Posted on 08/29/2009 7:15:25 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
First up from the God Machine this week is a new push from evangelical religious groups to kill health care reform.
Conservative Christian groups on Wednesday (Aug. 26) ramped up opposition to health care reform, saying the current system "has problems" but "it is working."
Members of the newly formed Freedom Federation, comprised of some of the largest conservative religious groups in the country, say they oppose taxpayer-supported abortion, rationed health care for the elderly and government control of personal health decisions.
Mathew Staver, who heads the legal group Liberty Counsel and is dean at Liberty University's law school, said the group agrees on certain core values.
And nothing, apparently, says "Christian values" to these groups and leaders like opposing the protections health care reform would provide to tens of millions of American families.
The Freedom Federation includes, among others, the American Family Association, the Church of God in Christ, Concerned Women for America, Family Research Council Action, Liberty University and the Traditional Values Coalition. All of the groups, apparently, are led by right-wing activists who interpret the New Testament in a way that seems very hard to understand.
Also from the God Machine this week:
* Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) of Minnesota recently talked about how faith relates to the health care reform debate. She said, for example, that we should "thank God" that Sarah Palin wrote about "death panels." Bachmann added that conservatives will win the fight to kill reform "on our knees in prayer and fasting."
* Arizona pastor Steven Anderson prayed publicly for President Obama's death a day before one of his parishioners brought an assault rifle to a presidential event. It appears that the Secret Service recently chatted with Anderson.
* Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) has "spent more than a tenth of his campaign's receipts on the church he founded, a tidy tithe totaling $152,777." While lawmakers routinely set up tax-exempt nonprofits, Rush's approach "is different because a church is his center of operations and he concentrates on social services. But what his approach has in common with those of other lawmakers is the earmarking of tax dollars -- Rush earmarked nearly $700,000 for two related social services entities he helped establish." (thanks to Tammy for the tip)
* Can atheists adopt a child? An interesting legal dispute is underway in New Jersey. [Update: Oops. Someone alerted me to this story the other day, but I didn't notice the date. In other words, never mind. For what it's worth, the atheists won the case -- several decades ago.]
* In the wake of 9/11, officials in Kentucky created a state Office of Homeland Security. State lawmakers required that training materials include information that the General Assembly stressed a "dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth." The same law mandated that the state's Emergency Operations Center feature a plaque that said "the safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God." This week, Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate found this unconstitutional.
* And finally, a local church in north Florida encouraged kids to wear shirts to the local public school that read "Islam is of the Devil." The children were sent home. The Dove World Outreach Center Pastor Terry Jones said spreading the church's message is more important than education.
bttt
What pertinent change happened in the Constitution between Abraham Lincoln and the modern Kentucky proclamation?
This boy talks like he’s on drugs. His commie ‘RAT comrades are wearing out “The God Machine” with Dead Red Ted’s canonization.
Comrades, despite the death of our departed Czar Teddy, his devoted cult-like followers continue his sophistry in an attempt to pass all-encompassing government-run health care system.
Unfortunately, there are Christians and conservatives out there that see through our outright lies we wanted to spread about people keeping their current insurance if they want it and that we won't have death panels or abortuaries or give free care to illegals or that we can cut costs and improve efficiency.
So, since they are wise to us, we urge Democrats to press full-speed ahead and pass this over the objection of those angry Christian mobs as soon as possible. Americans obviously don't know what's good for them so it is up to us to force our vision upon them whether they want it or not.
Comrades, redouble your efforts to smear our opponents as racists, Nazis and fringe kooks. Our media eat that sort of thing up and are willing to suffer the loss of their audience shared and profits for the cause of being propaganda puppets, just as they were in getting Comrade Obama elected.
Do it for Ted!
Do it for Ted!
Do it for Ted!
Global domination is ours if we can only get America to let down their guard long enough to force our will upon them. Then we will come back for these Christians and conservatives and shove them into the gulags and gas chambers we are secretly building with Comrade Soros' money.
For the State!
Ah, another seething liberal who, while despising Christians to their faces, tries to shame these same Christians into accepting his Left-wing murder policy in the name of Christ.
Can't make this stuff up.
Christ never forced someone to have faith, he said it was a chose.
Socialism isn’t a chose....It’s forcing ‘compassion’ on man!?
What a lame way to start of the article, if you're trying reach an audience larger than the extreme left wing fringe.
My wife and I went to our local town hall meeting (Rep. Adam Smith, D-WA), and some idiot lib had a sign that said "Jesus Healed The Sick."
Well, I was convinced, let me tell you! Bring on ObamaCare!
Reference Bump
That’s problem when you put the word conservative before Christian. You get your priorities all screwed up.
The other problem is when you’re a corporate front that’s motivated a few flexible individuals...
uhhh your statement implies that socialism is compassion and that it shouldn’y be forced on people. Were as that may seem correct in one sense. Isn’t it also true that if it’s an act of compassion. Christians shouldn’t feel forced into, but instead, if they are truly living right by the Lord they should feel compelled to do the compassionate thing anyways???
‘compassion’
When someone says anything with ‘’, you do understand what that means, don’t you?
But the Obozo said we’re “partners” with God on matters of life and death. That’s an unbelievably arrogant statement even for the supercilious narcissistic money-grubbing marxist fascist crooked thug power grabbing economic idiot English-mangler we have as our so-called President.
quote (kwt)
v. quot·ed, quot·ing, quotes
v.tr.
1. To repeat or copy the words of (another), usually with acknowledgment of the source.
2. To cite or refer to for illustration or proof.
3. To repeat a brief passage or excerpt from: The saxophonist quoted a Duke Ellington melody in his solo.
4. To state (a price) for securities, goods, or services.
What do you think it means?
TYranny is not a Christian value.
What are you talking about? Are you saying these churches have no business oppsing an effort to install tyranny and make things even worse for the poor?
In this case, it means to imply what OTHERS might think.
Can you elaborate on tyranny and how things will be far worse on the poor?
“And nothing, apparently, says “Christian values” to these groups and leaders like opposing the protections health care reform would provide to tens of millions of American families.”
Perhaps Mr. Benen could point me to the scripture that says this is the governments job. I’m having just a little trouble finding it.
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