I will be praying that you learn to read and not attack falsely someone…

right2bright on December 31, 2008 at 10:36 AM

you just called her a godless heathen liar…and you call yourself a ‘christian’ you pagan dog!!

you should be ashamed…go repent in sackcloth and ashes…and maybe, just maybe, it’ll be ok….

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such vile evil before….

Eh, I decided over Christmas that I’m not going to fight with you. In fact, I’m not a great Christian, and I’ve used that as an excuse to refrain from praying for others, but I’ve decided that I have to start somewhere. So instead of fighting, I’ll try praying for you. Surely that’ll help at least one of us.

Esthier on December 30, 2008 at 8:42 PM

Ummmm, Esthier look again at what you are quoting…

If that’s picking a fight, then why isn’t your comment about how some people are just so lucky to be godless?…
perhaps if repenent in sackcloth and ashes….

right4life on December 30, 2008 at 2:05 PM

I am a different person…
That is why it is important to READ.
I will be praying that you learn to read and not attack falsely someone…
People like you with a chip on their shoulder usually end up doing what you just did…looking for a fight, and walking into the wrong bar…

Not to be nitpicky, but that wasn’t me.

SKYFOX on December 31, 2008 at 4:58 AM

My bad, I was thinking about looking back to double check the name but I didn’t feel like it.

NeverLiberal on December 30, 2008 at 8:00 PM

Not to be nitpicky, but that wasn’t me.

You assume everyone who disagrees is in a fight?

And since this ends with a question mark, I’m going to answer it.

No, I certainly do not.

Does this wrap up sound like a fight?

Yes, very much so. It sounds like sarcasm or else condescension. Most likely the latter when considering that the entire time you were mocking the concept that one can be a Christian without going to church as though it’s the only place where one is held to any standards.

Maybe you are the one trying to pick a fight…
Next time, pick a fight with someone else.

right2bright on December 30, 2008 at 1:42 PM

So my comments are picking a fight but yours aren’t? All I was doing was asking you not to jump on someone. If that’s picking a fight, then why isn’t your comment about how some people are just so lucky to be godless?

perhaps if repenent in sackcloth and ashes….

right4life on December 30, 2008 at 2:05 PM

When we first came to disagreement it was because I wasn’t holy enough to even be considered a Christian by you and people like you. Now suddenly you’re mocking my supposed holiness.

Of course. Why not.

Eh, I decided over Christmas that I’m not going to fight with you. In fact, I’m not a great Christian, and I’ve used that as an excuse to refrain from praying for others, but I’ve decided that I have to start somewhere. So instead of fighting, I’ll try praying for you. Surely that’ll help at least one of us.

They are wrong.

The money changers exchanged all international currency for special temple coins, the only money the merchants would accept, and were deceiving the foreigners of their true value, taking advantage of travelers coming to worship. This was not cool with Jesus, and any practice that interferes with worshiping God angered Him.

right2bright on December 30, 2008 at 1:39 AM

I think you may have misunderstood the point I was trying to make. Skyfox was saying that the only reason that Jesus called the moneychangers thieves was because they charged unfair rates. My response to him was that he could have been calling them thieves for any number of reasons besides that because money changers were famous for being thieves. I was not insinuating that the money changers were not thieves because they were, or else he wouldn’t have identified them as such.

I think I understand now why the man in the video is confused.
…This man is obviously attempting to take advantage of a policy vacuum on the issue…

I notice I changed my mind during my own post. I don’t know if he is honestly confused or making a deliberate political point. I don’t know.

The man in the video is lamenting the fact that Christian republicans don’t pay enough lip service to the needs of the poor and children and so on, the people Jesus largely, though perhaps not exclusively referred to when he said “the least of these”. The man criticized republicans Christians focus mainly upon abortion and homosexual marriages.

But caring for the poor and for children are actions which are desired. The issue of abortion and gay rights refer to behaviors that are undesired. And that’s the primary difference as to why abortion and homosexual marriages get discussed by republicans during election coverage, and caring for the poor and children do not. It’s not that Christian republicans care less about those things. Rather, republican Christians refer to Paul’s teachings about cheerful giving, and refer the outward actions of Christian faith to the individual and to the private sector. As christian republicans we desire and feel that scripture compels us to meet the needs of the poor at the individual level, at the level of a willing, and cheerful, private sector. Taxation does not amount to cheerful giving. Not only that but government is far less efficient than the private sector at caring for the poor. Abortion and homosexual marriages are prohibitive issues, and that is why they are discussed in the context of public policy, of governmental influence. For areas like abortion which are considered sin, Christians seek to make laws prohibiting these actions.

To deal with people like this Recovering Evangelical effectively, in terms of PR strategy, republicans need to spend time articulating these things, so that democrats and more importantly independents understand the difference between the role of the private versus the public sector on issues that are important to Christians and republicans. This man is obviously attempting to take advantage of a policy vacuum on the issue. Many of the posts I’ve read have already outlined what I’ve said here. But we need to explain our position about the poor and the homeless more effectively as a party during campaigns, during elections, and so on. We need to learn to articulate our republican ideology and how it is consistent with what Jesus and Paul have taught. This will become increasingly important of course as/if the economy worsens.

It’s called almsgiving.

SaintOlaf on December 30, 2008 at 5:59 PM

Similar to the tribes in New Guinea…where they share their food with local tribes…usually a missionary that they have for dinner, they call it armsgiving…

There are a million people in this city, hundreds of homeless. There is only one homeless shelter, founded and run by Jews and most of the people I know of that volunteer there are not church-going folk.

Most giving of time and donations for the community are done through the church by holding various functions and drives or through internal means. It is not necessary to found a homeless shelter when things can be accomplished through the church. I’m speaking from my own personal experiences though. Maybe it’s different where you are, but not here where I am.

Akzed, your figures are wrong.
jim m on December 30, 2008 at 3:45 PM

These statistics are for individuals who call themselves Born-Again Christians.

16% do not give any money whatsoever to their church

Only 8% actually tithe to their church, which means 92% of those who attend church do not tithe

The average amount given per month is $112.00

These are not the newest numbers available I’m sure, but I only have so much time to scour the net to devote to refuting manisfestly ridiculous assertions.

Giving to Places of Worship and Other Non-Profits

In 2007, 84% of all adults donated some money to churches or non-profit organizations. That figure has also remained consistent in recent years.

Evangelicals Christians distinguished themselves in their generosity. More than four out of five (83%) gave at least $1000 to churches and non-profit entities during 2007, far surpassing the levels reached by any other population segment studied.

Almost two-thirds of the public (64%) donated some money to a church, synagogue or other place of worship. The median amount donated to those religious centers was $101; the mean amount was $883. Those figures were up slightly from the previous year.

The Young Evangelical: “I voted for Obama and the Democrats this time because they care about the more important issues — poverty, caring for the sick and elderly, the planet. The Republicans only cared about the insignificant issues of abortion and gay marriage.”

Perhaps he was living under the rock and/or drank the Democratic/Obama kool-aid, but what in the world is he talking about? Over the last 8 years, the Bush Administration and the Republicans have expanded the size of government, both domestically and overseas. We increased the budget on these like pell grants, housing for the poor, medicine for the elderly. On the foreign front, we liberated two countries in the middle east and given the most money and resources to African countries than any other administration in history. On abortion and gay marriage, the Republicans have spent about 2 years total on those issues, and didn’t even go very deep into those issues.

Then there’s the laughable stats, he pulled out. Notice that he compared the abortion rates in the United States to the number of poor/dieing people in the entire world. If he compared the # of abortions worldwide to the # of sick people worldwide, he wouldn’t be triumphing his numbers.

Sorry R_Z, but you missed my point.

Aunt B on December 30, 2008 at 2:43 PM

No, I got your point.

And as far as a discussion on what Jesus meant by “Blessed are the poor in spirit”, it was a good point.

But you went off the track when you tried to (literally) connect the Beatitudes with the Great Commission.

Not that I necessarily have a problem with the theology…

…it’s just that the Great Commission ALREADY has an answer to the question of ‘to whom?’ – and that answer is “all nations”, not “those who are poor in spirit.”

We just need to be careful and accurate when we’re quoting scripture.

Long Story :)

Squid Shark on December 30, 2008 at 2:22 PM

well I hope its not financial difficulties…which are all too common as of late…

right4life on December 30, 2008 at 2:14 PM

Long Story :)

The Great Commission is to spread The Good News. To whom? To those who are poor in spirit.

Aunt B on December 30, 2008 at 12:32 PM

Actually, the Great Commission tells us to spread the Good News to ALL NATIONS:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
There is no designation here over rich or poor (whether in terms of money or spirit).

Squid Shark on December 30, 2008 at 2:09 PM

your blog has been removed..what happened?

Oh goody.

Squid Shark on December 30, 2008 at 2:09 PM

glad to see you too squiddy!! hope you have a happy new year!!

right4life on December 30, 2008 at 2:05 PM

Oh goody.