False God

[murielm99]

I found this article interesting, especially since I just wrote a guest column for my local newspaper, sort of on the same subject.

I get really nauseated every time I read a Cal Thomas column in my newspaper. I have been lobbying for them to get rid of him. I am not saying that they should not run any conservative opinion at all -after all, they do have the occasional Leonard Pitts column. But, I live in Illinois. We do have a Democratic governor, and senator. The mayors of most of our major cities are Democrats. We have several representatives who are Democrats, too. Our state went for Gore in 2000. I think my local newspaper does a poor job of reflecting that.

Anyway, I could not find a link for my column, so I will reproduce it here in full. I can do that, because it is my work, and not copyrighted material, correct? It appeared on Wednesday January 5, 2003, in the Freeport Journal-Standard, in Freeport, Illinois:

"Every morning, when I receive my Journal-Standard, I turn first to the Forum page. I am disappointed when Cal Thomas' column appears. Is he the only conservative columnist available? Can the Journal Standard find no conservative who writes well and develops his arguments properly, without pomposity and sarcasm?

This week, Mr. Thomas outdid himself. I expected him to criticize Howard Dean, but he offended more than usual by dragging Jesus into things.

Thomas began by saying that Democrats are trying to squeeze God into things, because they perceive "that Republicans have an edge on invoking the Creator to bless their policies." Is Mr. Thomas implying that God answers only the prayers of Republicans? Or, is he implying that God is a Republican?

If Democrats in recent times have not squeezed God into their politics, perhaps it is because they have a healthy respect for the Constitution's separation of church and state.

Mr. Thomas continues his column, questioning Dean's concept of Jesus. Thomas has no business questioning Dean's, or anyone else's faith. Faith is between a man and his Creator. Mr. Thomas, not being the Deity, is in no position to judge.

If Thomas insists on criticizing Dean for admiring Christ's policies of inclusion while He was here on earth, perhaps he should take a critical look at some of Bush's statements about Jesus.

Bush once said that Christ was his favorite philosopher. Why isn't Thomas taking Bush to task for calling Jesus a mere philosopher? Isn't Bush making it sound like Jesus might be just another privileged Republican?

What about the parts of Jesus' philosophy that Bush is ignoring? Does Thomas think it is all right to ignore the part about "blessed are the peacemakers?" Is it all right too, to skip the commandment that says, "Thous shalt not steal?" Theft is theft, whether it is an election, or one thin dime. Jesus did not take kindly to lying, either - whether it is about the existence of WMD's or who actually benefits from tax cuts.

And, I seem to remember that Jesus was not quite as fond of the wealthy as George W. Bush.

If Thomas wants to disagree with Dean's Congregationalist background, that is his right. But I don't like the implication that God does not like "liberal" churches. How does Thomas know that? Did God tell him?

Thomas could not resist informing us that Dean's wife and children are Jewish. I am sure we will be hearing quite a bit about this from the religious right, as the campaign progresses. When I was a child, I heard quite a bit of anti-Catholic bias when Kennedy ran for President, too.

Mr. Thomas goes on to tell us how brilliantly C.S,. Lewis dealt with views like Deans, views he refers to as a watered-down concept of Jesus. Mr. Thomas gives an accurate quote from the second section of Lewis' "Mere Christianity." But, I am left to wonder if he read the entire book, or if he confused it with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

Lewis goes on, in "Mere Christianity," to describe a Christian society. he states that in a Christian society, everyone works. Compare this to the 2.4 million who have lost their jobs since Bush took office. Lewis says that everyone must work with their hands to produce something good. They must work to eat. In a Christian society, there will be no silly luxuries, or sillier advertisements. Lewis tells us, in his gentle, somewhat archaic language, "To this extent, a Christian society would be what we now call Leftist."

How amusing that Thomas quoted a man who believes this!

Does this mean that Lewis thinks God is a Democrat, or worse, a Socialist? No, because Lewis goes on to say, "we should feel that its economic life was very socialistic, and in that sense 'advanced,' but its family life and code of manners were very old-fashioned - perhaps even ceremonious and aristocratic."

Whew - Lewis says that God likes family values, just like the conservative Republicans and the religious right. God is not a Socialist, after all. He wants us to compromise!

Perhaps when Mr. Thomas does his Fox News Channel program, it is acceptable to quote out of context. But I expect higher standards from my newspaper.

If Jesus came back today, I wonder what He would say about Mr. Thomas. Maybe He would say nothing, leaving that up to the editor.

Would Jesus even set foot in the United States of America, if He came back today? Maybe He, unlike us, does not regard America as the center of the universe. Maybe He would return to that turbulent part of the world where He was born, to work His miracles of peace, love and forgiveness.

Based on my faith in Him, and on His past actions, I think that when He returns, He will be a democrat: with a small "d." In the meantime, I would urge Mr. Thomas to reread his Gospels, and to read his C.S. Lewis a bit more carefully. I am sorry Mr. Thomas, but God is not a right-wing zealot."

I have not mailed this to Cal Thomas yet, and I guess I should. But I am just an ordinary person, and Thomas is powerful. Would he try to smear me? What do you think?




:kick:

[Memekiller]

1. I'm glad this is finally being discussed...

Claiming the Republican Party has a corner on God is almost as laughable as their claims at having a corner on morality. What is sad is that Democrats sit silently by and let them say it.

Here's a column the conservative Daniel Borchers wrote called "Is Jesus a Republican or Democrat?"

A sample:

"Alan Colmes, in Red, White & Liberal, expresses a prevalent liberal view when he declares 'Jesus is a liberal.' Many conservatives regard Jesus as standard-bearer for the GOP and imprimatur for their right-wing agenda.

"Christians at both extremes of the political spectrum politicize faith. But Jesus Christ is beyond – far beyond – our ideological inclinations and aspirations. Jesus is far greater than any box we could try to put Him in."

[izzie]

2. Interesting

Can not say I take JC out of my thinking or that Dem do this, it is just we do not say we rule in the beliefs we know are right in his name.

[ithacan]

3. right wing pseudo christians...

http://www.right-wing-pseudo-christians.com/

Matthew 25:31-46: WWJD?
What Would Jesus Do? Jesus Would Send All These Right-Wing Pseudo-Christians Straight to Hell (And Liberals May Not Be Far Behind)

by Jack Clark

Introduction

In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus proclaims that how you treat the hungry, the thirsty, the sick and other "least of these," is how you treat Jesus himself. And if you fail to help the "least of these," Jesus promises, he will send you to Hell.

The premise of this essay is that you can't be a true Christian if the focus of your life is thwarting others and the society itself from fully implementing such a fundamental teaching of Christianity as Matthew 25:31-46.

It's fine to oppose government programs to help the Matthew 25 "least of these," but then you must propose Equivalent Alternative Solutions. Equivalent Alternative Solutions are ones which:

- help at least the same number of those people who legitimately need - help provide at least the same amount of effective assistance to those people
- get the help to them at least as quickly
- are at least as certain to accomplish these goals


Equivalent Alternative Solutions can certainly be completely non- governmental, as long as they meet the four criteria directly above.

Right-wing Christians are defined by both their opposition to the plans of others to help the "least of these," and their failure to offer any Equivalent Alternative Solutions.

Their behavior puts right-wing pseudo-Christians into the category of the cursed goats whom Jesus describes in Matthew 25 and condemns to Hell.
<more>

[ithacan]

4. God = GOP?

That seems to be blasphemy to me...

But the Religious Right has enormous influence in the GOP, and is cynically manipulating religion for political ends.

For details on the rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party, go to http://www.TheocracyWatch.org/

Warning: This is scary stuff.

[murielm99]

5. This is scary!

We have to keep up the pressure on the religious right. We have to speak out in our churches, and in the press.

[young_at_heart]

6. He would probably dismiss you as "pond scum"

I can't stand Cal Thomas....he's in our newspaper too and his Christian craziness is beyond scary. I too read what he said about Dean (implying that he's not a "real" or "good" Christian). I congratulate you on your excellent column!

[GOPFighter]

7. I was uplifted by "False God".....

...and by your column also, murielm99. You wrote an excellent response to Cal Thomas's diatribe. Isn't it outrageous that, with so many talented people out of work and so many others barely scraping by, that a writer like Cal Thomas gets paid big bucks to spout crap?

I'm really fed up with the Christian Right!!! My New Years resolution is to respond to every letter to the editor, and every columnist in my local newspapers that links God to conservative programs, berates liberals for their "Godless" programs, or proclaims that the US was conceived as a Christian Nation. We have got to marginalize the Christian Right and convince America that these people are dangerous kooks!

[RhodaGrits]

8. Good deeds not needed

I got a pamphlet from these so-called Christians under my windshield wiper not so long ago. Apparently good deeds, good works, good thoughts will no longer get you into heaven but simply accepting JC as your savior will do so automatically. The example that was illustrated in the cartoon story was a murderer going straight to heaven while the kind-hearted local protestant minister and his wife who had led selfless, compassionate lives went straight to hell because they had not accepted JC into their lives in the "correct" way. Now I know how these people sleep at night... doesn't matter what you do, it's what you say.

I was told by one "believer" that Bush is one of them and in every speech he encodes a secret message just for them - one that only the faithful can hear and gain strength from.

I believe in religious freedom and that is why we need separation of church and state. Bush fears a theocracy in Iraq while building one in the U.S.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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[debannbull]

10. founding father & "christianity"

2000 Years of Disbelief by Haught excellent compilation of quotes & wrtings from noteworthy Americans, broken down by era. Especially interesting quotes from our founding fathers themselves. Would highly recommend it to all.