Are any of the main contributors conservative?

tadams1138 on May 20, 2007 at 10:59 PM

Stick around.

Before you jump to your “They want a Theocracy!” conspiracy, think about what the hell people in a religion actually believe. Anyone in any meaningful religion is going to want to spread their belief to everyone. Anything less would imply they didn’t take their beliefs seriously or they are selfish.

So yes, of course every real religion wants to convert everyone. No, they don’t all use violence and coercion to do this.

Before you knock religion for being this way, ask yourself what the world would be without it. You libertarian nuts, go read a history book about the last 100 years before you answer. (And yes, I’ve read about the 1900 years prior and they don’t add up to what the godlessness of the last 100 did)

Someone please tell me who contributes to this blog who ain’t either a liberal or libertarian? Are any of the main contributors conservative?

I am baffled by how this can offend someone, my genuinely wanting to pray for that person’s salvation based on my beliefs (while not beating him/her over the head with said beliefs) or to pray for any problems that person is having in his/her life at the moment.

So yeah, maybe they’ve been praying for you but keeping it to themselves because perhaps they think you’re one of the ones who would be inherently offended by the mere thought of a Christian seeking out help for you from God.

And I apologize for the offensive lack of good grammar in this comment. Christians, atheists, Jews, and all other world religions should be able to unite in disgust over my poor language usage.

I don’t find Christians I know tiresome. I’m also quite sure that even though they are aware of my unbelief, not a one of them prays for me.

Krydor on May 20, 2007 at 7:12 PM

Why don’t you ask them if they have ever prayed for you. They may surprise you.

The New Testament of the Bible describes in great detail what a true Christian is. I have travelled a lot of the world and I’ve lived with and worshipped with Christians from other countries. In many ways we’re all alike. I have seen many more similarities than differences.

Rose on May 20, 2007 at 6:45 PM

Yes probably very different. I do agree about the universities bent on less than a Christian focus. But I’ve got child who went through college already and two others in college. How you raise them will carry the day when they are finished with college. Mine are no worse for the wear and tear, but maybe a little wiser.

Some may find Christians tiresome, but know that they love you and pray for you if you’re an unbeliever. We have freedom of religion in the U.S. not freedom from religion.

I don’t find Christians I know tiresome. I’m also quite sure that even though they are aware of my unbelief, not a one of them prays for me.

Evangelicalism, as practiced in the USA, is a unique beastie. This always comes back to this notion of a true Christian, for me.

What a crock of fear-mongering BS.

Nonfactor on May 20, 2007 at 6:07 PM

Like I said, some find Christians tiresome.

Christian students in state universities are often being maligned for their beliefs and these are state funded universities and the professors are paid by state money. It is now even happening in high schools and elementary schools. It is not about prayer, it is about a lack of tolerance on the part of the state regarding freedom of religious belief in the public square.Rose on May 20, 2007 at 6:11 PM

Sorry Rose but here in the deep south it is much different. Schools get a wink and a nod about prayer in school and if you are not a good southern baptist student you are told often that you will burn in hell if you don’t change your ways.
The lack of tolerance down “heah” is decidedly different than that which you describe.

I was teaching elementary school at the time and I guarantee you, that every child on the playground knew what oral sex was after the Clinton presidency.

Their poor, corrupted little souls. You’re speaking in hyperbole, too. I doubt it if “every child” knew what oral sex was, and even if they did what fault is it of Clinton’s? If I got a blowjob and it was reported on 24/7 by all the news media would it be my fault that kids know what a blowjob is now?

Some may find Christians tiresome, but know that they love you and pray for you if you’re an unbeliever.

Mojave Mark on May 20, 2007 at 6:00 PM

Yet you’re still going to hell for eternity if you don’t believe in exactly what they tell you to believe in. What a crock of fear-mongering BS.

Krydor on May 20, 2007 at 5:31 PM

My point before was that it doesn’t matter who is in the White House in terms of the rest of the country being evangelized by the president. This can take on many different forms. Clinton evagelized us to hedonism and bohemianism. I was teaching elementary school at the time and I guarantee you, that every child on the playground knew what oral sex was after the Clinton presidency.

An eternity Mack truck is heading straight at us. The Christian is going to warn you to get out of the way. This may offend you but he’s still going to try and save you from the Mack truck. You may choose to not listen to him in which case you’ll be run over but at least you can’t say you weren’t warned.
Some may find Christians tiresome, but know that they love you and pray for you if you’re an unbeliever. We have freedom of religion in the U.S. not freedom from religion.

I don’t know if you’ve read this but it speaks to the specific problem of evangelizing within the government. While Bush is essentialy inept at keeping the Church & State separate, his presence seems (note disclaimer) to make such stuff acceptable within government agencies.

Over the past two years, Miller said, he has been asked over and over by the Iowa City VA medical center’s staff within its offices, clinics and wards, “You mean you don’t believe that Jesus is the Messiah?” and “Is it just Orthodox Jews who deny Jesus?” He said one staffer told him, “I don’t understand; how can you not believe in Jesus; he’s the Messiah of the Jews, too, you know.”

Just imagine how much more overt that would be from a Newt-type administration. It’s why the statement gives me pause.

If Obama becomes president expect Mulims to be in the cabinet.

Mojave Mark on May 20, 2007 at 2:07 PM

Isn’t Obama from the United Church of Christ (not to be confused with the Church of Christ)?

And AP, yes, if Keith Ellison said the same thing, I would be up in arms. But the difference between his religion and my faith is that there isn’t a huge faction of Christianity currently out there trying to “convert” people by threat of death, and if there is, I haven’t heard of it. And if I hear of it, I’ll actually speak out against it, because that is not what Christ taught–you cannot be saved if your heart isn’t in it, and the Bible is very clear about free will and choosing salvation–it’s a huge theme throughout the Bible. Yes, of course, Christians want to teach and convert (not a bad word–in my book, it just means teach the gospel and baptize into salvation those who choose to believe and follow, basically, and I’m not going to stop using the word just because Islam uses the same word and means something different by it) nonbelievers. We believe salvation in Christ to be a wonderful thing, and believe the afterlife in heaven will be a wonderful experience, so of course we want to take as many people as possible with us. Plus, Christ commands Christians to evangelize. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

I do live in that country.

Theworldisnotenough on May 20, 2007 at 12:07 PM

What twaddle! You sound like those loonies on the left who are always hyperventilating about the police state and internment camps even as they declare their lunacy in the public square.

In the first place, this is not a country where almost everyone is an atheist. To the contrary, about 76%, according to Krydor on May 19, 2007 at 10:00 PM, are Christians. And please, knock off the whining about school prayer already. After years of imposing your religion on others, non-Christians and atheists alike, you’re complaining when you finally get a little push back.

And please, please, if you’re going to talk about evolution at least learn something about it and stop repeating the tired, and tiresome, talking points from the creationists that “it’s just a theory.” Evolution is “just a theory” in exactly the same way that gravity is.

As for all those atheists controlling the government, I hardly know what to say. I don’t think that’s an argument that’s going to get much traction with anyone, left, right, religious, or non-religious.

Finally, where are all these atheists whose stated desire is to convert you to atheism? Do they come to your door on Saturday morning and wake you up to read passages from Dawkins? As I said in an earlier post, Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens are the only three prominent atheists to take a public stand that I can think of. Doubtless there are more, but not merely as many as the Christian missionary types who constantly bombard us with their efforts.

Krydor on May 20, 2007 at 12:13 PM

No matter who is in the White House you’re going to get that presidents cadre of cabinet members et al who will reflect his/her take on life and faith. If Romney becomes president expect a large number of Mormans to follow him to the White House. If Hillary becomes president expect a large number of liberal theologian types to follow her. (You know the kind, the bible really doesn’t mean what it says kind.) If Obama becomes president expect Mulims to be in the cabinet. If Huckabee becomes president (he was a Baptist minister) expect Evangelicals to populate the cabinet. In the end, we-the-people pick which world view and faith view will dominate in the executive branch. I think as long as everyone knows where the candidates are coming from then it’s fair across the board.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/05/rediscovering_god_in_america.html

If so, then any Christian would understand what he meant by that…. simply.. go out , be good Christians, try to spread the word. The end.

Its that simple.

He probably didn’t use lawyer like precision in his speech because its common sense to his audience what he means.

Somehow its all you smart peolpe who seem to be baffled by it. Funny.

Answer: All Evangelicals are Christians but not all Christians are Evangelicals. Followers of Christ come in all different flavors. Evangelicals are more aggresive when it comes to missions and evangelism but the different denominations and sects stress different aspects of the Christian experience.

Well, I understand that and that’s why the subtext troubles me. Would it fair or unfair to say that a Newt Administration would appoint people with a similar religious outlook? If he supports, as he probably should based on his beliefs, this notion of converting everyone to Christianity (I don’t think he means Roman Catholicsm) then does it follow that he would use the White House as a bully pulpit of sorts?

On the strategy front, it’s poor timing and poor taste.

Yes, that’s understood. And? How’d you like to live in a country where almost everyone is an atheist, the stated goal is to turn everyone into an atheist, and through public policy and personal appeals atheists are doing everything they can to turn you into an atheist? Sound good?

Allahpundit on May 19, 2007 at 8:43 PM

I do live in that country. Every progressive movement in the country has its own special interest clutches in a government body. Atheists don’t lobby for the removal of prayer from schools? It not like atheists are trying to erase the Christian heritage within the country or anything like that? That’s crazy talk. It’s those Christofacists trying to legally prevent people from proselytizing atheist views. That happens all the time, right Allahpundit? Like those crazed Christofacists that thought evolution was a theory and not absolute truth. I see where you are coming from…

I believe that Christians have the most to fear.

Rose on May 19, 2007 at 9:37 PM

Why is that? Are you concerned that the hundreds of thousands of full-time professional ministers and priests as well as centuries of Christian writing and teaching will be outmatched and outargued by the handful of prominent, outspoken atheists (Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens–any others?)? If so, it doesn’t speak very well of your confidence in your beliefs.

Are you concerned that Christians will be persecuted for their beliefs? Burned at the stake? Tortured in the name of atheism? If so, please provide us with examples of this persecution/burning/torture. If possible, please show us how it is worse than that perpetrated on unbelievers (of all sorts) by Christians.

Or are you really complaining about the fact that atheists feel freer now to confront Christian dogma and question it?
If so, an atheist might believe that you have good reason for your fear.

Just so I’m sure about this, and to clear up my earlier concerns. Are you saying that the only “real” Christians are evangelicals?

Krydor on May 20, 2007 at 2:27 AM

Answer: All Evangelicals are Christians but not all Christians are Evangelicals. Followers of Christ come in all different flavors. Evangelicals are more aggresive when it comes to missions and evangelism but the different denominations and sects stress different aspects of the Christian experience.

In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.
– Richard Baxter (a 17th century English theologian)