How Christian Are the Tea Party’s Political Candidates?

[Purveyor]

By Nathan Guttman

Washington — How should Jews respond to an angry movement whose candidates include full-throated supporters of Israeli West Bank settlements; others who would end foreign aid, including to Israel; one who excoriates church-state separation as a Nazi invention, and others who urge setting aside such divisive social issues to focus on fiscal conservatism and radical government cutbacks?

The success of Tea Party candidates in Republican primary races has put the Jewish community on alert.

Jewish activists are trying to look beyond the movement’s fiscal conservative agenda and make sense of the new gallery of largely unknown politicians and activists who espouse ideas ranging from social conservatism to international isolationism. Of special concern are the common use of religious themes and the frequent references to God. This could cause some discomfort for Jewish voters who are traditionally suspicious about public expressions of faith.

But just how Christian is the Tea Party movement?

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http://www.forward.com/articles/131516/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Emailmarketingsoftware&utm_content=70951008&utm_campaign=October12010&utm_term=READMORE

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Lemme check....

....'Whatsoever you do to these, the least of my brothers, that you also do unto Me.'

Nope -- not Christian at all.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. Many of them claim to be Christians...I have no reason to doubt that.

Christianity is a big faith that has comfortably held everyone from Mother Theressa to Adolf Hitler. It just seems be about the same as the difference between a Gala and a Red Delicious. They are are all apples, just some of them apples, like Crabby Appleton, are rotten to the core.

[dgibby]

3. Hell, they've put the mainstream Christian Community on alert, too!

They call themselves Christians, but actions speak much louder than words.

As we say in the South: If the cat gives birth in the oven, we don't call her offspring Biscuits. They're still kittens.

So calling yourself a Christian doesn't cut it. You should at least have a nodding acquaintance with the teachings of Christ and be trying to emulate him. They've hijacked the Christian faith just like the Taliban and AQ. has hijacked the Muslim faith.

[ladywnch]

4. this was posted not too long ago and I think it pretty well explains

today's 'Christian'.....if not the majority (with all due respect to actual Christians who practice what their deity preached) of them then certainly the majority of the teabag nation.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=557459

[Zoeisright]

5. Someone is a Christian if they follow and act on the words of Christ.

There is a huge difference between a true Christian and someone who sits in a church every Sunday, then goes out and does the exact opposite of what Christ said to do: help the poor and homeless, feed the hungry, heal the sick, and nurture children.

In other words, the Tea Party, by its very definition, is NOT at ALL CHRISTIAN.

[Irishonly]

6. The so-called fundie Christians

have me searching for a new word to call myself. I am told by fundies I am not a true Christian because I work for equal rights for all oppose DOMA and DADT. Even worse, I look at people and see people and don't worry about race, sex or country or origin. I support a womans right to choose and will argue that Christianity isn't the only way to heaven. My final sin is that I respect other religions even pagans and atheists. My response to them is if I am headed to hell because of my beliefs I would rather be there than to live life like they do.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. The Gospel lesson for yesterday in the Common Lectionary* was the story of the rich man and Lazarus

If there is one thing Jesus and the Jewish prophets who proceeded him are consistent about, it's condemning greed and abuse of power and advocating consideration for the vulnerable and the outcast.

*The Common Lectionary is a three-year cycle of Bible readings used by Catholic, Episcopal, ELCA Lutheran, and perhaps some other denominations. The three-year cycle takes you through all four Gospels, the psalms, and a selection of readings from other sections of the Bible.