Christian Republicans Caught in a Conundrum - Haiti

[TornadoTN]

"They produce zilch, zero, nada." "Therefore, there is no reason to extend any humanitarian services to alleviate their suffering." - Rush Limbaugh

Add to this the insanity of Pat Robertson (Mr. "I used my charity to finance a Blood-Diamond operation in Zaire" and "They made a deal with a Devil" - even though they are 80% Catholic.) and Limbaugh's other comments about why we shouldn't be helping Haiti (which is interesting, since we shoulder some of the blame for the sorry state of affairs in that country).

So what is the Christian Republican response to these statements? Limbaugh is the de-facto leader of the Republican party, which a great number of southern Christians also belong to. But what he is saying goes against the basic principles of Christianity (Love thy neighbor, helping the needy, compassion, charity, etc.) or at least the teachings of Jesus Christ. Let's also not forget the massive numbers of Christian missionaries that travel to Haiti to do commendable works in building homes, schools, and infrastructure.

Maybe this is the turning point where the good Christian people in this country that have been hoodwinked by the GOP and confused by right-wing hate radio realize that they have been played. Played and used in the worst possible way - by a political party that seizes upon religion and distorts its meaning in the mainstream.

I recently hired a business to do some work for me. When they started doing the work, their work was shoddy, they were always late, there were always excuses as to why we were being treated the way we were. I was lied to about circumstances regarding material and time. But their biggest method of reassuring me that they were doing things with professionalism was"We are a STRONG CHRISTIAN business ruled by CHRISTIAN values!" - when their deeds spoke otherwise. My point is - just because you hear someone saying they are Christian or the positions they take on certain issues or decisions is "CHRISTIAN" - don't take it at face value.

Remember, Jesus wasn't a Democrat or a Republican. He wasn't an American or a Haitian. He wasn't a Roman or a Persian nor was he a Chinese or Canadian. He was a man, a carpenter, who valued and helped the least amongst us and saw their worth as a person as being just the same as the richest man in the world. Maybe we all, Christian or otherwise, need to take some of these examples to heart.

((Full Disclosure: I'm an atheist, but I value the teachings of Jesus as a good example for all of humanity))

[howard112211]

1. No conundrum. The religious right is more about obedience than about making sense.

In other words, if the writings in the bible (which most of them neither know nor follow) contradict what your particular preacher is saying, then your preacher is right.

[Laura902]

2. Rush deserves a few more chest pains for that. n/t

[Hello_Kitty]

Sadly, you're a lot more optimistic than I.

The Christianity practiced by much of the RW in the US is of the megachurch, authoritarian, Prosperity Gospel variety.

[SharonAnn]

3. My experience with the majority of those who say they are "Christian" businesses is that

they use that as an excuse instead of doing high-quality work.

I really try to avoid those who advertize their business as a "Christian" business. I don't know what the term "Christian" means in context with "business", but in my experience it has usually meant unsatisfactory performance and in a couple of shocking cases, unethical if not illegal actions.

But somehow, they thought everything they did was because they were "Christian". Kind of like thinking "I've been saved so it doesn't matter what I do now."

As my brother says "Don't tell me you're a Christian. Let me figure it out by your actions."

[TornadoTN]

4. Yeah, I normally don't do business with them either

But in this case, they were about the only people around that could do the type of work that I needed. All of the others in my area that could do it were booked or weren't willing to do the work.

Boy do I regret it now. Should of just waited until summer.

[blondeatlast]

16. I share that experience and I am a Christian in (I hope) practice.

My experience was highballed estimate, one case of shoddy work, and the sad excuse that "I have to promote Christian biz because the whole world is against us," which is of course, utter, unmitigated BS.

[Boxerfan]

5. You see their true colors-shining through....

And by & large anyone who has to proclaim he is a christian on his bussines card is bad news. My brother is a fundie & he is all talk-never a single action-when it comes to helping others. So I'm not suprised one bit.

I'd truly love to see some christians stand up for what Jesus taught. Not gonna hold my breath mind you...

[Hekate]

11. Visit the Sojourners website and/or get on their email list. Rev. Jim Wallis is the real deal...

... when it comes to walking in the footsteps, etc. He's the author of "God is Not a Republican... or a Democrat" and several other books addressing the religious-political divide. Along with Jimmy Carter, he's my favorite Evangelical -- and believe me when I say I'm not one, although I am proud to stand with them. Sojourners online is at http://www.sojo.net/

Here's part of today's email (they don't come every day or I'd unsubscribe) regarding Haiti. It's worth reading the whole thing, but at the end he speaks about Pat Robertson and repudiates his view of God utterly.

Hekate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

God, you are the one who gave me life.
Why are we suffering?
- Lines of a hymn sung among the survivors of Haiti's earthquake while camped overnight in St. Pierre's Plaza, Port-au-Prince.

Haiti: God Is Suffering With Those Who Are Suffering
by Jim Wallis

There are times when events make everything else pale in comparison. I’m in Los Angeles today on my book tour, but the news of Tuesday’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake hitting Haiti is one of those times. Over the past few hours, I haven’t been able to take my eyes off CNN. The tragedy in Haiti is unbelievable -- the pictures of the pain and destruction are haunting. My heart breaks for the families and the victims of this tragedy.
>snip<

I also want to say a word about God and evil. Pat Robertson said that Haiti’s earthquake was caused because of the country’s “pact with the devil.” I don’t even know what he means, nor do I care. But I want to say this: My God does not cause evil. God is not a vengeful and retributive being, waiting to strike us down; instead, God is in the very midst of this tragedy, suffering with those who are suffering. When evil strikes, it’s easy to ask, where is God? The answer is simple: God is suffering with those who are suffering.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[dysfunctional press]

6. he didn't say that second part that you've attributed to him.

do you have a link?

[TornadoTN]

8. I'll correct that, it was on Media Matters but it's been ammended

Thanks

[AspenRose]

7. K&R

[damntexdem]

9. Maybe Jesus wasn't a Democrat or a Republican, but ...

he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, not on an elephant.

[ddeclue]

10. Apparently you missed the RWTP memo: Jesus was a Republican, American, straight, white, and male.

:eyes:

[TornadoTN]

12. I know, must have looked right over that one!

I put this up on my Facebook profile because I have so many "friends" that are huge "Christians" and by default, Republicans, that are spouting off about Haiti. "Why are we giving them money? They just want to kill each other and act foolish, let them deal with it themselves" or slams against how we are helping Haiti but can't help Christians. How they get the logic on that last part is beyond me but it boils down to these Haitians are non-white, non-American people so they aren't "worthy" of our help.

Humanity really sickens me sometimes.

[ddeclue]

13. How'd you miss that memo living in TN? I lived there from 1996-2000.

[TornadoTN]

14. Easily. I don't buy into the bullshit propaganda that permeates this state

It's sickening. I checked around on some of the local churches here in my area and not a single one of them are doing anything for Haiti at this point. One receptionist got very testy with me when I questioned her with "What would Jesus do in this situation?".


Ah religion.

[ddeclue]

15. Didn't Jesus say the Samaritans were all white and from Murfreesboro?