BCITORGB wrote:
Tink says:
============
I don't know that I expected you to come over to my squad. I thought
you were asking what my squad is all about; you were being honest,
intellectual, curious! If I was mistaken in my understanding of any
of
these things about you, I apologize, and am open for you to clarify
your reasons for entertaining this discussion.
================

OK, Tink, while we're keeping it simple, here's what I'd really like
you to explain. I'd like to know what it is about right-wing politics
that apparently attracts a large chunk of, for lack of a better term,
rabid Christians.

Am I correct in assming that their is more to their faith than "God
loves you"? Surely they must find some sort of correlation between
the
tenets of their faith and party platform of the Republicans. If there
is no such correlation, could you explain apparent
Christian-Republican
attraction?

No, you are not correct in assuming this, or in assuming that their
faith even goes this far! More explanation below.


frtzw906

Back with you frtwz, and I have just read through a number of post that
were subsequent to our discussion. They were interesting, and some what
insightful, however, presented from the outside, looking in. Not
necessarily an invalid observation, but limited.

What I have observed, is on two levels. The first is that not everyone
who claims to be a Christian is one, true Christianity is not a
religion,.

Second, there are religious crowds currently flocking to the political
right. True Christianity is not represented by any particular political
party.

Let's start with the second, I have seen an apparent growing alignment,
or should I say coalition between the religious right, and the
political right, that has become more pronounced and marked by its
vocalness. Religion by its nature, tends to find alot of comfort in the
Status Quo, and the political right, has said that it to is interested
in the same. So the alignment is fairly natural and easy to maintain,
at least initially. We will see if it lasts.

I have maintained all along that any politician should be careful about
claiming exclusive right to the support and endorsement of the
religious right. They can easily turn on you if they feel that they are
not getting the attention from you that they want, need, and think they
deserve and become the religious left. The religious right can be a
fierce political taskmaster as well as many politicians have also found
out. There have been times when the relious, have aligned with the
right, and others with the left. You remember the born-again president
we had a few years back, by the name of Jimmy Carter. He was held up as
the next best thing to the Messiah, he was "born-again." Well he left
office in disgrace, and was a terrible embarassment to the religious,
for political reasons.

Then came Reagan, who again, was born-again, and the friend of the
religious right. He was pretty well liked, and with his getting the
wall torn down, some thought he might usher in the millenium of peace.
But when that didn't happen, and instead there was the embarassment of
the Iran-Contra, and a few other scandals, the religious were looking
for some other spotless flag bearer. What was his name, oh yeah, George
1, and Bob Dole, and that was the problem there, no fire in the belly,
but I think Episcopalian, which they tried even to get that lead ballon
to float. But now Bill was a "born again christian", and we all
remember where that got us, basically today. Kerry was offered as a
liberal version of a Dole, part-full of religious hot air, but no where
to go! or at least no way to go up!

The religious right, can easily change labels and issues, and become
the religious left. They are like the sea, sloshing this way and that,
depending on which way the wind is blowing, the position of the moon,
and the wake from a passing ship. But, whichever way they seem to be
sloshing at the time, they are a big voting block, and whoever can lay
claim to them seems willing to bear the load at least until the next
election, and the next election is what most politicians are concerned
about.

The political issues that the religious are currently concerned with
are nebulous at best, and change rapidly, and certainly do not
represent any sort of Christian dogma that I have ever seen or heard.
The claim that there is such an alignment, is just that a claim, a
bunch of noise. And I doubt that the true Christian message has even
less to do with all the noise, though there are some who claim to be
Christians making a whole lot of noise.

The thing that is interesting, is to ask one of these types questions
about the political issues, religious issues, and about being a true
Christian. Ususally you find that they have no idea about any of the
issues, political or religious, and are doing what some religious
leader told them needed to be done.

For example, even to the point of sending out emails bombs in support
of their cause. The fact that the emails are exact copies provided by
the leaders, and still even include the instructions of who and when
and how to send the email bombs. This ends up saying more about the
persons sending the email, than the message within the email. They
maybe don't know how to send email, and it makes them feel powerful to
be apart of this mass mailing, or they don't understand or care to
understand the actual issues, they are willing to let someone else do
that. Sort of an electronic mob mentality! Of course they probably vote
the same way, with the same thought and understanding!

I have also found that many of this type are equally uninformed of what
it means to be a Christian. They are use to the mob mentality of going
to chuch, which plays into the hands of their leaders in the previous
paragraph. True Christians are taught to be discerning, and the mob
exibits little discernment.

So though they are religious, I have difficulty identifying them as
true Christians. True Christians are suppose to be discerning, and they
are also suppose to be disentangled from the world. When a leader comes
along and tells me I should just jump on his carnival cruise liner, I
am more inclined to say no thank you! Usually I have found that they
are more interested in lining their pockets, than in training their
followers to make mature, independent, and descerning judgements about
where the good ship Lollypop is headed next.

True Christians are also to be detached and dispassionate about the
hubbub that goes on around us. We are not to be caught up into the
noise of the market place, just adding our noise to it, and so losing
our unique identity. We are not to just be noise makers, but we are
witnesses of significant events and issues that take place outside the
market place. If what we have, never gets anyone to look outside, we
are no different than the other vendors.

The fact that certain apparently rabid Christians are on board the
Lollypop, means absolutely nothing about what you can assume about
their faith, and that they even believe the part about "God Loves you."
Usually that is just some cosmetic they put on just before they run
over you, run off with your wife, run off with your money, and likely
all three! And certainly do not expect them to correlate any further
what else they say they believe religiously and what they say they
believe politically. Don't be so naiive to think logic has anything to
do with it, or that being a true Christian has anything to do with it
either. Any apparent attraction, is just that, apparent, and has
absolutely nothing to do with being a Christian. Religious maybe, but
don't hold your breath on that either! TnT