Posted on 07/26/2015 3:02:38 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Make no mistake about it: Religion and politics are closely intertwined. And in the Republican party, they’re practically synonyms.
Yesterday, we learned that billionaire brothers Farris and Dan Wilks were donating $15 million to Ted Cruz‘s Presidential campaign (via a super PAC), making it the largest political contribution for any candidate this cycle and among the largest ever. And they’re doing it, in large part, because it’s the best way to further their religious agenda:
“Our country was founded on the idea that our rights come from the Creator, not the government. I’m afraid we’re losing that,” Farris Wilks, a 63-year-old pastor in the small town of Cisco, said in a statement to CNN. “Unless we elect a principled conservative leader ready to stand up for our values, we’ll look back on what once was the land of opportunity and pass on a less prosperous nation to our children and grandchildren. That’s why we need Ted Cruz.”
…
Driven mostly by their opposition to abortion and their fear that their religious sect — which interprets every word of the Bible literally — is under attack, Dan and Farris Wilks have slowly become more accustomed to funding campaigns…
…
“We need a true leader in Washington,” Farris’ younger brother, Dan, 59, said in the statement. “A leader that will stand up for biblical morals…”
You can read more about the fracking billionaires here.
Their actual religious beliefs are a little unorthodox. The Wilks belong to (and preach at) the Assembly of Yahweh 7th Day in Texas, “which preaches a mix of Christianity and Judaism and holds the Bible as infallible.” (Somehow, with all their money, they haven’t spent a dime updating that website.)
In practice, though, they fit in snugly with the Religious Right. Besides pushing hard-right policies, these are brothers who have given money to Prager University — which teaches that, without the Ten Commandments, atheists would never know murder is wrong — and David Lane, a Christian activist who wants the Bible used as a textbook in every public school. Frightening stuff.
There are all sorts of reasons a Ted Cruz presidency would be a disaster (which I know you could say for just about every GOP candidate right now), but he’s got a lot of support from people who want this nation to become one large church… and they have very deep pockets.
This is what we’re up against and why we must remain vigilant and active. They may have money, but we can overcome that by getting to the polls and encouraging others to join us. I know how idealistic and naïve that sounds, but it’s the truth. Even if Cruz doesn’t get the GOP nomination, these donors will do anything they can to keep a liberal out of the White House.
Okay by me…...
The “friendly atheist” seems tied to a particular party.
So?
Get back to me after you have offed Soros, oh Obamahole sniffing athiest.
it’s the nature of the beast. running for president costs a sh*tload of money.
the question is not, and never has been, whether raising the money is somehow disqualifying. the question is whether the money buys the donor influence; whether the candidate is changed by the money being donated. (See: Hillary Clinton)
I don’t think any sane person would attempt to say that about ted cruz. if the man has nothing else going for him (and he manifestly does), he has unquestionable integrity.
Move over, Koch Brothers.
Harry Reid has NEW boogiemen to disturb his sleep.
“If you can’t eat their food, drink their booze, screw their women, take their money and then vote against them you’ve got no business being up here.” - Jesse Unruh
What are they 7th Day Adventist Fundamentalist or what? sounds a lot like Jerry Falwell on steroids!
7th-Day Adventists are often absolutely complete nut-jobs. But I don’t have to agree with someone’s religious doctrine to be grateful that they are ponying up to prevent the destruction of America.
The big question, though: Is this $15 million part of the Cruz’ initial hawl, or is this on top of it?
WORKS FOR ME!
Looking at the site’s comments, they must purge the place of conservative-leaning atheists, or I’m a rarer beast than I thought.
This coming from a guy who supports Democrats who no doubt will get Planned Parenthood donations, funded in large part by the sale of aborted baby body parts. Yes, but Ted Cruz is getting money by “evil” religious zealots who want to turn the nation into one giant “church”. Considering the immoral cesspool the nation has become under the left that might not be such a bad idea.
From the posted article.
snip
Their actual religious beliefs are a little unorthodox. The Wilks belong to (and preach at)
the Assembly of Yahweh 7th Day in Texas, “which preaches a mix of Christianity and Judaism
and holds the Bible as infallible.”
]end snip
Great news! Cruz and Trump should team up to destroy Jeb, and then Walker — EARLY, so the GOPe is left decimated, and the base can re-assert itself, as in 1980.
Atheists are indeed a funny breed. We all know what is said about Atheists and fox holes.
My good friend, an Atheist, has been hospitalized for three weeks with Guillain-Barre and is mostly paralyzed. She can breathe on her own and use her hands somewhat. I asked if we could pray for her and her unequivocal, immediate answer was “Please do.” We have asked all the praying people we know to remember her and our family is consistently praying for her.
Years ago she told me “I don’t believe in God,” and I said “Well, God Believes in you.” She looked at me a long time bemusedly. At the end of the day most Atheists are not deeply sincere about their expressed belief.
They got their money out of the Fracking business which they
sold in 2011 for some $3.4 billion.
A distraction is imperative to divert the public mind from the grossly unethical and illegal activities of Planned Parenthood.
I checked out the whatever you want to call them, Came into existence in 1969. The brothers obtained there wealth by bricklayers (Masons), and also Fracking of Oil. They sold their business to a Singapore based business. The Farris Guy is in the Forbes 400 and the guy is only the 1537 richest guy in the world. Yes there will be something to worry about as they would probably want some of their religious tenents shoved down our throats kinda like the Moslems and Sharia Law too.
Sounds like more whackos!
Absolutely the right thing.
I never heard of these guys but they know how to be good stewards of their money.
Ted Cruz is a stalwart on religious liberty and all things Constitutional, isn’t he? The Wilks brothers certainly think so.
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