Posted on 07/04/2004 9:57:06 PM PDT by Gracey
If GOP is one party under Jesus, what's this Jew supposed to do?
By Dave Lieber
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Aside from not supporting Gov. Rick Perry's election bid, I can hardly remember the last time I did not vote for a Texas Republican.
I'm a fan of President George W. Bush, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, state Rep. Vicki Truitt and others.
But I have a dilemma with the Texas Republican Party, something that I can't reconcile.
On this precious Fourth of July, I will share it with you.
The Texas Republican Party met in San Antonio last month and approved a 2004 platform that included these words:
"The Republican Party of Texas affirms that the United States of America is a Christian nation."
My dilemma?
I am Jewish.
I am a Jewish Republican.
I am a Jewish Republican in Texas.
Where does this leave me?
My belief is that the United States is a religious nation under God. We are not necessarily a Christian nation but a nation that honors many religions.
It's troubling that those Republicans who wrote the platform forgot that this nation was founded on protecting the rights of minority religions. Many of our founders fled religious tyranny. America's Founding Fathers went out of their way to make sure that there was no established national religion.
So for guidance, I called our Republican officeholders and party officials.
I would like to thank several Republicans for their calming words. But before you read those, here are some that left me feeling excluded from my own nation, state and political party.
Tarrant County Republican Party Chairwoman Pat Carlson of Grapevine asked, "How else should we have referred to the nation? Should we have called ourselves the barbaric nation? What other terms should we have used?"
She added, "I think this is a Christian nation. People that attend church are probably predominantly Protestants or of the Christian belief. Again, I believe in the same New Testament you believe in."
I corrected her and explained that Jewish people believe in the Old Testament, not the New Testament.
Later she said, "You sound like a liberal that just wants to make an argument."
Heaven forbid.
State Rep. Bob Griggs, R-North Richland Hills, said he agrees with the platform. "Wouldn't you say the United States is a Christian nation?" he asked, sounding confused by my question.
Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Sandy Prindle of Keller said, "I don't have a quarrel in saying that the United States is a Christian nation, but a Christian nation can also be interpreted as a religious nation which encompasses all religions which encourage their members to do good for the community and get along with their fellow man."
Then why use the phrase Christian nation?
Now for the calming words.
Denton County Republican Party Chairwoman Dianne Edmondson of Denton said she prefers the language in another part of the platform that states: "Our nation was founded on fundamental Judeo-Christian principles based on the Holy Bible." She said, "If the wording is confusing, then I do apologize for that. It would have been better to word it just that way."
U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Highland Village, said, "I guess as a member of the party I apologize to you for offending you individually as a member of the Jewish faith, and perhaps they ought to look at their language a little more carefully in that instance."
Tarrant County Commissioner Glen Whitley of Hurst said he disagreed with the platform plank, adding: "The United States is a nation that believes in God, and I think its citizens believe in God in a lot of different ways."
State Rep. Truitt, R-Keller, said, "I am Christian and there's no doubt that it plays a significant role, but to say it is only a Christian nation is, I believe, inaccurate."
Finally, state Sen. Kim Brimer, R-Fort Worth, said, "The social reform sector of our party does overindulge themselves sometimes on different folks."
He added, "I am frustrated with a motive that we have to be an exclusive party of certain sorts. That's wrong. It never should be that way, and to alienate various religions is, to me, sinful."
On this Independence Day, I am grateful that many area Republicans are willing to take a stand independent from the dictates of our political party.
Dave Lieber's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. (817) 685-3830
dlieber@star-telegram.comwww.yankeecowboy.com
In the most free, most blessed land on earth, Mr. Lieber.
And, if you're smart, in the party that loves and fights for that freedom and blessing: the GOP.
I agree with you, Gracey. You are not alone in your reaction. The words are exclusionary, divisive, and unnecessary.
A number of people in the RPT apparently need to be reassured that others think just like they do. It's a human weakness. Recognize it for what it is.
There are things you can do. You've made your objection known, which helps. You can work for and donate to Republican candidates who don't push for or endorse such platform language.
Or as he's known in these parts, Beelzebubba.
> to just say that the USA is a Christian nation excludes a whole other substative source of morals and philosophy that undergirds this republic.
Indeed so. The Founders were heavily influenced by classical Greek civ (there's a reason why DC is packed full of buildings with Greek columns), and the true underpinnings of American jurisprudence was based on English Common Law... which was an evolved version of pre-Christian pagan Saxon Common Law, a fact Jefferson was fully aware of.
Everyone is free to worship as they choose, but our morals and our laws come from the Christian Bible. We dare not try to invent our own morals and laws from other sources. If a Jew is insulted or frightened by this, then there is always Israel, or any other country they choose, but the country can't be uprooted just because a minority can't accept 400 years of history. I can assure you that Christians cannot "hate" Jews because we were adopted in, or grafted into the root vine. We would be hating ouselves if we hated Jews. People that hate Jews are not Christians. Jew haters are in secular countries and Muslim countries, but our laws protect them, and everyone else, because we are a Christian nation.
The reason the Texas Republicans put it in as a plank was because of this mis-conception that is floating around. It is best to stop it now than let it run wild. No one is being harmed by it. The Christian faith is clear on the Holy Spirit being in charge of converts. The government, nor I can force someone to believe different that they do. You are free in a Christian country to believe as you wish. By the same token, my government can't squash my freedom to believe and worship as I wish. We won't however be cutting out tounges or beheading people as the Quran dictates, because we are not based on Mohamed's teaching.
Living in a Christian nation doesn't threaten anyone. Living in a pagan nation threatens everyone.
Appalled? at what that this is a Christian nation? It is also a caucasian nation. That the country was founded on Judeo Christian values? It was and our laws still reflect that ( at least on the criminal side). Look Michael Medved who is a person of the Jewish faith has no problem understanding what people mean when it is said we are a Christian nation, so why should this guy? Tha Taliban acknowledged only themselves as the authority of Allah and treated everyone like dirt. I don't see that happening anywhere within the religious right ( as the lame stream media likes to call it). Maybe everyone is just too busy looking for things to be upset with these days
> many American Jews (ACLU and other predominantly Jewish organizations) are the driving force that is trying remove
every vestige of Christian symbolism or tradition from our national culture.
Ummm.... hmmm. I'm not conspiratorially minded by nature, but... was that whole Stromfront thing before or after "IgnatiusReilly Since Jun 27, 2004?"
Your use of "Taliban" is histrionics.
How is it causing a problem? Where is it causing a problem? This is like saying that the Patriot Act has resulted in people losing their civil rights...show me explain. We ain't Turkey or Iraq or France , tahnk god for that....but then again maybe you forgot to put in the sarcasm symbol for me...
He spoke the truth and he also praised Jews in his post. That is hardly Stormfront.
More hysterics from moderates.
No one is denying others the privileged to practice their beliefs. The establishment clause only means the government will not establish a religion, like England which had the church of England where the King/Queen was the head of the church. There would be no Church of the U.S. with the President or the government as the head of the church.
The establishment clause doesn't mean there should be no religion, no matter what the ACLU says. The Free exercise means everyone is free to worship as they want, and they do but they seem to want the Christians to take a back seat and say nothing except in the churches behind closed doors, when it is the Christian principles this nation was founded on that gives those freedoms to other religions.
The countries I mentioned before have an established religion and other religions are not tolerated. If I decided to move to Israel tomorrow I would not be allowed citizenship. I guess I wouldn't have to worry about voting.
Actually you are incorrect. the resason that this is a Christian nation is two fold...the very foundation of the US is based upon a deep and abiding belief in a personal relationship with one's Creator held by the European Christians ( of various denomination) who came to this country and established a nation; secondly the majority of folks in the nation in fact claim to be Christian. Religious freedom is guaranteed to prevent the GOVERNMENT from establighing a theocracy. One is NOT free to practise whatever religion one wants ( eg you may not practise the Black mass, you may not legally be a snake handler, you may not practise polygamy). We deny religious practises all the time ( ask the Branch Davidians). You do not understand the COnstitution so perhaps you need to restudy it....particularly since this in the day of our Independence.
If the Jewish writer wants to switch parties because there are Christians in the Republican party, then he should do so, by all means. I just find it hard to believe anyone is a Republican because they are hiding from the radical Christian right.
Appalled? Really. I suppose you have issues with most of our founders who professed the same beliefs? Get a grip.
Is it any wonder that some call these folk, the "Taliban wing of the party?"
Liberal cheap shot; not worthy of comment.
FGS
As a Christian, I don't expect the Untied States of America to be in Heaven. That is a personal matter. I do however, hope any person in it and in the world will be found faithful to Chist, our Savior and Judge.
But if this proclamation means that we acknowledge "our Creator" as the Declaration puts it -- "our Lord" as the U.S. Constitution puts it, then I'm all for that. So it is also said in the proclamation I believe Lincoln signed.
Of course you are right. It is significant, though, that it was among American Christians that the idea of religious freedom sprung up. As some have pointed out, it never happened anywhere else. In fact, it didn't even happen in nominally Christian Europe until well after it happened here; you could say it didn't happen until after the Second World War.
And, of course, it looks as if they are losing the whole notion of freedom of conscience already. It is almost vaporous, freedom of conscience is, hard to keep.
If America ever loses its peculiarly American brand of Christianity, it will lose its peculiarly American brand of respect for individual conscience. We're the 500 lb canary in the mine. If we can be silenced when we are the vast majority, what makes anyone else think he can't be silenced as well?
There are secular Jews here who still despise Christian Conservatism as a bogeyman more than they do the Moon Rock Worshipping Terrs who have long had their number.
I know one in NYC who just saw FH911 and went on and on about No War and all this crap and Bushy is a religious right fanatic and whatnot and when I asked him who are Israel's biggest supporters and who would like to cut off every Jew's head with a dull hunting knife.....he just refused to acknowledge the obvious.
Old habits die hard and this writer sounds like he has more than a little in common with my friend.
However...there are a number of Jewish Conservatives on this forum who are a new inspiration and I believe many younger Jews post-911 have moved on beyond the red diaper baby stuff.
"It is a free nation, where people are free to practice whetever religious beliefs they follow"
That is unfortunately untrue, utopian and unworkable (Unless you will allow me the freedom to pursue my religion called the "Rape Pillage and Burn Satanic Pedophile Cannibalism Holy Cult").
The founding Fathers had a common religious heritage/foundation, called loosely Judeo Christian, anyone else was tolerated but considered abnormal. While we may tolerate peaceful religions (Bhudism, Hinduism come to mind), we cannot allow ourelves the "freedom" to become a Muslim nation (which in the end would be through force and intimidation AS PART OF THAT RELIGION) and would be suicidal.
My own feeling is that American Jews are really at no risk in this country from the Republican party, no matter how much it clims itself to be a Christian party. I think the Christian Right does have a justified fear of us becoming an atheist or muslim state.
It's a semantic argument. In the same breath in which the Texas conventioneers declared this a "Christian nation" they acknowledged that there is no official state religion.So their contention that this is a Christian nation is based solely on the fact that nearly all of the founders were Christians.Does that make this a Christian nation? Who knows?
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