Posted on 10/27/2006 8:29:35 AM PDT by Mr. Brightside
This alone demonstrates his lack of principles and judgment. It is a sexual act, and should be condemned. Proof of multiculturism run amok, and Webb should not win a senate seat!"
Exactly.
Webb should've left it alone.
Instead, he revealed his thinking behind his authorship, and it was uglier than his prose.
I don't question the fact you're not a Republican - I'm not either (though I do support a majority of their candidates). I think many people would simply ask, 'why claim party affiliation at all'? I can understand why my grandfather stubbornly claimed to be a Democrat to the day he died - but he was never one to foster debate and discussion over the issue.
But those authors are not running for the United States Senate.............
"How can you be a CHristian (by your tagline) and identify yourself with the party of abortion, euthanasia, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, etc. I have always wanted to honestly ask a Christian and a democrat that question."
Fair enough question. But keep in mind that I can only answer that for myself.
I guess I'd start by pointing out that the Democratic party is not ideologically homogenous. There are radical leftists, moderate leftists, and a handful of conservatives, libertarians, and what-have-you in the party. The current leadership is mostly of the radical left or socialist bent. But that is not completely true of the leadership, nor is it completely representative of the rank and file. For the sake of disclosure, I'm not in a position of leadership in the party, and doubt I'd ever want to be.
There are actually quite a few Christians who are also Democrats. You're not likely to run into them, though, if your frame of reference is conservative and predominantly white. Because these Christians tend to be left of center politically and black. The truth is that there are a lot of Christian Democrats out there whose devotion to prayer, Bible study, and spirituality leaves me in the dust. There are also Democrats who are pro-life. The current governor of Virginia is one prominent example. The opponent running against Senator Santorum (Bob Casey??) is another.
Contrary to the beliefs of some conservatives, when you join the Democratic party you don't sign an oath of eternal allegiance to hillary, naral and beelzebub.
It's interesting that your post identifies the Democratic party as being the party of abortion, euthanasia, cloning, and embryonic stem research. And I think you'd be correct...but only to a point. Your question implies then that the GOP is the party that is against all these things. And I think you'd be right on that...but only to a point. And I say that because the GOP happens to be in power. It controls the legislatures, the governorships both houses of congress and the Presidency. Yet it continues to make geologically slow progress on ridding our nation of any of those scourges.
And you have to ask yourself well, why?
On an earlier post, I broke down the question really into two possible answers: the GOP is either incapable of fighting the good fight, or is unwilling. My thinking is changing with regard to capability. I this election is showing that when motivated, the GOP is more than capable of engaging in a political dustup. Which leaves the more vexing issue; the one of willingness. The GOP is in power, has been in power for some time, and may well stay in power. Yet it simply will not make anything but the most feeble efforts at ridding this country of the three evils you've identified. And I'd also add the evils of overspending, the ever increasing role of government in our lives, and failure to secure the nation vis a vis the borders to the mix.
Again, you have to ask the question: why? Isn't the GOP for smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and national security?
I think that some political pundits on the right actually answered that question for us, although from the opposite perspective. I think it was Rush Limbaugh who first pointed out that if the Democratic party were to ever solve the issues of poverty and racism, it's reason for existence would largely disappear. And in effect, the Democratic party could be considered as something of a political plantation for liberals and blacks.
It was actually a very astute analysis. But that same harsh analysis was not focused toward the GOP. Because you could come to the same conclusion regarding the GOP on issues like abortion, balancing the budget and securing the borders. If the GOP were to ever actually get rid of Roe V Wade, pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, and enforce immigration laws, much of it's reason for existence would disappear. And we couldn't have that, now could we? In my view, the GOP has evolved into nothing but a political plantation for whites and conservatives. The GOP might throw conservatives a few political table scraps when it's convenient, but the focus of the GOP is much more on splitting up the goodies than it is on delivering results for the people that put them in power in the first place.
So, to summarize I'm a political conservative, and a Christian. I'm not interested in being a plantation conservative, nor am I interested in waiting until my great-grand children are entering retirement to see any movement on the moral and political issues of concern to me. As counterintuitive and paradoxical as it might be, I think that the Democratic party at this point in time actually offers conservatives a better opportunity to move forward with a conservative moral and political agenda than the GOP does.
As for how that relates to Christianity, I'd simply ask you to answer a question in your own mind. Who did our Lord sit down and break bread with? The Pharisees? The Sadducees? Or was it the lowest of the low for that time?
I hope that answers your questions.
"I think many people would simply ask, 'why claim party affiliation at all'? "
Believe me, I ask myself that question frequently.
As counterintuitive and paradoxical as it might be, I do think that the Democratic party at this point in time actually offers conservatives a better opportunity to move forward with a conservative moral and political agenda than the GOP does.
In the longer term, I think that partisan politics as we know it is on the way out and will be less of an influence than it is today. Not much to do with politics per se, but economics and technology.
Thanks for the thougtful reply.
I agree the repubs have a long way to go, but I have never believed that the social gospel outweighed basic sanctity of life issues. I personally feel we can do more within the framework of a party that at least claims to be pro life than one that is a cult of death.
I also think that no matter what the repubs have done wrong in the last few years, the most lasting and important thing they have done is to put Alito and Robers on the SCOTUS. Hopefully we can get one more before the run ends (another reason not to stay home and let the dems take control this year)
The Canaanites were judged for sacrificing their children to Molech, we sacrifice ours to convenience. In some ways I think that is worse.
Anyway, thanks again for a thoughful and well reasoned response.
"Thanks for the thoughtful reply."
You're very welcome.
"I agree the repubs have a long way to go, but I have never believed that the social gospel outweighed basic sanctity of life issues. I personally feel we can do more within the framework of a party that at least claims to be pro life than one that is a cult of death."
We'll agree to disagree on this point. I think the GOP has gone about as far as it is willing to or can. If we're going to see movement, it's going to be on the Democratic side of the fence. It might happen, it might not.
FWIW, I don't think that it's going to matter which party conservatives work within in the medium to long term. I think both political parties are going to be rendered more or less irrelevant due to economic and technological changes that are picking up steam right now.
"I also think that no matter what the repubs have done wrong in the last few years, the most lasting and important thing they have done is to put Alito and Roberts on the SCOTUS."
I'm glad for both Justices, but I think it's a case of too little, too late. I'm not so optimistic about the Supreme court actually doing the right thing if it sees a case like Roe V Wade again. Recent history (e.g. the Kelo decision) hasn't given us much reason to have great expectations. That said, I hope the Supreme court as currently constituted goes on to prove me outrageously pessimistic and flat out wrong.
"The Canaanites were judged for sacrificing their children to Molech, we sacrifice ours to convenience. In some ways I think that is worse."
You're right, and I think we will be judged harshly for our tolerance of it. We will also be judged for what we could do, and didn't.
Thanks for the conversation and God Bless.
I have to admit; you have a point....politicians only mirror/reflect, sociality at large...
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