Stop Calling Ted Cruz a Dominionist

Christianity Today ^ | April 6, 2016 | Robert Gagnon and Edith Humphrey

[2ndDivisionVet]

Senator Ted Cruz has often stated that Jesus Christ is central to his life. He talks about how his father had left his family but returned after receiving the gospel, how his mother turned to Christ, and how this changed his life:

I was raised in the church.… When I was eight years old… [I] gave [my life] to Jesus. … [To] know that… I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, nothing is more important to me. I am a new creature in Christ, and it [is] central to who I am today.

I couldn’t run for president without relying heavily on my faith…. From the day we launched the campaign, Heidi and I have prayed simply that his will would be done. Each day, we try not to seek his hand (asking for help winning the race), but rather to seek his face (praying that his love and glory would be seen every day in the campaign).

Cruz’s unashamed affirmation of Christ resonates deeply with many Christians. But it has also created concern among many Christians and non-Christians alike. In this article, we’d like to clarify what we believe are misrepresentations of Cruz’s faith and its relationship to his politics....

[Nifster]

Haven’t seen any anti-Christian comments on here. Not everyone here is of the same denomination or faith for that matter

This is why my momma and me as said one should never discuss religion with friends

[reaganaut]

except he is. And I am not taking anyone’s word for it but his own, his wife and his father’s.

[sasportas]

Yes, but this isn’t about Protestantism in general, this is specifically about Ted Cruz and his preacher Dad - who are Premillennial Baptists...NOT Dominionists.

Don’t let facts get in your way.

[Nifster]

Too clever by half

Intellectually dishonest to claim that those who don’t agree with you are not conservatives

[Iscool]

He just said last week he week to get rid of NATO. He got in trouble for it.

Trump said he would fix it...Replace it with something better...

Here’s his interview saying he’s for universal health care.

Donald Trump: —the government’s gonna pay for it. But we’re going to save so much money on the other side. But for the most it’s going to be a private plan and people are going to be able to go out and negotiate great plans with lots of different competition with lots of competitors with great companies and they can have their doctors, they can have plans, they can have everything.

Well then it's not universal healthcare then, is it...You are just as dishonest as Cruz...

[M. Thatcher]

Get this blasphemy out of my sight.

Amen.

[truth_seeker]

Anointed. Theocratic worldview.

To put it terms Ted should understand, the aforementioned are not in OUR Constitution.

[sargon]

Stop Calling Ted Cruz a Dominionist

Ted Cruz, you're a Dominionist.

[imardmd1]

Sorry, HTRN, I find your post not to be self-consistent. It demonstrates a prejudice toward the behavior of one who will expect you to serve the god of this world and not the God of Heaven; as compared to one who will wish you to believe in and serve the God of Heaven, but will provide you to serve whatever god you want, and allow you to take the consequences that follow.

I'm glad you still have the freedom to follow your opinion, but I've been disappointed in the judgment of FRiends who have identified themselves as "Christians" but have leaned toward Trump in this issue, so far.

In some, I just count it as lack in spiritual maturity, or lack in understanding of the American heritage, or both. However, it may be entirely within God's permissive will that the Godless temporarily triumph. In that case those who love Christ can expect a great increase in the persecution they are already experiencing.

Electing Trump or Clinton or Sanders to the chief magistrate's office would only be a culmination of the foolishness driving this election cycle.

Let me ask you: Did you read this article through from start to finish on the CT site?

[Iscool]

When Ben Carson asserted he “would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation,” Cruz rejected that view: “The Constitution specifies there shall be no religious test for public office, and I am a constitutionalist.”

This is the one that clinched it for me...One does not have to read into the Federalist papers too far or any of the writings of the Founders to know that they would reject a member of Izlam from becoming the President of the United States...

So, then, Cruz is committed not to a theocratic state, but to Judeo-Christian values that benefit all of America, and affirms the right of Jews, Christians, and Muslims to act consistently with their beliefs.

Oh really Ted??? The President could remove the American Flag from the White House along with all bibles and set up a mosque in the West Wing???

No thanks Ted...It may be legal Constitutionally but I'll never vote for someone who panders for the terrorist muzlim vote...

In my view if Ted was a real Christian he would recognize that the so-called muzlim religion is the enemy of God and has no place in our government...

[The Citizen Soldier]

Ted Cruz, you're a Dominionist.

Just out of curiousity, does dominionist have anything to do with dominos? I ask because I am a really good domino player, and I sure wouldn't care if someone called me a Dominionist. Heck, I'd consider it a complement.

If you ask me, Ted Cruz and his supporters seem a little thin skinned. They called Abraham Lincoln a gorilla (which seems a whole lot worse than a dominionist), and he just laughed it off and went on to win the presidency. Oh well, just because I'm feeling a little frivolous tonight, I think I'll join you.

Ted Cruz, you're a Dominionist.

[napscoordinator]

Good riddence. Oh how we will miss your 15 months of wisdom. Not!

[Springfield Reformer]

Here’s his interview saying he’s for universal health care.

Donald Trump: —the government’s gonna pay for it. But we’re going to save so much money on the other side. But for the most it’s going to be a private plan and people are going to be able to go out and negotiate great plans with lots of different competition with lots of competitors with great companies and they can have their doctors, they can have plans, they can have everything.

Well then it's not universal healthcare then, is it...You are just as dishonest as Cruz...

Actually, that's a pretty apt description of what Obamacare aspires to be.  The healthcare exchanges were originally supposed to be a kind of managed private competition. It doesn't work because the government involvement corrupts the natural behavior of the free market. It's really a fascist system, an unholy synthesis of government and private sector powers.  Here's a more complete transcript from which the above text is taken:

Donald Trump: Obamacare’s going to be repealed and replaced. Obamacare is a disaster if you look at what’s going on with premiums where they’re up 40, 50, 55 percent.

Scott Pelley: How do you fix it?

Donald Trump: There’s many different ways, by the way. Everybody’s got to be covered. This is an un-Republican thing for me to say because a lot of times they say, “No, no, the lower 25 percent that can’t afford private. But–”

Scott Pelley: Universal health care.

Donald Trump: I am going to take care of everybody. I don’t care if it costs me votes or not. Everybody’s going to be taken care of much better than they’re taken care of now.

Scott Pelley: The uninsured person is going to be taken care of. How? How?

Donald Trump: They’re going to be taken care of. I would make a deal with existing hospitals to take care of people. And, you know what, if this is probably–

Scott Pelley: Make a deal? Who pays for it?

Donald Trump: —the government’s gonna pay for it. But we’re going to save so much money on the other side. But for the most it’s going to be a private plan and people are going to be able to go out and negotiate great plans with lots of different competition with lots of competitors with great companies and they can have their doctors, they can have plans, they can have everything.

So you owe Linda Frances an apology.  Any reasonable reader of that text would be crazy if they didn't read that as universal healthcare. It absolutely is, at least in that interview, and that's from back last September, IIRC.

Here's the thing people. There is real spiritual danger in running around trying to win political arguments by accusing fellow FReepers of dishonesty. There may be real dishonesty going on here. But I sincerely believe that almost 100% of the beliefs expressed here are sincerely held.  The person may or may not have done their research, or they may have a blind spot, but they are telling you what they really believe is true, and that's not dishonest. We are vessels of clay. We've got no business launching off on each other with accusations of the heart that only God could verify. No earthly political fight is worth the descent into this kind of hellish lovelessness. This makes me so sad I could cry.

Peace,

SR

[imardmd1]

Cruz has been willing to face and brave out the intense persecution he is facing because of his beliefs and despite his record as a statesman and "original intent" Constitutionalist. I am humbled by his courage to submit himself to such abuse, win or lose, God's Will prevailing.

To me, he is a bottle of shampoo above any of his adversaries.

[Heart-Rest]

"OK. He believes in that seven mountains crap then."

---

They all misunderstood Cruz.   He was really talking about the "Seven-Mountie Dominatrix".

[imardmd1]

In my view if Ted was a real Christian he would recognize that the so-called muzlim religion is the enemy of God and has no place in our government...

This shows your ignorance of both the Christian values and the Founders' intents.

(1) You cannot force Christ on anyone -- He will not have it, despite the force with which the statist church has put behind their efforts; and

(2) Realizing this our Founders also knew that they could not force their sense of liberty on anyone who would accept it only by choosing their representatives to deflect heathen influences.

As a brilliant and thoroughly competent constitutional lawyer, Cruz has won his arguments on the same basis as our Founders.

You need to study this out for yourself. The experience gained by Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson from their debacle with Falwell's Moral Majority is recorded in their paperback "Blinded By Might" shows that your approach does not work, and is foolish. It's still available, and cheaply.

[LowOiL]

Figures that you low information Cruz types would need someone to do your research for you.

Trump still was owner of 10% or so of the company in 2014. He had a contract and a code of operation in effect. He sued in 2014 for not following that code. Negotiations with the strip club though began way back in 2009 or 2010.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/atlantic-city_pleasantville_brigantine/new-york-strip-club-scores-seeks-to-open-inside-trump/article_5f99aab2-b563-11df-82d5-001cc4c03286.html

Thus the 2010 quote on the CasinoConnectionAC web site. QUOTE: Trump Hopes AC Strip Club will ‘Take Off’ /End Quote

http://casinoconnectionac.com/issue/october-2010/article/trump-hopes-ac-strip-club-will-take-off

Also note this tidbit: According to reports, Trump Taj Mahal would not operate the strip club, only lease the space. /end

In 2004 Trump owned 56% of the stock. But the first bankrupcy reduced him to 27% stock owner, but it was still the largest stock holder. Thus Trump retained control of it's direction.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/6556470/

I think the Second Bankruptcy was in 2009. I also think the Third Bankruptcy was in 2009. Sometime in 2010 after all the court wrangling (to keep his name or not on the building) Trump and Avenue Capital teamed together with Trump still holding 10% capital in Trump Entertainment Resorts (TER). Avenue Capital still got to use Trump's name.

So we are at the critical time of negations with the strip clubs. 2010. Trump either still owned controlling interest at 27% right before he dropped down to 10%. Or Trump only owned 10% but still had some hand in the dealings because otherwise why would he say "he hoped it (strip clubs) took off". Perhaps you can have better luck than I did finding the exact timeline.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-10-19/trump-teams-with-avenue-s-lasry-to-pursue-online-gaming-venture

Instead he signed an agreement with Avenue Capital in which he would receive 5% stock in the reorganized company and another 5% in exchange for the use of his name and likeness in perpetuity.

He also had an agreement that certain standard be kept. He sued in 2014 due to them not keeping his standards (which he claimed hurt his name brand). So somewhere he had an agreement that to use his name, they had to do certain things. Upkeep of building, food, etc. but code of conduct on who they could rent to obvious was not in the contract.

We know In 2013, the Taj Mahal opened the nation's first casino strip club. But the issue was when it was deal negotiated. That was back in 2009 or more likely 2010. Trump was still very much a part of the equation back then. What isn't known is if he was still majority leader at the time of deal was finalized.

[Bubba Gump Shrimp]

Knock it off, or Cruz will call out iCarly to defend his honor!

[Frederick303]

I think Christians are told not to judge another persons state of grace with G-d, so Christians really should not do so with Ted Cruz. He could be a flawed one in one manner or another and still very much be a believer. One does not know what resides in his heart.

That said, in may religions , not only Christianity, there are those that for whatever reason seek the good things it offers us, without ever paying the price. Not tithing, I think that can be debated but as to actions. Most folks I have come to love and respect who were man and women of faith, have had some time in their life when they put some desire of their own aside because of principle or belief that something was bigger than them. Perhaps ambition was halted to take care of their kids or some pressing issues that only they could attend to.

Now in researching Mr. Cruz, with the exception of his stance in Iowa on ethanol, I cannot really find an example where his beliefs caused him to turn down or risk advancement and personal gain due to principle. Of course I could be in error.

Could anyone identify such? I ask sincerely, as I think it would go along way to reassuring those who doubt him if one can so at least one or two examples. None is perfect, but flawed men who show the ability to sacrifice are due some respect and it helps build trust.

Now at the same time, if a man is godly, as I understand it, the idea of “bearing false witness” is kind of bothersome to them. As I understand it, bearing false witness is saying or being quiet when something false is said about someone.

Now on that issue Mr. Cruz can be judged on his works and his works alone (not his inner faith). lets look at his victory speech on March the first:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7oOWkFljzA

Listen to this video. There are 6 false statements in his speech. That seems to me to be bearing false witness.

What is one to make of that? Does he convince himself they are not false statements because of some lawyer interpretation? If so it leaves the listener with a false impression of Mr. Trumps current stance on positions, is he blind to that? Cruz folks; can you see why Trump fans would be suspicious of him? be fair about it.

Not to say Trump is not equally flawed and has told some whoppers, but to deny that Cruz has said false things about trump is well, simply not looking at the facts.

Before you go off on Trump, none of the above is a defense of Trump. If you care to respond address the issues raised above.

By the Bye, flawed or not, Trump/Cruz 2016 with Cruz 2020 is still the best chance the country has to right our ship, flawed candidates or not.

[Just mythoughts]

I have a very simple question for you... I do not need a lecture and brow beaten as though you hold superior knowledge and understanding.

Why did God have it recorded two times, Esau I hate? The answer to that question puts in perspective which Jesus Cruz follows. The point I reference is to our Founders, who place a specific requirement for presidential qualification ‘natural born’ US citizen... Natural born US citizenship is akin to a ‘birthright’ that only two US citizen parents giving birth to their child on US soil bequeaths ‘natural born’ citizenship. Cruz is a natural born Canadian, and there is NONE who can bequeath him US ‘natural born’ citizenship, under the Founders original intent.

The notion of Cruz’s brilliance and thoroughly competent constitutional lawyer is greatly execrated by the uniformed.

Once Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of RED pottage (lentils) God made sure Esau lost the blessing.