Posted on 02/20/2012 10:59:24 AM PST by tobyhill
There has been much chatter in recent days about the reinjection of religious matters into the presidential campaign, with a focus on the increasingly bitter debate over Catholics and contraception. But Rick Santorum has just opened up a new and dangerous front in the culture wars.
We are now being asked to debate which of the Christians running for president is really a Christian. I am referring here not to questions about Mitt Romney, whose Mormonism according to many evangelicals is not the right theological stuff, but to questions about President Barack Obama.
In the past, the strategy on the right was to intimate that Obama was a closet Muslim (he is not.) It was too crass even for our crassest politicians to come out and utter this falsehood, so, when asked about Obama’s faith, the strategy was to say, “If the president says he’s a Christian, he’s a Christian.”
(Excerpt) Read more at religion.blogs.cnn.com ...
you see, that is the deal, I can’t name any. So yes they are suspect, I agree. But we still are not in position to declare who is or who is not Christian. That is a big problem not only for me, but for many. We should not go down that road.
It is up to the Christ to say who He considers to be one of his followers and who is not:
Luke 6:46
(46) And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Later, He dictates to John, who writes in Revelation 22:
Revelation 22:11-15:
(11) He acting unjustly, let him still act unjustly. And the filthy, let him be filthy still. And the righteous, let him be righteous still. And the holy, let him be holy still.
(12) And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according as his work is.
(13) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, the First and the Last.
(14) Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.
(15) But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie.
(and ‘dogs’ is slang for homosexuals)
What are “His commandments”?
Mark 10:19
(19) You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and your mother.
God is not mocked! It is pretty clear who strives to conform their public actions and private thoughts to what Jesus says and who does not. This is why there is so much push-back on the left to any discussion about this in the public square.
ML/NJ
Exactly wrong. He needs to expand on his attack on Obamas secularism and Gaia worship while relating it to Obamas dictatorial abridgement of the 1A and gasoline prices that have already reached 4 bucks a gallon here in Ct.
The same group which subscribes to these wild distortions is equally quick to p*ss on Mormons.
Together these two denominations alone constitute about 1/3rd of the GOP electorate, plus a goodly share of the rest of us who are turned off by this sick religious bigotry. Where do you propose to get the third you want to drive away?
If Obama was a Christian he would have opposed the murder of his lovers at Trinity Church.
I could not agree with you anymore!... Yes, he is "on our side" simply by not being of santan's side as OHOMO clearly is, in terms of morality in general. However, I would like him to concentrate on the problems that affect everyone and not make the "Christianity" subject his central theme. Now, there is not question he is going to be asked ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS on morality, just to see if he makes a mistake of some sort... and HE WILL HAVE TO BE READY to explain his points of view and MOVE ON to the central issues.
You have every right to believe what you wish to believe. But....please do not chastise me for speaking what my own eyes see and my own ears hear from the words and actions of Obama and his wife. I think you should become a more astute student of history....focusing on those who would wrap themselves in the banner of religion to achieve their own destructive and power hungry goals!!! I will gladly respect your opinion, provided you give me and others the same courtesy!!!
does that include your side or only dems
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. Romans 13:1
I think our founding fathers set up our constitution knowing what it was to be considered “subjects” in the old world. I believe Obama works for us, not the other way around. We can fire him. Yet, he now has authority and we should show respect; which is really really hard. That does not mean we can’t disagree with him and have debates on the issues & talk about what he has said, written, done....
There are many times when people stood up against the authority who was wrong. Daniel, all the disciples, Paul.....
——Truth be known, Santorum hasn’t the slightest idea what constitutes a Christian, since he has worshiped Ishtar/Mary all his own life.
St. Thomas and St. Augustine would be surprised to find out that they worshipped Ishtar and Mary.
No offense taken. I always enjoy a good laugh!
Yo, Prothero, here’s my take:
It is not deciding who is or isn’t a Christian to question someone’s Christian values. Many in that day will cry, “Lord, Lord...”
Twit.
Who is this Propspero guy to say Obummer isn't a closet Muslim? If it makes sense to say someone is a Christian because they say they are, then I have 3 Doctorates and 7 Masters degrees - who wants to hire me?
Thanks for your post #16. I agree.
Again, I object to that graphic.
Traditional Christians, be they Orthodox, Latin, Coptic, Armenian, or Assyrian face east when praying: along a line of latitude.
I do not suppose you mean to imply that Obama is one of us (and I trust all other Orthodox, Latin, Coptic, Armenian or Assyrian Christian FReepers would resent the implication if you did).
If you want to imply he is a Muslim, replace “east” with “Mecca”. Muslims never face the same direction as Christians, since the direction toward Mecca is always along a great circle, not a line of latitude (Mecca not being on the equator, the only line of latitude which is a great circle), and there are only a small region of the world in which the great circle toward Mecca is even approximately due east, and the United States is not in it.
Or better still, scrap that graphic.
The Roman Ishtar/Mary cult was founded in the 4th century, long after Augustine assumed room temperature.
They love to pretend that the early, real Christians had gone astray too, but history rebuts that foolish idea.
Who is Ishtar? I went to Catholic grade and high school and have never heard that name. I am now belong ot a Evangelical Free Church, but I really never heard of Istar. I am a Santorum supporter. He is not the typical Catholic if you listen to him. I also agree with him when he says the protestant church is in shambles. Look at the P churches who are ordaining gay ministers or saying abortion is ok. Ted Haggard, Joel Osteen who says mormons are Christian. The churches are in trouble.
Here is one of his comments:
This is not a political war at all. This is not a cultural war. This is a spiritual war. And the Father of Lies has his sights on what you would think the Father of Lies would have his sights on: a good, decent, powerful, influential country - the United States of America. If you were Satan, who would you attack in this day and age. There is no one else to go after other than the United States and that has been the case now for almost two hundred years, once America’s preeminence was sown by our great Founding Fathers.
He didn’t have much success in the early days. Our foundation was very strong, in fact, is very strong. But over time, that great, acidic quality of time corrodes even the strongest foundations. And Satan has done so by attacking the great institutions of America, using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of the strong plants that has so deeply rooted in the American tradition.
Santorum describes how the “Father of Lies” attacked four pillars of American society-academia, culture, politics, and the church-to bring about the nation’s downfall. Decrying the lax sexual mores of American society and attributing that to the general decline of societal structures isn’t new for those of Santorum’s ilk, but his comments about Protestant churches are striking, especially considering his newfound base is comprised largely of Evangelical Christians. Santorum claims that Satan weaseled his way into universities to educate leaders who belonged to Protestant churches, churches that are no longer Christian:
And so what we saw this domino effect, once the colleges fell and those who were being education in our institutions, the next was the church. Now you’d say, ‘wait, the Catholic Church’? No. We all know that this country was founded on a Judeo-Christian ethic but the Judeo-Christian ethic was a Protestant Judeo-Christian ethic, sure the Catholics had some influence, but this was a Protestant country and the Protestant ethic, mainstream, mainline Protestantism, and of course we look at the shape of mainline Protestantism in this country and it is in shambles, it is gone from the world of Christianity as I see it. So they attacked mainline Protestantism, they attacked the Church, and what better way to go after smart people who also believe they’re pious to use both vanity and pride to also go after the Church.
Obama could clear this up by simply saying:
“I have come to this position as President in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ!”
Game over.........but, we all know he can’t say that with his own lips......a press release doesn’t count.
Real Christians pray without ceasing, and in whatever direction they may be pointing at the time.
Pagans pray in accordance with the traditions that they worship in place of Christ.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.