LAT: Grooming Politicians for Christ: Capitol Hill evangelical programs

[DeepModem Mom]

Grooming Politicians for Christ
Evangelical programs on Capitol Hill seek to mold a new generation of leaders who will answer not to voters, but to God.

By Stephanie Simon, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — In the blue and gold elegance of the House speaker's private dining room, Jeremy Bouma bowed his head before eight young men and women who hope to one day lead the nation. He prayed that they might find wisdom in the Bible — and govern by its word....

***

Nearly every Monday for six months, as many as a dozen congressional aides — many of them aspiring politicians — have gathered over takeout dinners to mine the Bible for ancient wisdom on modern policy debates about tax rates, foreign aid, education, cloning and the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

Through seminars taught by conservative college professors and devout members of Congress, the students learn that serving country means first and always serving Christ.

They learn to view every vote as a religious duty, and to consider compromise a sin.

That puts them at the vanguard of a bold effort by evangelical conservatives to mold a new generation of leaders who will answer not to voters, but to God....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-statesman23aug23,0,2666633.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[murray hill farm]

1. better do some grooming...

Think they will ever realize that they ARE the antichrist??????

[delen]

3. Will they ever realize?

Will they ever care?
Being "Christian" in these circles is simply "good business".

[Dem Agog]

21. you ask if they'll realize they ARE the antichrist...

You know, I grew up in a Christian school so I read the book of Revelation and heard all the horror stories... They claim that "Satan will walk among us" and that some people will follow the Anti-Christ believing his charms and wily ways and blah blah blah blah blah...

Anyway so I don't buy into the whole God/Christian fairy tale any longer, which is what I personally do think it is after twelve long years of Christian school and Church... I set foot in a church 7 days a week for twelve full years, with few exceptions. Twice on Wednesdays (school in the AM, Wednesday night dinners in the PM) and on Sundays (both morning and evening)...

But even though I think the whole religion is a bunch of bunk I keep coming back to this. I find it ironic: The singlemost thing that convinces me that Christianity might be real or that the Bible might be right about something is the AntiChrist/Satan stuff from Revelation!

GWB is the Anti-Christ. Hell shave the man's head and I believe you'd find the mark of the beast on his skull. And all these other people are the ones following this false god...

Revelation seems to have called this one. Satan does walk among us... It's like a creepy fairy tale come true...

[murray hill farm]

23. i dont believe it either..the antichrist stuff...at least not literally

but by their own belief and definition of "antichrist"..they are it...and as mentioned in their own "book"...they follow blindly their own definition of how it will unfold. I do believe that there always is a struggle between good and evil..and that the bible in the reference to the antichrist and the return of christ...is really just saying that good will trimph over the evil. i hope, in this sense, they are right.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

2. Ancient wisdom: Do they mean like these?

Courtesy of the Dr Laura thread yesterday :spray:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1 . The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21 . In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

[KittyWampus]

24. Thanks for posting that.

[mopinko]

4. come a long way since kennedy, eh?

isn't this the kind of "reverse discrimination" that we are always flogged for?

[DBoon]

5. And they will place their bible over the constitution

especially over the first ten amendments.


I hope the word "Dominionist" was used in the article.

[bribri16]

6. We have become more hateful and intolerant as we have been evangelized.

What does that say for Christianity? I don't think Jesus would approve.

[FlaGranny]

7. That is true for most religions.

I wish that Jesus WOULD return. Wouldn't all those nuts be surprised when they found the elevator was going down - fast - and building up lots of heat on the way? Hypocrites!!

[Beam Me Up]

22. "The Christian prayer is for the end of te world. That it may come quickly

The only question is, how? A mistake here could prove quite costly."

"The delay in the arrival of the Second Coming exists for those whose expectations lie in linear time and literal meaning."

Norman O. Brown. "Love's Body"

[Stuckinthebush]

8. These people are dangerous and need to be stopped

We can't just laugh at them anymore, there needs to be a concerted efforts to expose this insanity and call it what it is...extremism.

No more tiptoeing around religious fanatics, America is becoming Talibanized and if they ever get total power, then America will cease to exist as we know it.

[apnu]

9. Look at Bunnypants... we are already Talibanized. (n/t)

[not fooled]

10. "They learn to view every vote as a religious duty"

So stealing them is OK because it's god's work (see: ownership of voting machines by groups affiliated w/Dominionists). Boy, is this country in trouble.

[Roland99]

11. After all, Jesus was so big on politics and one-party rule.

:eyes:

[yorgatron]

12. Iraq is going to be a theocracy,so we're going to follow their lead?

BULLSHIT!!! :grr::mad:

[Roland99]

13. Sure. Setup a new model democracy and then follow their lead

or something.



uhh....



:yoiks:

[genieroze]

14. Grooming Politicians for Christ:? You mean brainwashing?

Edited to add: I think most politabots are stuck in the rinse cycle anyway.

[stevedeshazer]

15. These POD PEOPLE scare me half to death.

Sweet Jesus, check this out:

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"In an introductory essay, Kennedy quotes Scripture to explain God's views on taxes, capital punishment, gay rights and a dozen other issues. Most of the policy prescriptions he finds in the Bible dovetail neatly with the Republican agenda."

This guy, to these naïve souls, SPEAKS FOR GOD to them and tells them what to think about CAFTA?

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And for all the Congressman Walter "Freedom Fries" Jones fans:

...to Rep. Walter B. Jones, a North Carolina Republican, it's clear the institute is "doing the Lord's work."

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And this:

Now the director of the Eagle Forum, a conservative lobbying group founded by Phyllis Schlafly, Echard says Jesus would approve of a call for lower taxes: "God calls on us to be stewards of our money."

These bigots are setting the progress of civilization back by CENTURIES. :grr:

[Supersedeas]

16. leaders who do not answer to voters, but to God??? Theocracy or Democracy

[DeepModem Mom]

17. Yep -- not what the Founders had in mind, especially TJ. nt

[Tiggeroshii]

18. Yeah.. Seperation of Church and state -Who needs it?

If God isn't involved, who can benefit? Right?

:sarcasm:

[VegasWolf]

19. "Danger, Danger Will Robinson!!" nt

[mzteris]

20. hope they get

all those FLEAS!!!

These people make me sick. They have completely turned me away from religion and made me question everything I have ever believed. If THEY believe any part of it, it must be wrong.

[Robeson]

25. They create their own reality.

[PurityOfEssence]

26. Nobody else deserves to exist

Get it?

Cling to your guess as you may, liberal christians, it's a mindset of conquest and annihilation. Nothing will be allowed to exist if it doesn't bow down with fealty to the supreme silliness.

This is not a joke, it's very much for real.

Conservatism is certainty; it's a perfect fit with organized religion. Couple this with the selfishness at the heart of christianity, and it's a juggernaut.

[The Sushi Bandit]

27. Is anyone TAKING THEIR NAMES???!!!!

we might need that data in 20 years!