Maybe so, but I am giving churchgoers a chance to answer some questions that may change my or other's assumptions. I had no idea a lot of southern Protestants did not pray for the dead, for instance. Perhaps this explains in some way why they supported policies that lead to so many unnecessary Iraqi dead. I sincerely was puzzled why it was almost like the more religious they claimed to be, the more they supported the war. Of course an additional question is why the value the life of a fetus, but not Iraqi life-- at least as much as people of other faiths from a practical point of view. That could be the subject of another thread.
conservative Republican =/= conservative Christian. As memos from the white house and Delay's staff show, most Republicans regard Christians as kooks while they pander to us with their rhetoric.
Not praying for the dead doesn't mean you want people to die. That's two totally separate things. If soeone doesnt pray for the dead even if it's a relative does that mean they are indifferent to them dying? You're trying to make a connection that isn't there. Your assumption is wrong.
Yes. or was it another one? As a tourist there are only so many Nazi concentration camps you want to see. Close to Nurenberg or Munich. I have visited the Holocaust Museum in DC. Still don't think mainly Euro Jews have the right to displace Palestinians mainly through force or hold anyof the post 1967 War land etc. Out of justifiable German guilt, maybe they should have made Nurenberg the capital of Zion. Of course you need access to the sea.
asking genuine questions is a good thing. leads to better understanding of one another. but charging them with assumption and tone is another thing entirely. look...the conservative movement in the church that equates the flag with the cross is deeply troubling to a lot of believers. they are certainly vocal. but i'm seriously doubt they represent a majority of those who call themselves Christians around the country. i'm with you entirely...i find it frustrating and concerning. probably more than you do, because i see it as hijacking my faith for political purposes. i find the fish with the name Bush in the middle to be nothing short of offensive...not offensive that it was posted here, but that it was created in the first place.
This is Christianity, simplicity, faith, Jesus (if you want to know what Christianity really is get to know Jesus not 'church-goers', yes we church goers are supposed to be 'His' light but do you think?)- If we reflect Him a little in the world it is good, but we so often don't. I don't tell anyone to go to a church goer and get salvation, all we Christians have to offer is Jesus. It is simplicity, my nine year old son loves me, he follows me around, imitates me, and wants to do what I do all the time. He likes me to read him stories, and teach him things. He trusts me and he follows my requests with a smile on his face. We like to play monopoly together and he beat me yesterday and gave me a high five. He is nine years old and he doesn't hate anyone, he is not prejudiced and he likes to play legos. That is somewhat like following Christ. Whatever doctrine, dogma and politics you read into that is over my head. I have opinions about politics, the war in Iraq, abortion, and the Dallas Mavericks....opinions are only good for debate but I fail to see how they express love... I want to care about the poor, because Jesus cares so much about the poor... same goes for the fatherless and widows, and the rest of the world. The bible verse I think of is in the book of James in my own words it says this- "true Christianity that pleases God is to give your time and resources to take care of widows and those who are fatherless, and keep the evil of this world out of your heart"
You know. I thought I might have the wrong one. What is the name of the one by Nurenberg or Munich. I guess I sort of avoided the trap. OK, Googe here we come. Looks like it was Dachau. Anybody care to comare Dachau with Aushwitz, which was definitely bigger. I believe Dachau was one of the first. Killed a lot of left wingers and political opponents of Nazism there. Of course killed a lot of Jews, too.
I am going to assume you are wrong because Auschwitz is in Munich right next to Pere Lachaise Cemetery. There are a lot of Muslims buried there.
So why are so many Southern Baptists so opposed to the welfare state, when history shows clearly that in an advanced society like ours it leads to much less poverty overall than that given "out of the goodness of the heart" by frquent churchgoers . Unfortunaley I think that in some cases, the individual churchs and pastors gain more power if people are poor, stripped of the welfare state, and forced to rely on their local church vitrually to physically survive. I see this total dependency constantly as a lawyer working with the poor. I realize conservative think tanks and GOP types (the fought bitterly to avoid the social security system, medicare etc. and still do, though they have to be careful).have made some arguments.
I am against the war in Iraq- probably most in our church support it, but that is only an assumption, I really don't know.
I do think they are closer to the majority of Christians than not. That is how Bush was elected. God, Country, Family. War, Death Penalty, Consumerism. Mega Churches. Prayer in School. Fear of gay adoption and so on. I do no think this is the minority.
the whole church said Amen!! this concept is screamed over and over and over again in the Bible...OT and NT. Isaiah says that God says: "stop doing wrong! learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." God says this after tearing into religion... the only parable Jesus ever tells about someone going to hell (Gehanna) is the one where the rich man passes the poor man who lives just outside his mansion every day..and never helps him. a sin of omission. not caring for other people.
i've yet to see a case like this...or meet a pastor who thinks that way. i'm not saying it doesn't happen. i just have no experience with it. what power do pastors gain by this?
Don't want to derail the thread too much, but I'm not sure what you're saying here. Auschwitz, the cemetery or whatever you're referring to here, may very well be in Munich, but Auschwitz the death camp is very much not.
the vast majority of Christians in this country are in churches comprised of 100 people or less. they can't be swallowed up by the easy, breezy America-first mega-church doctrine (not to say all mega-churches preach that stuff).
