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Jesus would vote Democratic
Left Wing Seattle Times ^ | Thursday, August 18, 2005 | LINDA VALDEZ

Posted on 08/18/2005 7:34:07 AM PDT by against_kerry

The Democrats turn their lonely eyes to Hillary: Give us a message. Lead us home.

Even for the Wonder Woman of the Party of JFK, this is no easy task. How to decry the excesses of the Bush administration and the GOP Congress without validating the label "The Party of No"?

How to lure enough GOP votes to win elections at a time when Democrat means liberal and liberal is a term of derision?

A Web site set up by a minister and his daughter (www.liveliberal.com) has an answer you can wear on a T-shirt: "Liberal is not a dirty word."

Retired Lutheran minister Daniel Bruch of Live Liberal gets right to the point: "I don't know if Jesus was the first liberal, but he was an important one."

Jesus taught love, tolerance, forgiveness, charity and humility. Don't take my word for it. Read the New Testament. It's not that long. And it's not about fire-and-brimstone fundamentalism, judging one another or dominating the Earth. It outlines a philosophy based on a really radical idea: Love your creator, love yourself, love your neighbor as yourself.

When it comes to following this lesson, the current administration "is walking 180 degrees opposite of the person they call their savior," Bruch said in a phone interview.

On their Web site, Bruch and daughter Sarah offer quotes and essays on liberalism that Hillary Rodham Clinton should work into her speeches. For example, "liberals support changes that increase personal freedom and tolerance, and exercise the liberty to empower government to the extent necessary to achieve those ends."

Instead of trying to make their best candidate, Clinton, into a vanilla-flavored, inoffensive centrist, Democrats ought to boldly point out that liberals provided the impetus to move society toward acceptance of civil rights, women's rights, children's rights, consumers' rights, etc.

Liberals also deserve "family values" mantle because the 40-hour workweek, laws against child labor and other protections for workingmen and women were liberal ideas of old. High-quality childcare is a liberal idea for today's working families.

They should be "for" better wages.

They should be "for" national health care.

They should be "for" being liberals. They should point out that Jesus was a liberal, too.

Somehow, Democrats let others define them as elitist snobs. That label, not the liberal label, is the one Democrats have to shake.

Can Hillary help them do it?

She has the charisma and the intelligence -- and she has infinite patience, or Bill would be toast. She needs the guts to take a proud left turn and loudly proclaim that the United States is not a "Christian nation" in any pinched or exclusionary way. It's a nation that honors the individual rights of pagans, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and others, as well as Christians.

It is also nation that acts for the common good in ways that were meticulously outlined by a radical liberal named Jesus. Linda Valdez is an editorial writer at The Arizona Republic. She can be reached at linda.valdez@arizonarepublic.com


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: christianvote
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To: mariabush

I never said he wouldn't be a conservative.


21 posted on 08/18/2005 7:45:37 AM PDT by cripplecreek (If you must obey your party, may your chains rest lightly upon your shoulders.)
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To: SideoutFred
I'm having a tough time picturing Jesus as a NARAL rally.

I can picture Jesus there. The phrase "Go and sin no more" comes to mind.

22 posted on 08/18/2005 7:46:11 AM PDT by Texican72
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To: Russ

23 posted on 08/18/2005 7:47:42 AM PDT by ran15
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To: against_kerry

Jesus voting for the party of abortion, euthanasia, homosexual marriage, Islamo-cuddling, etc? Sounds a little retarded to me.


24 posted on 08/18/2005 7:48:21 AM PDT by exile (Exile - Helen Thomas tried to lure me into her Gingerbread House.)
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To: Uncledave

It's a nation that honors the individual rights of pagans, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and others, as well as Christians.

Interesting she lists pagans first.

The newest liberal "thing" is to use religion against Christians. They'll take something out of the bible, something they don't believe in the first place, and use it as a sledge hammer against Christians. It's nasty, but they think it's funny. The last comment "as well as Christians" tells you something too.

25 posted on 08/18/2005 7:49:51 AM PDT by GOPJ
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To: against_kerry

Linda Valdez is an editorial writer at The Arizona Republic. She can be reached at linda.valdez@arizonarepublic.com.


26 posted on 08/18/2005 7:50:03 AM PDT by goodnesswins (Our military......the world's HEROES!)
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To: against_kerry

I don't know about Jesus being a Democrat, but Molech certainly would be.


27 posted on 08/18/2005 7:50:44 AM PDT by chimera
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To: against_kerry
They should point out that Jesus was a liberal, too. ...

She needs the guts to take a proud left turn and loudly proclaim that the United States is not a "Christian nation" in any pinched or exclusionary way. It's a nation that honors the individual rights of pagans, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and others, as well as Christians.

LOL!

28 posted on 08/18/2005 7:51:00 AM PDT by plain talk
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Comment #29 Removed by Moderator

To: cripplecreek
Well if Jesus were a conservative, he would not be a Democrat nor an Independent. Independents are on the fence, and they never see things as black or white. Jesus is a person of absolutes.
30 posted on 08/18/2005 7:52:07 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek ("Over there, Over there, we will be there until it is Over there.")
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To: against_kerry

Jesus doesn't vote he leads.


31 posted on 08/18/2005 7:52:45 AM PDT by Echo Talon (http://echotalon.blogspot.com)
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To: against_kerry

Jesus would probably start his own political party.

I doubt he would support politicians who approve of murdering unborn babies, pornography, homosexuality, state supported atheism, and other personal sexual perversions (Democrats).

I doubt if he would be a part of a political party which has thus far demonstrated a total ineptitude for fulfilling the desires of those who place them in office
(Republicans.)


32 posted on 08/18/2005 7:53:20 AM PDT by ZULU (Fear the government which fears your guns. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: mariabush

I'm glad you have a direct line.


33 posted on 08/18/2005 7:53:29 AM PDT by cripplecreek (If you must obey your party, may your chains rest lightly upon your shoulders.)
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To: against_kerry

"Even for the Wonder Woman of the Party .."

PLEASE!! The vision of Hitlery dressed up as Wonder Woman makes me want to vomit.

Where is the BARF alert?


34 posted on 08/18/2005 7:54:43 AM PDT by ZULU (Fear the government which fears your guns. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: against_kerry; All

I remember a thread from earlier this week related to this article that was about a response op-ed that debunked each one of this derranged fellow's points. I attempted to find it via the search terms "JESUS", "LIBERAL" or "DEMOCRAT".

Alas, I had no luck.

Is anybody else able to remember/find it?


35 posted on 08/18/2005 7:54:59 AM PDT by GreenAccord (Scratch & Sniff)
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To: Russ
A Mega-Barf Alert is mandatory with articles like this...

Hows this?


36 posted on 08/18/2005 7:55:10 AM PDT by BureaucratusMaximus (The function of socialism is to raise suffering to a higher level.)
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To: against_kerry
at a time when Democrat means liberal and liberal is a term of derision

Hasn't that ALWAYS been the case?

37 posted on 08/18/2005 7:55:30 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it.)
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To: All

Keep in mind...Jesus is and always will be PRO LIFE...End of Story!!!


38 posted on 08/18/2005 7:55:58 AM PDT by PatriotBill
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To: against_kerry

This latest lefty fad of imbuing liberal qualities on Jesus is puzzling. Why are the imagined political leanings of a man so reviled by them so important to them?


39 posted on 08/18/2005 7:56:00 AM PDT by Right Brother
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To: against_kerry

YOU WISH!!!


40 posted on 08/18/2005 7:56:38 AM PDT by Schichtel (Scorch)
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