The silliness of the Catholic lefty hatchet-job on Paul Ryan (more on that here, by the way) has been matched or topped by a retired local Methodist pastor (10/15/12 Lafayette Journal & Courier), who gets his politics – or is it his theology? – from bumper stickers.
A bumper sticker says, “Obama is not a brown skinned, anti-war socialist who gives free health care.
You are thinking of Jesus.”
What does Jesus think about some of the campaign stands?
Economy: One side prefers more profits for the privileged, the builders of bigger barns. To this Jesus says, “You fool. This night your soul will be required of you.” As a retired United Methodist pastor, in all the funerals I’ve attended, I never saw a U-Haul following the hearse. In the British Museum, I saw a mummy with his gold in his hands. The gold did not make it into the afterlife.
Surely, Ralph Waldo Emerson was right when he said, “Things are in the saddle riding us.”
Foreign policy: One side wants to ramp up our use of force. Jesus always ramped down the violence. He said, “Love your enemies.” He never said, “Kill them.” If you have trouble with my argument here, take it up with Jesus.
George Orwell said, “Today deception has become a universal. Truth telling is revolutionary.”
The truth of Jesus does not permit the twisting of truth. My concern is with Christians and a Christian candidate who give priority to such deceptions that are diametrically opposed to Jesus. It seems that their ideologies are more important than the gospel. The word of Jesus about their stance is “why do you call me Lord and do not do the things that I say. Depart. I never knew you.” In this election, more than the future of our country is at stake. Our very souls are at stake.
It’s nice to know that not all the sanctimonious asses are on The Right. It’s not really his positions; it’s
- the exclusive criticism of “one side” (I think I know who he’s talking about, but (a) calling him a “Christian” is confusing and (b) I still remember Carly Simon’s sly “You’re So Vain,” so I’m not telling),
- the scripture- (and, yes, truth-) twisting and
- the faux folksiness.
The Bible says “Judas went out and hanged himself.” It also says “Go thou and do likewise.” If you have trouble with my argument here, Reverend, take it up with Jesus.
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