We're Going To Do What? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by invading the privacy of women’s bodies and the sanctity of their most private medical decisions? Instead allowing the federal government to be in charge of making these decisions? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by rounding up people like animals? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by writing laws that allow bigots to discriminate against LGBTQ people in the name of ‘Religious Liberty?’ • We’re going to Make America Great Again by ripping away health care from 30,000,000 people and with the assured outcome of going back to discriminating against sick people who have ‘pre-existing conditions?’ We’re going to cause 24,000 Americans to needlessly die every year because Republicans have turned health care into a political game that they must win for the sake of their party? Can you imagine how the country would mobilize if terrorists killed 24,000 Americans per year? We would stop at nothing. We would spend trillions. What is the difference? A death is a death. • We’re going to Make America Great Again by profiling and tracking adherents of an entire religion thus putting all of them under a veil of suspicion? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by privatizing Social Security and Medicare which by its very nature turns these funds over to the volatile, for-profit Wall Street sector? We’re going to put the elderly, who are highly vulnerable in the hands of cut throat capitalists whose only objective is profit? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by ratifying the draconian, social Darwinist ‘Ryan Budget’ based on the daydreams of someone who worships Ayn Rand and has said he bases his entire economic philosophy on her philosophy? We’re going to ‘balance the budget’ on the backs of the most vulnerable Americans in every category? We’re going to take food off their dinner tables to pay for bogus wars based on lies and reckless Wall Street gambling? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by labeling black people as criminals and gangsters because they are tired of getting shot and killed by dirty cops over nothing? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by granting access to white supremacists like Steve Bannon to the Oval Office itself? A person who has made up crazy conspiracy theories about Democrats specifically for years? There’s just something God awful wrong about that. It’s sickening actually. • We’re going to Make America Great Again by turning over Medicaid to the states in the form of ‘block grants,’ which experts have shown will deprive the poorest of the poor of health care? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by demonizing the press and stepping all over the first amendment, thus making the only ‘news’ outlets people believe are those like Alex Jones, Fox ‘News,’ Rush Limbaugh, Breitbart ‘News,’ and other right-wing extremist propaganda outlets that spew lies and opinions based on fear and emotion but have nothing to do with reality? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by denying climate science as a matter of national policy and setting the planet on an even faster course towards widespread human suffering and death? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by giving those who need it the least more tax cuts and adding to the tax bills of those who can least afford it? We’re going to take away tax breaks like earned income credit from the poorest of the poor? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by allowing private prisons to exist and flourish thus putting a profit incentive behind locking people up? Not only that, everyone knows that the rich don’t get locked up. The poor do. The rich can afford lawyers. Court appointed attorneys will provide you with what you paid for ... nothing. • We’re going to Make America Great Again by installing people to cabinet positions who want to wipe out and destroy the departments they’re in charge of? • We’re going to Make America Great Again decimating public education and gradually privatizing all of it? You know what that means. The rich will get a quality education. The poor and middle class won’t. Oh and it’s easy to see how we could go back to ‘white only’ schools. Bigots have been furious about that for decades. Depriving them of their federally subsidized ‘white only’ schools is what caused them to rise up and establish the modern “Christian” Right. • We’re going to Make America Great Again trampling all over the rights and wishes of Native Americans by resuming the building of the North Dakota pipeline as soon as Trump is installed? • We’re going to Make America Great Again stacking the Supreme court with right-wing extremist, activist judges who will slant the court for decades? • We’re going to Make America Great Again taking the policy boilerplate of states like Sam Brownback’s Kansas and imposing it on the entire country, assuring the same outcome, the wholesale destruction of all civic institutions and services throughout the entire country, throwing just about everything into utter chaos? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by allowing nutcases like Mike Pence to have their hands on the levers of lawmaking and government? The man who says birth control is ‘too modern and newfangled’ for him to understand and who wanted to force women who had abortions or miscarriages to conduct funerals for the fetuses? This almost takes the cake on this whole disastrous mess if it wasn’t for all the other things literally causing the death of thousands of Americans. It’s just nuttier than sh-t, and this man is Vice President! • We’re going to Make America Great Again by continuing to erode decades worth of human effort and suffering to assure that all Americans have the right to vote and that right isn’t infringed upon by ridiculous actions like eliminating poll locations, demanding special voter ID’s and all the other petty methods Republicans use to suppress the vote? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by allowing people like Jeff Sessions, our new Attorney General and a well-known bigot, homophobe, and right-wing extremist, to take our Federal Law infrastructure back to the thirties? • We’re going to Make America Great Again by throwing out the Iran Deal, moving the Capital of Israel to Jerusalem, encouraging the continued building of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, and abandoning the Two-State Solution? All of this will pretty much assure World War Three, the final war. This is craziness. It’s time to rise up by any and all (non-violent) means available. It’s time to take this to the streets with as many organized marches as possible as often as possible. It’s time to call all of the Democratic Senators and tell them we expect them to stand in the way of every one of these killer policies. Every single one. It’s time to get politically active in new and creative ways. If you write, write something. We can put it out there. If you’re an artist draw a piece of protest art. If you’re a musician write a protest song. On and on. Figure out a way to use your unique gifts and special talents for the cause. We’re going to need all hands on deck for this one. The fate of our nation hangs in the balance. The Word became flesh! Do you know why among other reasons that’s so profound? It’s because God knows what it’s like to actually be a human being. God has experienced first-hand everything you and I have experienced. He was born of a woman. He worked with his hands. He got tired and needed rest. He enjoyed companionship. He experienced hunger and required food. Many times he had to flee from those who wanted to harm him. He wept with sadness. He took part in celebrations, even providing the wine for the party. He endured temptation and experienced abandonment from people he loved. He suffered immense physical pain and agony at the hands of the Romans. He was tormented and laughed at. Ultimately he experienced death. He was fully human and he knows exactly what that feels like in every way. What a beautiful thing. We have a God who knows what it’s like to be one of us! We can’t ever accuse God of “living in a bubble.” He told us we can call upon his name any time and he will deliver us and walk by our side. He assured all of us who are weary and burdened to come to him and he will give us rest. He told us he was gentle and humble in heart, that drawing close to him we will find rest for our souls. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. At the center of his teaching is to love God and love our neighbor as we do ourselves. That’s something profound and important too. When we live in harmony with God and neighbor we can not only draw strength and comfort from God, but from one another as well! We can assure one another, love one another, care for one another, bear one another’s burdens and share one another’s joy! We will experience troubles in this world but God has provided us with everything we need to survive and thrive. The more we love God and neighbor the easier this life becomes. Love is the final solution! Love wins! "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” -- Matthew 12:50 We speak often of the teachings of Jesus. In fact we center our ministry around them. Here they are. We'll format this better as time goes on but we wanted to get this posted as soon as possible. These are powerful words. They are the most poswerful words on earth. The added commentray in black is that of the author whose permission we obtained to publish this piece. It doesn't necessarily reflect the views of The Christian Left. We urge people to read the words in red and decide for themselves. Reference to the original work of the author is at the bottom of this blog. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -- Matthew 11:28-30 “For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:37). “Truly, truly, I tell you, one who does not enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep” (John 10:1-2). “Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth” (Mat 28:18). “Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him” (John 5:23). “…neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him” (Mat 11:27). “Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master” […] (John 15:20). “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord” (Mat 10:24). “Whoever receives me receives him who sent me” […] (Luke 9:48). “[…] Whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16). “[…] You are from beneath. I am from above…” (John 8:23). “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28). “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling place with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words” (John 14:23-24). “But whoever denies me before people, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Mat 10:33). “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?” (Mat 7:15-16). “…everyone who hears these words of mine, and does not do them will be like a foolish man, who built his house on the sand. And the rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell, and great was its fall” (Mat 7:26-27). “It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life” (John 6:63). Jesus Christ is the only legitimate authority to the word of God. By the words of Jesus Christ the words of Jesus Christ take precedent over all, therefore nobody has ever had the authority to invalidate that which he taught. “Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way that leads to life. Few are those who find it” (Mat 7:13-14). All these words of Christ show a widespread Christian misunderstanding regarding the meaning of faith in Jesus Christ. One cannot cite one passage in an attempt to invalidate the teaching of Christ in the face of this mountain of evidence to the contrary. (And this is precisely what theology does. The passages used to do so open in a new window HERE.) “You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the great and first commandment. A second likewise is this, “You are to love your neighbor as yourself.” The whole Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments” (Mat 22:38-40). “Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, “Whoever swears by [Christ], it is nothing; but whoever swears by the [church], he is obligated.” You blind fools. For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctified the gold?” (Mat 23:16-17). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel” (Mat 23:23-24). “But all their works they do to be seen by others. They make their tefillin broad and enlarge the fringe of their garments, and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called Rabbi by men. But you are not to be called Rabbi, for one is your Teacher, and all of you are brothers. Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Messiah. But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mat 23:5-12). “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: “God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.” But the tax collector, standing far away, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14). “When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, do not sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him, and he who invited both of you would come and tell you, “make room for this person.” Then you would begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place so that when he who invited you comes he may tell you, “Friend, move up higher.” Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:8-11). “Truly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mat 18:3-4). “Truly I tell you, whoever will not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child, he will in no way enter into it” (Mar 10:15). “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It will not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you must be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you must be your bondservant, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mat 20:25-28). “Lord, I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, “Go,” and he goes; and tell another, “Come,” and he comes; and tell my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.” And when Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to those who followed, “Truly I tell you, I have not found so great a faith with anyone in Israel” (Mat 8:8-10). Jesus and his disciples “…came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them “What were you arguing on the way?” But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:33-35). “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. To them he said, “You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.” So they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. About the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing. He said to them, “Why do you stand here all day idle?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.” When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, saying, “These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he answered one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?” So the last will be first, and the first last” (Mat 20:1-16). “For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15). “[…] For whoever is least among you all, this one is great” (Luke 9:48). “[…] Look, those who are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet” (Luke 7:25-26). “Therefore when you do merciful deeds, do not sound a trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may get glory from people. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward” (Mat 6:2). “And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward” (Mat 6:5). “Moreover when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward” (Mat 6:16). As we can see from all this exalted Christian ecclesiastical positions are a contradiction. Jesus Christ warned of following the example of those who do not practice what they preach, and so claiming that Christ would approve of Christianity not practicing what he preached is tantamount to claiming Jesus Christ is a hypocrite. “…but their works do not do, because they say, and do not do” (Mat 23:3). Christ denounces hypocrisy at all these points in the gospels. (Mat 6:2, 6:5, 6:16, 15:7, 16:3, 22:18, 23:13, 23:15, 23:23, 23:25, 23:27, 23:29, 24:51, Mark 7:6, Luke 12:56 and 15:13) “[…] “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1). The definition of the word faith is, “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” As we can see from all this the overwhelming majority of Christians do not meet this definition, as they have permitted and defend the exalted ecclesiastical contradiction to Christ’s actual teaching. The actual purpose of the teaching is not known by the majority; the purpose being a nonviolent cultural revolution through education, understanding and conversion to Truth. The message cannot be advanced where the full Truth of it is not acknowledged, as forces cannot be fully united behind this message from untruth. All need be acknowledged is the honest Truth. The core of the teaching has been discarded and not understood. This makes a widespread faith in it an impossibility and the claim of faith in it a lie by any aware of these Truths. It makes those converting others to it guilty of converting others to a corrupted teaching. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you do not enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter” (Mat 23:13). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of hell as yourselves” (Mat 23:15). “Why do you also disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Mat 15:3). “Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, “Whoever swears by [Christ], it is nothing; but whoever swears by the [church], he is obligated.” You blind fools. For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctified the gold?” (Mat 23:16-17). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel” (Mat 23:23-24). “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” (John 6:29). “These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men” (Mat 15:8-9). “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household?” (Mat 10:24-25). “For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mat 5:20). “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39). “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26). “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is justified by her actions” (Mat 11:18-19). There is only one teaching yet there are an infinite number of denominations. All call themselves by the same name “Christian,” including many hate groups. “…every good tree produces good fruit; but the corrupt tree produces evil fruit. A good tree cannot produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not grow good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them” (Mat 7:17-20). “[…] “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and carry off his possessions, unless he first bind the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” (Mat 12:25-31). “When the strong man, fully armed, guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe. But when someone stronger attacks him and overcomes him, he takes from him his whole armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He that is not with me is against me. He who does not gather with me scatters” (Luke 11:21-23). “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, “Son, go work today in the vineyard.” He answered, “I will not,” but afterward he changed his mind, and went. And he came to the other, and said the same thing. And he answered and said, “I go, sir,” but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into the Kingdom of God before you” (Mat 21:28-31). “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake” (Luke 6:22). “[…] “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house” (Mark 6:4). “[…] “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Look, my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother” (Mark 3:33-35). “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:18-20). “And you will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved” (Mat 10:22). “[…] “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the [so called] wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children” (Mat 11:25). “Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear, neither do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, “By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: for this people’s heart has grown callous, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and should turn again; and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For truly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them” (Mat 13:13-17). “[…] “Beware. Keep yourselves from all covetousness, for a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses.” (This includes the coveting of exalted ecclesiastical positions!) […] “The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly. He reasoned within himself, saying, “What will I do, because I do not have room to store my crops?” He said, “This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. I will tell my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.” But God said to him, “You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared whose will they be?” So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:15-21). “Do not lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness. No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Mammon” (Mat 6:19-24). “That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity” (Luke 8:14). “[…] To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked” (Luke 12:48). “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self? For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:25-26). “Truly I say to you, a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God” (Mat 19:23-24). “Many will tell me in that day, “Lord, Lord, did not we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?” And then I will tell them, “I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity” (Mat 7:22-23). “The King will answer them, “Truly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Then he will say also to those on the left hand, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you did not give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you did not take me in; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.” Then they will also answer, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not help you?” Then he will answer them, saying, “Truly I tell you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Mat 25:40-46). “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, saying, “This man began to build, and was not able to finish.” Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace. So therefore whoever of you who does not renounce all that he has, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good, but if the salt becomes flat and tasteless, with what do you season it? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:28-35). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also” (Mat 23:25-26). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Mat 23:27-28). “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous, and say, “If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.” Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of hell?” (Mat 23:29-33). “And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Mat 11:12). “It is written, “My house will be called a house of prayer,” but you have made it a den of robbers” (Mat 21:12-13). “Take these things out of here. Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace” (John 2:15-16). “Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks, for there will always be something to cause people to stumble, but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes” (Mat 18:7). “…whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mat 16:19). “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God (moral force) and Mammon (immoral force)” (Mat 6:24). “Either make the tree good, and its fruit good, or make the tree corrupt, and its fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by its fruit” (Mat 12:33). “…who is there among you, who, if his son will ask him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he will ask for a fish, who will give him a serpent?” (Mat 7:9-10). “There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, and could not because of the crowd, because he was short. He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.” Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:2-10). “But you go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mat 9:13). “[…] They did not receive him, because he was traveling with his face set towards Jerusalem. When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and consume them?” And he turned and rebuked them” (Luke 9:53-55). “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed” (Luke 4:18). “So therefore whoever of you who does not renounce all that he has, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). “I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7). “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:16-17). “For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him” (John 3:17). “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living”(Mat 22:32). “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mat 11:28-30). “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They do not toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these” (Mat 6:27-29). “Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Mat 6:34). “Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me” (John 14:1). “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). “And which of you, by being anxious, can add one cubit to his height? And why are you anxious about clothing? “Give to him who asks you, and do not turn away him who desires to borrow from you” (Mat 5:42). “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container, or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light. For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light” (Luke 8:16-17). Truth —> Love —> Peace —> Kingdom of God. “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). “I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent” (Luke 4:43). “For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37). “But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers” (John 4:23). “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, do not set yourself against the one who is evil. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and do not turn away him who desires to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mat 5:38-48). “…for all those who take the sword will die by the sword” (Mat 26:52). “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye;’ and look, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite. First remove the log out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Mat 7:1-5). “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions” (Mar 11:25-26). “You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the great and first commandment. A second likewise is this, “You are to love your neighbor as yourself.” The whole Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments” (Mat 22:38-40). “Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, do also to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Mat 7:12). “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled” (Mat 5:3-5:6). “Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21). Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when men insult you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mat 5:7-12). “When you see a cloud rising from the west, immediately you say, “A shower is coming,” and so it happens. When a south wind blows, you say, “There will be a scorching heat,” and it happens. You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not know how to interpret this time? Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?” (Luke 12:54-57). “For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:31). “But woe to you who are rich. For you have received your consolation. Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep” (Luke 6:24-25). “…many who are first will be last; and the last first” (Mark 10:31). “Whoever does not know the work of perfection knows nothing. If one does not stand in the darkness he will not be able to see the light. If one does not understand how fire came into existence he will burn in it because he does not know the root of it. If one does not first understand water he knows nothing. What use is there for him to be baptized in it? If one does not understand how blowing wind came into existence he will blow away with it. If one does not understand how body which he bears came into existence he will perish with it. And how will someone who does not know the Son know the Father? And to someone who will not know the root of all things they remain hidden. Someone who will not know the root of wickedness is no stranger to it. Whoever will not understand how he came will not understand how he will go, and he is no stranger to this world, which will exalt itself and be humbled.” –Jesus Christ in “The Dialogue of the Savior” BOOK LINK: The Theology of Jesus Christ: The Christian Red Letter Redaction of Jesus Christ’s Philosophy of Human Extinction The assembled and explained philosophy behind the parables of Jesus Christ. Useed by Permission (Public domain source New Heart English Bible Standard Edition, a source that I must use so as not to be chased by the Bible police for such vast citation of the words of Jesus Christ) So I decided to go to the State Fair this year. Among the sea of booths were the usual Christian booths. I looked at them with new eyes this time. Almost every one of them had signs and literature about … wait for it … abortion, homosexuality and evolution. I approached a booth with a big banner that read, “Evolution is a lie.” I walked right up to the two gentlemen and said, “What if God used evolution to create us? We don’t understand God’s ways. We don’t understand God’s concept of time. I’m saved because Jesus took the blame for my sins. It doesn’t matter one little bit if the 7 day creation story is an allegory or not.” They knew they couldn’t disagree with much of what I said except to say, “We take the Bible literally and when it says a day we accept it as meaning a day.” Of course I had to tell them that to God a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. Jesus spoke in parables while on earth, who is to say, being the Word in the OT, the same doesn’t hold true before the Word was made flesh? One guy said he was happy I stopped by to talk. The other guy wasn’t having any of it. Then we moved on to abortion and homosexuality. I didn’t bother touching the abortion topic. There’s no getting through to these folks on that one. They would have to read the whole history (with an open mind to actual learning) on how abortion was invented as a flagship, red herring political issue to begin to understand. It wasn’t always viewed the way it is by militant fundamentalists now. I did go through the clobber verses with them on homosexuality and explained that none of them referred to sexual orientation. I explained that Jesus said God intended one man and one woman BUT, he also said in the same sentence, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way ...” I explained that eunuchs during that time were guardians of the harem. They had no desire for women. They wore makeup and jewelry and behaved and dressed in a feminine manner (a giant stereotypical generalization, I know, but I was trying to paint a picture for these two guys in a way they might understand). Born eunuchs were gay. They brought up Sodom. I picked up one of their Bibles at the booth, turned to Ezekiel 16:49, and read them the following: “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.” Neither one of them had ever heard that verse. All they could do was bring up the fact that some of the men of Sodom wanted to rape their visiting guests. I asked them if either one of them ate shrimp or wore blended fabrics. One guy spoke up and said Jesus changed the eating laws. Neither had anything to say about blended fabrics. The point of this story is this, and it’s always baffled me. These guys obviously think not taking every word of the 7 day creation story literally is a lie and a sin. They obviously think abortion and homosexuality are sins. Fine. Whatever. But why do these folks always obsess on these three perceived “sins.” Why do they set up booths, publish literature, rent spaces at public events and hang signs about these three particular subjects? It made no sense to me for a long time. If they’re so obsessed with the topic of the sins of humankind it seems there are better booths they could set up, better signs they could hang. What about how we kill each other in the name of religion every day? What about the way we treat the weak, the poor and the sick in this country, many times branding them as “lazy freeloaders?” The list could go on and on. We could have hundreds of booths at every fair, one for each perceived sin. "Are you fat? You better lose weight. Gluttons must repent or go to hell." Just kidding but you get the picture. I'm a foodie of sorts and if that's the case I'm bound for hell. I’ll tell you why they choose these three, whether they know it or not. It’s a little brainwashing technique called a hook. They hook people in using a small number of manufactured hot button issues and then they obsess on them endlessly, in this case for decades. They sing the siren's songs day and night. They build up entire industries around obsession with these “sins” -- books, pamphlets, sermons, TV channels, conservative political parties and platforms, radio shows, you name it. They target and villainize groups they think they can dominate and won’t fight back (liberals, women, gay people, intellectuals). They convince people that if they don’t agree with their view on these matters they’re not one of them and they are apostates. Who wants to be an apostate? Most people don’t, so they go along with it. In the process they surrender their ability to think. They accept everything else they say no matter how evil and messed up it may be. Conservative ideology is diametrically opposed to everything Jesus taught. It’s a clever scheme and it’s worked well for a long time. It has managed to lead a majority of modern Christians down the path that is wide. You know what Jesus said about that path. For deeper analysis of all of the above topics click here.
As we often say, “An epic deception has taken place over the last 35 years. Purveyors of deceit have managed to equate Christianity and right-wing ideology as one and the same in the majority of Christian minds. We know the history, but how this ever happened is unfathomable to us because the two things could not be more opposed. Right-wing ideology is selfish, greedy, arrogant, vengeful, loud, pushy, judgmental, exclusive, controlling, militaristic, aloof, void of empathy, hostile towards the weak and the sick, and many times racist, misogynistic, homophobic and Islamophobic. The list goes on. Does that sound like Jesus?” This latest incarnation to push Christianity to the right is only the most recent of a long series of efforts to do so, but it has been the most successful by far. As a Christian who takes your faith seriously you owe it to yourself to understand how this happened. We have gathered a series of articles linked in this blog which will give you a detailed overview of much of the history. After reading the articles we’re sure you will see many things with new eyes. Each one of these articles presents information in somewhat of a chronological order if you read them one after the other. Each contains information which the others don't. Reading all of them will give you a well rounded view and a good base to start from if you wish to dig deeper. How Corporate America Invented Christian America This is a four page article with links to each page at the bottom of each page. It is written by Kevin M. Kruse who is a professor of history at Princeton and the author, most recently, of One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America, from which this article has been adapted. Yes, it’s true: Evangelicals used to be Christianity’s liberals A nice overview of some of the historical facts followed up by another article listed directly below. How the evangelical left became the religious right A follow up to the article listed directly above. An overview of more of the facts. The Real Origins of the Religious Right A meticulously researched and well written four page article detailing the tactics of the last 35 years. The ‘biblical view’ that’s younger than the Happy Meal "In 1979, McDonald’s introduced the Happy Meal. Sometime after that, it was decided that the Bible teaches that human life begins at conception. That’s new. If you had asked American evangelicals that same question the year I was born you would not have gotten the same answer." The Big Four - Agree With Us Or You're Not A Christian "I learned a few things growing up as an evangelical Christian: that abortion is murder; homosexuality, sin; evolution, nonsense; and environmentalism, a farce. I learned to accept these ideas— the 'big four'— as part of the package deal of Christianity. In some circles, I learned that my eternal salvation hinged on it. Those who denied them were outsiders, liberals, and legitimate targets for evangelism. If they didn’t change their minds after being “witnessed to,” they became legitimate targets for hell." The Not-So-Lofty Origins of the Evangelical Pro-Life Movement "Given the dubious origins of the evangelical pro-life movement, and the intractable nature of the conflict, perhaps the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade should serve as an occasion for evangelicals to reconsider their commitment to criminalizing abortion." Abortion and Judeo-Christian Religion Yet another exhaustive and well-written article on the topic of abortion. The Gay Debate: The Bible and Homosexuality Matthew Vines grew up in Wichita, Kansas, where he attended an evangelical Presbyterian church with his family. Upon graduation from high school, he was accepted into Harvard, where he studied for two years during 2008-2010, focusing on philosophy. He then quit Harvard in order to pursue a full-time study of the Bible's statements on homosexuality in response to widespread belief that homosexual expression is disapproved by God - a belief held at the time by his own parents and their family church. This video and the companion transcript of his presentation is an overview of his conclusions. Over the decades the now wealthy and politically powerful "Christian" Right has managed to crush most fledgling Christian progressive movements because they are the religion of empire. The majority of the people they’ve brainwashed support their cause. Corporations and war profiteers pour money into these false teachings to buy a base of religious people eager to support their goals. Christian progressives end up being shamed, run off and isolated in many cases. We've spent 7 years now trying to actively expose the grand scam known as The "Christian" Right every single day. We hope our efforts are a blessing to you and if you suspected these things all along and felt alone in your sentiments those days are now over. You are not alone. If you feel inclined to support our efforts you may do so here. We are a user supported ministry and we're willing to keep on keeping on as long as we can keep our heads above water. God Bless, The Christian Left Love Thy Neighbor Shirts This is our most popular shirt. Coming from lifetime t-shirt aficionados we can tell you that no other t-shirt we've ever worn generates the attention this one does. You wear it out and people say "I like your shirt," all day long. They take pictures of it and ask where they can get one. All shirts come in men's and women's cuts, various colors, and multiple styles. Click on the links below to order yours! Love Thy Neighbor - Two Throughout the years people have suggested additional groups to add to this shirt but there just wasn't room to do so. You asked for it you got it. Love Thy Neighbor Two! All shirts come in men's and women's cuts, various colors, and multiple styles. Click on the links below to order yours!
Micah 6:8 Shirts They Call Me A Communist "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why they are poor, they call me a communist." -- Dom Hélder Pessoa Câmara Fritz Eichenberg's wood-cutting from 1951 called "The Christ of the Breadlines." All shirts come in men's and women's cuts, various colors, and multiple styles. Click on the links below to order yours!
The Only Solution Is Love - Dorothy Day
Voodoo Economics, as George H.W. Bush named it in 1980, is what caused most of our national debt. It came from Wall Street and goes by the name “supply-side economics.” The debt problem comes from Wall Street supply-siders taking over the Republicans. Ike, Nixon and Ford, all good Republicans, brought the debt down 11 out of 16 years. supply-siders brought it down 0 out of 20. That’s batting 688 versus batting 0. And G.H.W. Bush was no supply-sider — he called it voodoo economics. He just got trapped by Reagan’s supply-side policies. He passed a tax increase trying to partially undo Reagan’s damage, but the supply-side Republicans turned on him, and he was not re-elected. So supply-sides are far from traditional Republican balanced-budget values. Cheney, a supply-sider, said “Reagan proved deficits don’t matter.” Unfortunately the supply-siders have now pretty much captured the Republican party. What Is Supply-Side “Economics”? Supply-side economics was started by the the Wall St. Journal opinion editor, Robert Bartley and his right-hand man Jude Wanniski. They worked with two economists, Arthur Laffer and Robert Mundell. But Bartley took the lead, and much of supply-side economics was developed by him and Laffer at a series of dinners at Michael 1, a posh restaurant a few steps from Wall Street. They viewed it as an attack on Keynesian economics, which described how to get out of a depression by having the government increase demand for goods and services from the private sector. This is how we got out of the Great Depression during World War II (though Keynesian economics does not suggest war as even a possible policy measure). Since Keynes focused on the demand side, Bartley and Laffer focussed on the supply side (remember “supply and demand”) and call their theory “supply-side economics.” In a nutshell, Keynesian (demand-side) economics, says that when a country is in a recession, it’s because businesses don’t have enough business. That is, people are not buying as much as usual, so they can’t sell enough, so they lay people off, and then the people who are laid off, or are afraid of being laid off, buy even less. To get things going, we need something to increase demand. Conservative economists tend to say — have the Fed reduce interest rates so people and businesses will borrow and spend more. Liberal economists tend to say have the government cut taxes for the poor, because they will spend, or have the government borrow and spend more to help business get started again. The right answer, is that in a regular recession, monetary policy works and is much easier to use so that is best. But in a terrible recession or a depression, the interest rate goes down to about zero and can’t go any lower, so then monetary policy stops working. Then you need Keynesian economics — like the spending for World War II> Both conservative (monetarist — like Milton Friedman) and liberal (Keynesian) economists say that the government needs to stimulate demand in a recession. But the two “supply-side” economist say both are wrong, that we need to give tax cuts to the rich and then the rich will be stimulated to work much harder and they are the ones who are most productive and that will make the economy hum again. Laffer drew his famous “Laffer curve” to try to prove this point (but it is just plain silly). It claims that if the government cuts their tax rate, the rich will make so much more money that they will pay more taxes not less. It also claims that if you cut the tax rate for the bottom 98% of the population this won’t happen. So this was tried under Reagan. Big tax cuts for the rich. And G. W. H. Bush called this “voodoo economics,” because only two economists believed it (or at least they often said they did), and because the idea that cutting taxes for the rich would collect more money not less. Of course it never worked, and that’s one reason the supply-siders ran up the debt (even compared to GDP) for 20 out of 20 years, while other Presidents, both Republicans and Democrats did not have this problem. We have all been hoodwinked for 4 decades by this bogus scheme. Republican policy is responsible for the national debt. Period. And they still preach it to this day, like it's gospel. Tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts. If we don't educate ourselves and overthrow this silly policy once and for all, we are toast. It's going to get much, much worse. They've already almost completely decimated or entire manufacturing base, our wages, our good paying jobs, our unions, our educational system, our pensions, on and on. The Wall Street sociopaths are in charge, and they don't just want part of the pie. They want it all. Incidentally, Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas and Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana pursued these policies with reckless abandon. The result has been nothing less than an unmitigated catastrophic disaster. This article explains the fallout in detail. The Republican Party Must Answer for What It Did to Kansas and Louisiana If we are uneducated, uncaring and uninformed enough to elect another republican to the White House they will enact the same policies Brownback and Jindal did for the entire nation. They make no bones about it. They say that is exactly what they will do, and it makes sense when you understand their philosophy. They hate all the social programs the government provides and they would love to kill them all. When they continue the tax cut, trickle-down lie the debt keeps going up and up, which provides them with the perfect excuse: "We don't have the money for any of this." For a detailed explanation on this strategy read, "Starve The Beast." What is terrifying is that this is literally all the Republicans have. They don't have another plan. None. They've made Ronald Reagan and trickle-down economics their religion and they will never admit they've been wrong for 40 years, so they're are going to cling to it come hell or high water. If we as a country don't figure this out very soon, they will sink us all. Portions of this blog post were used by permission of http://zfacts.com At the bottom of the "About" section of the page the author states, "The writing and graphs on this website may be used freely, however I would appreciate an acknowledgment and a link to zFacts.com or the appropriate sub-page." The sub-page we drew from is http://zfacts.com/p/voodoo.html So in last night’s Republican presidential debate (02-06-2016) the candidates tried to outdo each other on the use of torture tactics. Trump promised to reintroduce the technique of waterboarding (and worse) if elected stating, “We have people chopping the heads off Christians, we have people chopping the heads off many other people,” said The Donald. “Not since medieval times have we seen what's going on. I would bring back waterboarding, and I would bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding.” Really? This is supposed to be the party Christians are obligated to vote for over the “Evil Liberals?” Listen to how this sounds: “I’m a Christian who supports torture!” That’s tantamount to saying, “I’m a Christian and a mass murderer and rapist!” In both instances you can either be one or the other, but not both. Let’s not forget that Jesus was brutally tortured during his crucifixion. This is just another example, among hundreds, of the mass delusion that the Republican Party is “God’s Own Party.” If you composed a checklist of their policies compared to those of the Democratic Party you would be forced to conclude otherwise. Republicans look like “Satan’s Own Party” more than anything else. It’s worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia, our ally, chops off heads on a frequent basis, it’s even codified into their laws. "It's just a Facebook page." We get this comment now and then from people who obviously don't get it. No it isn't "Just a Facebook page." It's a Ministry and a Community. 6 years ago we chose Facebook as our preferred method of outreach because it is nothing less than revolutionary. It was then and remains now the perfect tool to finally build an accessible, nationwide Christian Progressive Ministry and Community. One of our top priorities here at TCL has always been to facilitate a place where kindred spirits (Christian Progressives and their friends) can gather, enjoy community, and discuss the issues of the day. We know of no other forum quite like this one. We get just as much out of this as any of you. Before TCL we felt like we were alone in the desert. The Right-Wing Christian Industrial Complex had all but decimated everything in its path. Take a look at the feedback from one thread over the last two days: Melanie J: Oh my gosh! I really thought I was the only other Christian in Indiana who wasn't a right wing enthusiast!!!! There is another person out there! Yesterday at 6:04am Jennifer B: Hello, kindred spirit! Great to meet you! Yesterday at 6:06am Melanie J: It's a pleasure to meet you too! Yesterday at 6:38am Stacy W: That's totally how I feel living in Texas. Yesterday at 7:16am Jennifer T: I have relatives in Texas. I understand. Yesterday at 7:37am Deva B: Kansas, here. This page, and you people, make my heart happy. Yesterday at 9:46am Kelly M: Another Indiana & you are so for real! & I'm in Indianapolis & it's still so true! I say ugh ugh ugh! Ya gotta keep on keeping on. Yesterday at 10:00am Kate C: Same way for me in central Arkansas- I put any kind of progressive message on my car and I'm sure it would get vandalized immediately Yesterday at 10:22am Kim P-D: Yeah! I live in western Ky and I'm the round peg that doesn't fit the square box. I'm a spiritual being housed in a human body. I have a personal loving relationship with my Heavenly Father. I'm open, tolerant, loving and generous with all I have. Jennifer T: You bring joy to my heart. Yesterday at 1:39pm Andrea G: Hi from Dallas! 17 hrs Carla C: That's how I feel living in Texas and I'm from Indiana! 10 hrs Amanda K: I live in Indiana too. So disheartening sometimes dealing with all the right wing whackadoos in this state. They will probably reelect that idiot, Mike Pence in the next governor race even though he's proven himself to be a huge mistake for our state. I'm ready to move once the kids are all graduates in 6 years. 6 hrs We get this kind of feedback every single day. So when you spot some troll dissing this effort talk back to them. Tell them they just don't get it. If they're willing to listen tell them why this Ministry is so valuable to so many. If they won't listen don't bother arguing with them. Here's another long list of testimonials about the Ministry and Community we all share together (click on the text link below. Testimonials: Thanks for being here and making this what it is. You were the answer to our prayers and we value and appreciate each and every one of you.
Click here to return to "The Facebook Page." -- The Christian Left By K. Scott Schaeffer Few terms are more appealing to the human ear than the word, liberty. With liberty, we are free to do whatever we like. All of us prefer to do what we like over being forced to do what we do not like. So how can anyone not love liberty? Of course, if everyone has absolute liberty simultaneously, it doesn’t take long to realize that liberty to do whatever we like is liberty for others to do whatever they like to us. If I like punching people, and the government lets me do so in the name of liberty, the people I punch will probably dislike my punching them. Suddenly, not everyone is so happy with liberty. It’s this conundrum that leads libertarians to redefine liberty as it pertains to society. Having read three books by Ron Paul, libertarianism’s most popular figure over the last few decades, I think I can sum up the definition of libertarian liberty: Do whatever you like; just don’t interfere with anyone else’s liberty. In other words, no one (not even the government) has the right to take or damage your life or property, or force you to do what you do not wish with your life or property. You alone have the right to do what you like with your body and your property. The government, therefore, has one duty under libertarianism – to protect your liberty to do what you want with your life and property. At first listen, this sounds totally reasonable. It makes sense, and it’s a simple-minded approach that can be applied to every situation. And that’s why so many people choose this definition of liberty as their determinant of right and wrong rather than the Bible. Libertarianism, therefore, isn’t just a political party; it’s a religion, because it determines right and wrong and establishes its doctrines as absolute morality. Many libertarians support these doctrines with a religious fervor. For them, liberty is greater than the common good. They, of course, often claim that libertarianism is one and the same as the common good and therefore consistent with the Bible. Here’s why this claim is wrong: The 3 worst failings of Libertarianism 1) It places a principle (liberty) above people’s needs Libertarians place liberty on a pedestal. To them, it’s the most important and fundamental of all human rights. Without liberty, life is hardly worth living. Their outlook differs little from that of revolutionary Patrick Henry, who proclaimed, “Give me liberty or give me death!” The Bible, however, does not share this libertarian attitude. God’s Law established that some things are more important than liberty, as we see in Deuteronomy 15:16-17 regarding servants whose time had come to be set free (those who owed debts they couldn’t pay had to pay with their labor for up to 6 years), “And it shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household since he fares well with you, then you shall take an awl and pierce it thorough his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever.” Why would a servant who is free to leave choose to remain under the authority of someone else? This passage tells us it’s because “he fares well” as a servant, presumably better than he would fare on his own if he were free. If the land-owner treated him with the love and respect that God commanded throughout the Bible, the servant had food, clothing, shelter, relationships, and probably a bit of leisure. He had all that a person needs to live a dignified life fitting for someone created in the image of God. On his own, the servant would have gained liberty, but might have lacked the necessities of life. His life might have gone from one of comfort to one of want and suffering. In this passage, the servant exchanges his liberty for an enjoyable life. This is similar to what most of us do when we seek employment. We have the liberty to be unemployed and do what we like. However, for most of us, unemployment causes suffering and want. So like the servant in Deuteronomy, we sacrifice our liberty and submit ourselves to the will of our employer. On the job, we give up our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, freedom to bear arms, and of course, the freedom to do whatever we please. All of this we exchange for a portion of our employers’ money, which provides our bodies and souls with what we really need: food, shelter, clothing, entertainment and relationships (which are easier if we can afford to keep our kids alive). All of these are more important to us than freedom; otherwise, we wouldn’t sacrifice freedom in order to obtain them. Why do some of us choose unpleasant jobs, some of which have long hours, while others choose fun jobs or none at all? The answer is money. Those who lack both money and lucrative skills must accept the jobs that wealthier, highly-skilled people don’t want. Poor, unskilled workers may have to sacrifice 80 hours a week of their freedom in order to support their kids, because their jobs pay so little. The only freedom such people have is to decide which employer they want to sacrifice their freedom to. And even that freedom is limited, because they work so many hours that they lack time to look for work elsewhere. Meanwhile, people who possess millions of dollars have far more freedom than poor, unskilled workers do. They have the financial means to be choosy in whom they work for, or they can simply work for themselves. They can even choose not to work and go fishing every day, because their wealth gives them the freedom to do so. In other words, freedom is dependent upon wealth. Those who have enough wealth to meet their needs are free to do as they please. Those who lack money lack freedom. 2) It fails to protect the powerless from the powerful Since libertarianism protects the rights of people and corporations to do what they want with their property, it gives more protection to those who have property than it does those who lack it. Those who lack property are fully dependent upon property owners for survival, but they cannot depend on the government for protection from the property owners in a libertarian world. For example, under libertarianism, businesses are free to have their way with their employees. The employees are at their mercy, having to sometimes tolerate unhealthy conditions, long work hours, and even verbal abuse. If they refuse to be abused, they’ll lose their jobs. Libertarians will argue that if the employees don’t like it, they are free to leave. In the naïve simplicity of libertarianism, this sounds good and right. However, in the real world, many workers find it difficult to leave. First, skipping from one employer to another to yet another over a short period of time looks bad on a resume in the eyes of employers and makes it nearly impossible to find new work. Second, most workers have children to support, and they lack enough money to survive unemployment, so they can’t just quit their jobs without finding another one first. Third, if they work too many hours, they have no time to look for work. And fourth, even if they do find time, it’s unlikely that their skill sets will get them jobs much better than what they already have. Libertarianism also fails to protect those who lack property from racial and religious discrimination. It teaches that property owners have the right to do what they want with their property. So if an impoverished, legal immigrant moves to a small Tennessee town, and he wears clothing indicative of a religion the townspeople hate, the town’s businesses may deny him and his family service, employment, and tenancy. The immigrant, having little or no property of his own, must rely on those who have property; yet the property owners have the right to deny him what he needs. This is yet another example of libertarianism protecting the rights of those with property while suppressing the rights of those who lack it. We don’t have to imagine made-up scenarios like these to see the failings of libertarianism, because our nation’s history provides many examples. As the Social Gospel movement of the 1890s took hold, voters elected officials to protect them from the horrors of the industrial world. These efforts were defeated, however, by the Supreme Court which, at the time, had been stocked with libertarian-minded justices appointed by Republican and libertarian presidents (Grover Cleveland was a Democrat, but he held libertarian beliefs). These libertarian courts made some of the most horrendous and oppressive rulings in Supreme Court history. Here are two of them: Lochner v. New York (1905) – In 1895, the state of New York passed a law limiting bakery work hours to 60 per week. At that time, bakers had often worked 100 hours per week. The problem was industry wide. The U.S. Supreme Court declared the law unconstitutional, because it was an "unreasonable, unnecessary and arbitrary interference with the right and liberty of the individual to contract." In other words, the government had no business protecting workers from employers, because doing so was tyranny, not liberty. This liberty-of-contract ideology was naïve and simplistic. Its proponents imagined a fairy tale world in which workers and employers had a nice little talk and settled on terms agreeable to both at the time of hiring. The truth was that impoverished people desperate for work, especially during the 1890s depression, were at the mercy of employers, so the employers dictated the terms of employment. The workers had to choose between accepting them or watching their families suffer hunger and homelessness. Hammer v. Dagenhart (1918) – From the 1870s through the 1930s, children as young as 8 years-old worked in coal mines and other genres of manufacturing. The U.S. Congress sought to solve this problem by passing the Keating-Owen Act of 1916, which prohibited the interstate sale of goods produced by child labor. The Supreme Court shot it down, not only due to liberty-of-contract, but also in the name of states’ rights, which libertarians also regard as gospel. States were reluctant to limit child labor, because employers would respond by choosing to manufacture in other states that allowed it in order to save on labor costs. Only a national solution would work. But to the libertarian mind, states’ rights and so-called liberty were of greater importance than the well-being of children. Libertarians promote a naïve and simplistic understanding of how a person or corporation can harm others. To them, direct stealing and injury are the only ways in which liberty and quality of life can be destroyed. Their religion turns a blind eye to the clever schemes of the wealthy and powerful, especially in the corporate world. It also turns a blind eye to the well-being of those who lack property. All it affords them is protection from being beaten or murdered. Otherwise, all other suffering is of no concern to a libertarian government. 3) It places property rights ahead of people’s needs In ancient Israel, people owned private property, and they generally had the right to do with it as they pleased. There were, however, a couple exceptions to this: First, they had no right to prohibit others from trespassing on their property. God commanded in Deuteronomy 23:24, “If you go into your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in a container [NRSV].” Not only did this law allow trespassing, but it even allowed neighbors to enjoy some fruits from one another’s harvests. Second, God required that property owners left food on their property for the poor, as we see in these passages: Leviticus 19:9, “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God [NRSV].” Why was God so lax on property rights? Perhaps it had something to do with what He said in Leviticus 25:23 regarding the Year of Jubilee, “The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me.” To God, it was preposterous that one human could claim total ownership of the land God created and do so to the extent that other humans were denied all access to it. Property ownership never gave God’s people the right to be 100% selfish with their property; rather, it assigned them a responsibility to share its benefits with others – especially those who lacked property. We who have property have no God-given right to deny those who lack property. Property ownership is a responsibility, not a right. In any society, those who lack property are fully dependent upon those who possess property. In an agrarian society, like ancient Israel or early America, those who lack property have no land on which to grow food, so they must depend on others for it. They have no land on which to build a home, so they must rent from others. They have no land on which they can run a business, so they must be hired by others. In other words, they have no MEANS of providing for themselves. If those who own the MEANS of providing for oneself won’t hire them, they have no hope. In America today, land is less of a factor, but for those who go out into the world with little or no money, they too are fully DEPENDENT upon owners of money and property for food, shelter, and employment (this is where “dependency” comes from, not from welfare; it’s only when this system of dependency on the rich fails that people need welfare). If those who possess money and property have the right to deny food, shelter, and employment to those who lack money and property, even to the extent that they need not share their wealth with the poor through taxation, then those who lack property have no hope. They are left to suffer hunger, exposure, and even death, as if they were never created in the image of God. Republicans have created a system in which the corporate wealthy hoard the means of self-support, so that most of society lacks such means; and then the wealthy have the right to deny the means of self-support to those who lack it, leaving them helpless and unable to support themselves; and then, as if that’s not bad enough, Republicans blame the poor for being unable to support themselves. Only a sadist would support such a system. Satan is a sadist, not God. God is gracious and cares for all people equally, not just those who have an abundance of property. The libertarian view of property rights is the opposite of God’s. Contrary to what libertarians might tell you, God’s way is gracious and the libertarian way is tyranny. Libertarians, as well as most Republicans, call tyranny imposed by government “evil”, but they call tyranny imposed by the corporate wealthy “freedom.” Libertarianism places individual liberty and hoarding of property ahead of the well-being of God’s children. It’s selfish. It’s merciless. It’s rebellious. Its most admired figurehead is Ayn Rand, a devout atheist who hated religion. Her beliefs were consistent with her rejection of God and all things godly. Libertarianism is Social Darwinism (the idea that the poor are biologically-inferior) in a new package. It’s the enemy of Christianity. It’s a false religion presenting itself as righteousness in an attempt to “lead astray, if possible, the elect [Matthew 24:24].” No Christian should succumb to the man-made precepts of this false religion. As I like to say, Jesus is neither a Democrat nor a Republican, but Satan is a Libertarian. - K. Scott Schaeffer [K. Scott Schaeffer is the author of the books, “Rescuing Religion from Republican Reason” and “Where the Bible Contradicts Creationists.” He also runs www.politicallymoderatechristian.com and the “Rescuing Religion from Republicans” Facebook page.] |
About TCL BlogWe’re not about Dogma here. We’re just Christians who think the political and Christian right-wing have their priorities wrong. Featured BloggersCharles Toy is the founding member of The Christian Left. We're sure you will enjoy his passion as well as his wit. Guest bloggers featured often.
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