Cross Posted from Forward Progressives' Allen Clifton
We at NFTOS rarely post someone's else's work, but after reading this, we thought it was worthy a spot, as it speaks volumes - to a valid point of the confluence of the American Taliban and Christianity.
Republicans don’t get a lot of things, but they really don’t get Christianity—because it’s not what they follow.
See, a few decades ago the leaders of the GOP did something very intelligent. History shows one of the easiest ways to manipulate, and control, people is through their religion. You can get people to do horrific things in the name of “their god” by convincing them that their actions are acceptable because they are the true believers, and those they oppose are the “heathens.”
You see this with radicals of every faith. These radical leaders take a handful of excerpts from whatever book they follow and manipulate millions into believing whatever they want.
Republicans knew two key issues could easily control millions — abortion and homosexuality. Once they identified their two key manipulation points, all they needed to do was tie in whatever political ideology they wanted with these two religious-based beliefs and they could create a political party that was worshiped more like a faith than a political idea.
And that’s exactly what they did. I always encourage people to stop saying Republicans represent Christianity, and call them out on what they really worship.
I call it “Republicanity” and I consider it a cult. It’s a perversion of Christianity mixed with a political set of man-made beliefs. These people view their devotion to the GOP on the same level they do their belief in God. To them, the Republican Party is the party of “real Christians.” They don’t need facts or reality to support their political beliefs, they have “faith.”
Except, your political beliefs are supposed to be based on facts — not faith.
I’m a Christian, and these people damn sure don’t represent my faith. What they follow is some mix of Ayn Rand economic ideologies and a couple of select passages from the Bible.
Which I always find hilarious considering Ayn Rand thought religious people were stupid and insane. So people like Paul Ryan, who built his economic ideology on her teachings while claiming to be a devout “Christian,” just show their ignorance by claiming to believe in both. How exactly can someone build an economic platform based on a woman who completely contradicted Christianity, while claiming to be a follower of Christianity?
It makes absolutely no damn sense.
See, the whole point of being a Christian means you follow the teachings of Christ. I’ve actually seen many of these “Christians” try and say Jesus would support cuts to welfare and side with the top-down economic policies of the Republican Party.
As I've said before, whether you believe in Jesus Christ or not is not the issue, what he symbolized and his story aren't really debatable. He spent his life helping the poor, sick and needy. He never once spoke about homosexuality or abortion. He embraced those from the lowest rungs of society by saying that those for whom much had been given, much is expected. He taught love, hope, compassion and forgiveness. He warned against those who would manipulate the word of God for their own selfish ambitions. He opposed greed and encouraged giving.
You know, the exact oppose of what Republicans stand for.
But that doesn't matter to these people because they oppose abortion and homosexuality—again, two things Jesus never spoke of.
And honestly, can you name one other “Christian” value Republicans claim to value? Because I hate to break it to them, but guns weren't invented by Jesus. Saying you have a “God-given right to bear arms” is just ignorant. God didn't grant anyone the right to bear arms, a bunch of slave owning rich white men did in the late-1700′s. Many of which weren't even Christians.
So please, stop calling Republicans “Christians”—they’re not.
I can’t count the times I've heard people say they don’t consider themselves Christians any longer because of the ignorance of the Republican Party. Millions have abandoned Christianity because these people have hijacked a faith to distort it for their own political gains.
It’s time real Christians take back their faith from these people who’ve turned so many sour on Christianity. It’s time they rise up against these ignorant fake Christians and call them out directly on the truth. They don’t follow Christianity.
They follow Republicanity. They worship Reagan, guns and greed—not Jesus Christ.
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. ~ Mahatma Gandhi.
NFTOS
Editor-In-Chief
Roger West
Republicans don’t get a lot of things, but they really don’t get Christianity—because it’s not what they follow.
See, a few decades ago the leaders of the GOP did something very intelligent. History shows one of the easiest ways to manipulate, and control, people is through their religion. You can get people to do horrific things in the name of “their god” by convincing them that their actions are acceptable because they are the true believers, and those they oppose are the “heathens.”
You see this with radicals of every faith. These radical leaders take a handful of excerpts from whatever book they follow and manipulate millions into believing whatever they want.
Republicans knew two key issues could easily control millions — abortion and homosexuality. Once they identified their two key manipulation points, all they needed to do was tie in whatever political ideology they wanted with these two religious-based beliefs and they could create a political party that was worshiped more like a faith than a political idea.
And that’s exactly what they did. I always encourage people to stop saying Republicans represent Christianity, and call them out on what they really worship.
I call it “Republicanity” and I consider it a cult. It’s a perversion of Christianity mixed with a political set of man-made beliefs. These people view their devotion to the GOP on the same level they do their belief in God. To them, the Republican Party is the party of “real Christians.” They don’t need facts or reality to support their political beliefs, they have “faith.”
Except, your political beliefs are supposed to be based on facts — not faith.
I’m a Christian, and these people damn sure don’t represent my faith. What they follow is some mix of Ayn Rand economic ideologies and a couple of select passages from the Bible.
Which I always find hilarious considering Ayn Rand thought religious people were stupid and insane. So people like Paul Ryan, who built his economic ideology on her teachings while claiming to be a devout “Christian,” just show their ignorance by claiming to believe in both. How exactly can someone build an economic platform based on a woman who completely contradicted Christianity, while claiming to be a follower of Christianity?
It makes absolutely no damn sense.
See, the whole point of being a Christian means you follow the teachings of Christ. I’ve actually seen many of these “Christians” try and say Jesus would support cuts to welfare and side with the top-down economic policies of the Republican Party.
As I've said before, whether you believe in Jesus Christ or not is not the issue, what he symbolized and his story aren't really debatable. He spent his life helping the poor, sick and needy. He never once spoke about homosexuality or abortion. He embraced those from the lowest rungs of society by saying that those for whom much had been given, much is expected. He taught love, hope, compassion and forgiveness. He warned against those who would manipulate the word of God for their own selfish ambitions. He opposed greed and encouraged giving.
You know, the exact oppose of what Republicans stand for.
But that doesn't matter to these people because they oppose abortion and homosexuality—again, two things Jesus never spoke of.
And honestly, can you name one other “Christian” value Republicans claim to value? Because I hate to break it to them, but guns weren't invented by Jesus. Saying you have a “God-given right to bear arms” is just ignorant. God didn't grant anyone the right to bear arms, a bunch of slave owning rich white men did in the late-1700′s. Many of which weren't even Christians.
So please, stop calling Republicans “Christians”—they’re not.
I can’t count the times I've heard people say they don’t consider themselves Christians any longer because of the ignorance of the Republican Party. Millions have abandoned Christianity because these people have hijacked a faith to distort it for their own political gains.
It’s time real Christians take back their faith from these people who’ve turned so many sour on Christianity. It’s time they rise up against these ignorant fake Christians and call them out directly on the truth. They don’t follow Christianity.
They follow Republicanity. They worship Reagan, guns and greed—not Jesus Christ.
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. ~ Mahatma Gandhi.
NFTOS
Editor-In-Chief
Roger West
