Comments on: The source

By: BrianE

BrianE — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:04:55 +0000

Yes, that’s true, although I would add a nuance to that statement, that change occurs in and through us when we submit to God’s will.
Submitting is a stumbling block to many also.
I think Evangelicals want to live in a civil society that respects God, but aren’t particularly looking to institute religious law in society, since lasting change comes from the inside out.
An example of this I think is the Intelligent Design – Evolution debate. If evolutionists were honest and would admit they just don’t know how much of their theory actually occurred or is occurring, this would satisfy many Christians. It is the dogma that concerns me.

By the way, the Old Testament is full of examples of deeply flawed humans doing extrodinary things when submitting to God’s leading.

By: Danny Lemieux

Danny Lemieux — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:24:06 +0000

In other words, BrianE…before we can expect to go forth to “fix” the world, we must first fix ourselves.

The idea that we can be flawed individuals that first need to fix ourselves is anathema to Liberals, however. It’s so much more gratifying to their narcissistic mindsets to tell OTHER people how they need to fix themselves.

By: BrianE

BrianE — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:03:09 +0000

As a conservative Christian, I would say that liberals have to distort the Bible to get a humanist reading from it.
Most Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, and while written by humans, they were led by the Holy Spirit.
I don’t think it’s inconsistent that Christians don’t support the punishments of the Old Testament, since we believe we are no longer under the law but under grace, through the sacrifice of Jesus.
As it says in Romans 3:

19 Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.
21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses[i] and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.[j] 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

This was written by Paul, a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin and a student of Gamaliel.
Jesus declared that salvation is a spiritual re-birth and that there will be a new heaven and new earth at a future time.
He said that we would always have the poor with us, and the message of the New Testament is freedom from the slavery of sin.
In Genesis we are commanded to go forth and subdue the earth as the earth was created for our benefit.
The message of the New Testament is individual salvation, not salvation of the planet.
For years liberals have attempted to co-opt the message of the Bible to fit their agenda. As people become more ignorant of what the Bible actually says, liberal distortions will gain traction– giving us messages like liberation theology and New Age mother earth mysticism.

By: Ellie2

Ellie2 — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:28:32 +0000

Since Jesus was an educated Jew who taught in Synogogues, I am going to assume that his moral teachings were in harmony with traditional Judiasm. Otherwise, you will have to understand that I am coming from a Christian point of view.

Although Jesus made much of our duty to feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick etc, “Insofar as you do it unto the least of these, you do it unto me….” (Matt25)

However, He saw this as a *personal* obligation, brother to brother so to speak. He didn’t expect the *State* to provide such comforts, however. Quite the contrary.

So, Jesus was undoubtedly a Conservative. I’ll let others weigh in on the idea that Religion should be “separate” (I don’t see how that is possible myself )

By: ericthered

ericthered — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:20:52 +0000

Thank you so much for posting this. This is a sore spot for me, as someone who recently renounced his lifelong membership in the liberal Reform Movement. I can say from first-hand experience that tikkun olam is simply a codeword that Reform Jews throw around so they can be loyal little liberal Democrats and still get their tax-exempt status. I’ve witnessed it at both the local and national level. To the Reform Jew, practicing the Jewish doctrine of tikkun olam is to be a liberal Democrat. Period. That’s why no right-leaning Jews can reach any important position among the Movement leadership. It’s also why no one found it troubling to invite the left-wing Madeleine Albright and the even more left-wing Robert Reich as keynote speakers to a recent national convention — but no right-wingers.

At my own (former) synagogue, they practice tikkun olam by inviting a member of Greenpeace to present “An Inconvenient Truth” and an anti-capital punishment activist to make our religious school students sign petitions to our governor to abolish the death penalty in our state.

I can go on and on and on on this one. Thanks again.

http://VocalMinority.typepad.com
Jewish AND Republican?? Oy gevalt