Romney a natural for values party; so reads the headline in the Spokesman-Review's latest republication of Kathleen Parker's latest editorial. That is, her latest editorial to be republished. And when you finish reading Ms. Parker's column, you can indeed be struck by why a fellow (Errol Lewis?) would say on "Lou Dobbs the Week" that the Republican party is disintegrating. The "values party" doesn't just want someone who exclusively supports their agenda; they want the presidential wannabe to be their kind of Christian.
But, that's not their only problem. Maybe Ms. Parker has managed to expose something here about the radicalization of Christian activists. Despite the declarations of article 6 in the U.S. Constitution that those seeking public office aren't required to take religious tests; that's exactly what the "we want big government our way" radical religious demand of all GOP presidential candidates. So, the Declaration of Independence can be exploited by the "values party" when convenient; the U.S. Constitution should be a binding constraint on government when convenient; and ignored altogether by the same "values party" if it gets in the way of the government they want serving them exclusively!
Wow.
Among the highlights of Ms. Parker's column, James Dobson of "Focus on Theocracy (while exploiting the family)" expressed that he didn't want government funding the destruction of life at any stage. Oh? Putting taxpayer money into a war in Iraq is most assuredly destroying life at any stage. Refusing to fund health insurance programs for kids in this country, as GW has certainly done and further backed by some GOP in Congress (Note here: Huckleberries on-line has a roster of bloggers. F-words had quite a comment about Silly Rep. Bill Sali of Idaho as to why he wouldn't support SCHIP. Seems the fellow was afraid that terrorists and illegal immigrants would become beneficiaries. Well now, instead of attacking SCHIP, he could be questioning Alan Greenspan and GW about the "open borders" policy that most assuredly has benefited terrorists and illegal immigrants.)has put kids at any age, at risk. Would former Governor Mitt Romney actually see government as there to promote the common welfare? Or, as GW has done, throw bones to the special interests like the radical religious activists, but do nothing that shows much concern for the well-being of this country or its citizens. As far as I'm concerned, the only values that matter.
Then further, this is the same party that ignores sections of their bible when it comes to describing Jesus Christ. Christ never declared himself to be God. After the fact, only one of his followers was purported to have given Christ divine status. Otherwise, throughout the New Testament, Christ was identified as the "son of man," who declared God to be God but not himself by his own lips to be God, who starts a prayer with "Our Father who is in heaven...," who references God when it comes to worship and matters of all perfect love. Who prays to God on the last night of his freedom before his arrest and persecution. Who cries out to God while on the cross, why had God forsaken him? And afterwards, such as found in the Book of Revelations, seen as sitting on the right hand of God. Beyond one fellow, most of the New Testament sees Christ as the last of the prophets and the son of God. The lesser of God. Basically an eternal prince to the king. For Christians of a radical bent to ignore specific biblical passages where the evidence refutes their proclamation... Then the above comes as no surprise. So, they'll misconstrue everything else as well as they go on the march for secular political power. But, just because they do so, isn't justified by what's found in their bibles. Among the temptations of Christ, which he spurned, the Devil revealed he could have control over all known governments if he turned and worshiped the devil. Christ didn't seem to have wanted short term material power, when his eyes were on heaven.
If the devil were seen as representing material interests, of tempting men to go astray from a right path because of the existence of such interests: greed, political ambition, desires for power; well, then the purported followers of Christ today, have abandoned the lessons that Christ tried to teach them through their bibles. A "values party" that doesn't choose to exercise values? They've done more than create problems for the GOP who initially welcomed them for their organization and votes; and not just made it a bit more possible for Democrats to win big in 08 as Parker notes; they've destroyed their credibility and can be treated with the scorn they so richly deserve. Sali only represents a movement that has become more cult like than even the Mormons.
But, that's not their only problem. Maybe Ms. Parker has managed to expose something here about the radicalization of Christian activists. Despite the declarations of article 6 in the U.S. Constitution that those seeking public office aren't required to take religious tests; that's exactly what the "we want big government our way" radical religious demand of all GOP presidential candidates. So, the Declaration of Independence can be exploited by the "values party" when convenient; the U.S. Constitution should be a binding constraint on government when convenient; and ignored altogether by the same "values party" if it gets in the way of the government they want serving them exclusively!
Wow.
Among the highlights of Ms. Parker's column, James Dobson of "Focus on Theocracy (while exploiting the family)" expressed that he didn't want government funding the destruction of life at any stage. Oh? Putting taxpayer money into a war in Iraq is most assuredly destroying life at any stage. Refusing to fund health insurance programs for kids in this country, as GW has certainly done and further backed by some GOP in Congress (Note here: Huckleberries on-line has a roster of bloggers. F-words had quite a comment about Silly Rep. Bill Sali of Idaho as to why he wouldn't support SCHIP. Seems the fellow was afraid that terrorists and illegal immigrants would become beneficiaries. Well now, instead of attacking SCHIP, he could be questioning Alan Greenspan and GW about the "open borders" policy that most assuredly has benefited terrorists and illegal immigrants.)has put kids at any age, at risk. Would former Governor Mitt Romney actually see government as there to promote the common welfare? Or, as GW has done, throw bones to the special interests like the radical religious activists, but do nothing that shows much concern for the well-being of this country or its citizens. As far as I'm concerned, the only values that matter.
Then further, this is the same party that ignores sections of their bible when it comes to describing Jesus Christ. Christ never declared himself to be God. After the fact, only one of his followers was purported to have given Christ divine status. Otherwise, throughout the New Testament, Christ was identified as the "son of man," who declared God to be God but not himself by his own lips to be God, who starts a prayer with "Our Father who is in heaven...," who references God when it comes to worship and matters of all perfect love. Who prays to God on the last night of his freedom before his arrest and persecution. Who cries out to God while on the cross, why had God forsaken him? And afterwards, such as found in the Book of Revelations, seen as sitting on the right hand of God. Beyond one fellow, most of the New Testament sees Christ as the last of the prophets and the son of God. The lesser of God. Basically an eternal prince to the king. For Christians of a radical bent to ignore specific biblical passages where the evidence refutes their proclamation... Then the above comes as no surprise. So, they'll misconstrue everything else as well as they go on the march for secular political power. But, just because they do so, isn't justified by what's found in their bibles. Among the temptations of Christ, which he spurned, the Devil revealed he could have control over all known governments if he turned and worshiped the devil. Christ didn't seem to have wanted short term material power, when his eyes were on heaven.
If the devil were seen as representing material interests, of tempting men to go astray from a right path because of the existence of such interests: greed, political ambition, desires for power; well, then the purported followers of Christ today, have abandoned the lessons that Christ tried to teach them through their bibles. A "values party" that doesn't choose to exercise values? They've done more than create problems for the GOP who initially welcomed them for their organization and votes; and not just made it a bit more possible for Democrats to win big in 08 as Parker notes; they've destroyed their credibility and can be treated with the scorn they so richly deserve. Sali only represents a movement that has become more cult like than even the Mormons.
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