Or FOR Him: God's own chosen leader making it clear them is the only choices.

But He already knew that.

Didn't He?

Of course, different groups of Christians have burned at the stake those who did, and those who did not, believe in free will. Along with all those pesky non-believers, or believers in lesser Gods.

But in His book, right off in the first chapter, God says there are other gods! It is just the He is The Man & you better not be crossing Him as He is one Jealous Dude.

God! Send me a sign. Who should I vote for?

How can I exercise my free will if You do not tell me what to do?

[OKNancy]

38. kick

[DeepModem Mom]

39. Speaker at McCain rally says non-Christians want an Obama win

Source: CNN

DAVENPORT, Iowa (CNN) – A minister delivering the invocation at John McCain’s rally in Davenport, Iowa Saturday told the crowd non-Christian religions around the world were praying for Barack Obama to win the U.S. presidential election.

“There are millions of people around this world praying to their god—whether it’s Hindu, Buddha, Allah—that his opponent wins, for a variety of reasons. And Lord, I pray that you will guard your own reputation, because they’re going to think that their God is bigger than you, if that happens,” said Arnold Conrad, the former pastor of Grace Evangelical Free Church in Davenport.

The remark was made before McCain arrived at the rally but the Republican nominee's campaign quickly put out a statement distancing itself from the remarks.

“While we understand the important role that faith plays in informing the votes of Iowans, questions about the religious background of the candidates only serve to distract from the real questions in this race about Barack Obama's judgment, policies and readiness to lead as commander in chief,” said McCain campaign spokesperson Wendy Riemann.

This incident comes a day after a Minnesota voter asked Senator McCain if Barack Obama was an Arab at a town hall in Lakeville, Minnesota and just three days after Lehigh GOP County Chairman Bill Platt made a speech at a McCain rally in Pennsylvania where he referred to the Democrat nominee for president as Barack Hussein Obama.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/11/speaker-at-mccain-rally-says-non-christians-want-an-obama-win/

[JI7]

40. this is all a political strategy

try to make it seem like Mccain is distancing himself and speaking against them and being the maverick when in reality they not only allow but probably encourage people to say these things to get the asshole vote out as much as they can.

[Liberal Veteran]

41. What a dumbass. Allah is just another name for the same God of Christians.

[CJCRANE]

42. So do most Christians nt

[FreakinDJ]

43. Question those that call themselves "Christians"

More and more these Fundie Churches are preaching a Very NON-christian message of hate and bigotry.

The "Literal Translation of the Bible" is a farce and a means to manipulate what the bible was intended to say.

[yellerpup]

44. As a non-religious person

YOU BET YOUR ASS WE WANT OBAMA TO WIN!

[BayjanDem]

45. But Obama's Christian

Have the Repukes ever looked crazier?

[yellowcanine]

54. "questions about the religious background of the candidates"

Nice case of a "non-distance distancing". Who is questioning "religious backgrounds of the candidates"? I call bullshit on the McCain's "distancing". They did the equivalent of repeating the rumor while denouncing it. Shame.

[yellowcanine]

55. This bullshit is going to continue until McCain himself has the cojones to stand up and demand that

it stop. And tells Sarah to tone it down as well. And pulls the sleazy ads that promote the "Obama hangs out with terrorists" bullcrap.

[WePurrsevere]

46. Most of the real Christians I know are voting for Obama...

who to them is a Christian and a mighty fine human being who seems to honestly try to follow "WWJD".

But then again hate, fear and bigotry is NOT what Jesus taught. The message of Jesus was one of caring for your fellow human beings, tolerance of those who are different from you, forgiving your enemies and even the separation of church & state.

[crossroads]

56. OMG! Spare us all this tainted BS! nt

[Zhade]

58. And yet some festive IDIOTS here wrongly think religion is allowed in politics - and WANT it there.

Thank goodness they're so very, very, VERY wrong.

[progressivebydesign]

59. This makes me physically ill. Thank god I'm an athiest. n/t

[Blue_Tires]

61. i hate this misconception about Buddhism that is never corrected

1. The Buddha was not a god or even divine; he was simply a man who found enlightenment...

2. The Buddhists don't normally 'pray' to him

[NoodleyAppendage]

63. The god Hindu?? With this one comment the INTELLECTUALLY RETARDED Xtian asshole revealed himself.

It's high time that we DENIGRATED, OSTRASIZED, and made otherwise SOCIALLY POISONOUS these ignorant, non-contributing, Xtians. I'm so friggin' sick of these assholes being given any sort of social standing. I'd much prefer to see them homeless, performing menial jobs, and doing simple things typical of a social underclass.

J

[DuaneBidoux]

66. Not to mention that "Allah" is, quite simply, the Arab word for "God."

And historically it is the same god for all three monotheistic religions (originally a volcano god from a Middle Eastern nomadic tribe of Semitic origin).

Also Buddhism is, in general, considered to be a non-supernatural religion without any kind of god as perceived by the monotheistic believers of the "Big Three."

I don't quite have the desire to see these people, or any for that matter, homeless. Homelessness usually decreases a person's likelihood of evolving to a higher rational or transrational level.

[NoodleyAppendage]

69. Good point about the homelessness. I guess I want to see backwards thinking punished somehow.

My homelessness comment was pointed towards the notion that people of this ilk need to suffer some sort of consequence...probably economic. Maybe after a couple of decades of economic decline to cultures that understand science, they will come around. Doubtful though...more likely they will just try to kill those who become their economic superiors.

J

[BreweryYardRat]

72. Storm god, really.

I'm not sure if volcanoes were part of Yahweh's portfolio or not, but storms definitely were.

[DuaneBidoux]

73. Okay, I can stand to be corrected (and now feel like going back and relearning) but it is believed..

that the Volcano god. became Yahweh...of course, just as the god that evolved into early Hebrew writings became the god of the Old Testement.

[Zorra]

67. "O lord, wontcha buy me, a Mercedes Benz, my friends all drive Porsches, I

must make amends,
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,
So lord, wont you buy me a mercedes benz ?

Oh lord, wont you buy me a color tv ?
Dialing for dollars is trying to find me.
I wait for delivery each day until three,
So oh lord, wont you buy me a color tv ?

Oh lord, wont you buy me a night on the town ?
Im counting on you, lord, please dont let me down.
Prove that you love me and buy the next round,
Oh lord, wont you buy me a night on the town ?

Thats it!"

(Joplin/McClure/Neuwirth)

[KamaAina]

68. Source: Fox

that's pretty much all you need to say. :eyes:

edit: spelling