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Posted on 02/27/2012 4:33:07 PM PST by presidio9
Watching Rick Santorum rise in the polls by positioning himself as the real Christian presidential candidate is like watching the sequel of a horror movie — one I literally lived through in the 1980s while growing up in Pakistan. There, another religious zealot, Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, played the lead role of the real Muslim.
The plot went like this: The clerics called for candidates with "true" Muslim values, the masses demanded a "Muslim candidate for a Muslim state," the leaders proved their "Muslimness" by quoting scripture and calling others lesser Muslims, and the candidate who was able to appease the clergy privately and please the masses publicly held on to power. The never-ending horror in the name of religion is what followed in Pakistan.
A somewhat similar fusion of church and candidate is apparent in this Republican primary season, where nearly every Republican candidate — except Ron Paul, who would not and Mitt Romney, who could not — has been a rabble-rouser, playing the religion card to rally the conservative Christian base.
Since I have seen a secular country morphing into a theocracy at the hands of a religious fanatic, trust me when I tell you: The aggressive display of theology in our political discourse by the Republican Party in general and Rick Santorum in particular is chipping away at the Jeffersonian wall of separation between church and state.
Realize, though, that I do want to hear what my candidates believe in — what shapes them, what riles them, what motivates them. But that is different than saying, "At the end of the day, I'd rather have a president who worships the same God as I do." (A voter in South Carolina actually said that to a New York Times reporter.)
While Article Six of the United States Constitution provides
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
An honest reader of Judeo-Christian scripture will see that reverence to God was never intended to be a lone wolf affair.
Good, democracy is mob rule tip toeing on anarchy. We are a republic and our founding fathers proudly expressed that fact and denounced democracies.
The intolerant, murderous, genocidal Islamists can hardly be compared to Christians, who believe in peace, love, and tolerance for all (the very rare nutjob notwithstanding). Not to mention our 1st Amendment stops the fedgov ever trying to institute a state sanctioned religion, and then there is popular culture and political correctness that has little patience for anything Christian nowadays.
Some people just can't or won't acknowledge the differences. I'm an agnostic so have no dog in the fight other than wanting to live in peace.
Someone replied to an article today on FR that listed the atrocities committed around the world by muslims in just the month of February - so far.
I always go back to: When was the last time in current times this rock saw an individual or group of Christians murder/mutilate/rape and call for the extinction of a peoples in the name of Jesus Christ (forget the Crusades - ancient history)? The recent worse thing that Christians want is not be forced to pay health costs that run opposite their beliefs - THE HORROR! Yet, that is a big issue with so many leftist/socialists, but they completely ignore what the mayhem Islamists do every day.
These leftists have literally lost their minds, what little they still had.
You know we can find quotes everywhere. The truth is Santorum may be popular with a very good, and worthy group of voters. But it is a tiny segment of the population. Santorum is making statements that are just out of control. Today he attacked JFK, saying what he said “made him want to throw up.”. Do you understand how irresponsible and I might add, unpresdential that is? You wait until the Obama team makes a campaign ad with that sound byte, it will crush him and any hopes of getting Obama out of the white house.
There is good theism and there is bad theism. Most would agree that theistic Satanism is a bad theism. I will not take the time to judge which theistic model is better than another. I only say that you can judge them by their fruits. It is good that we have a Biblical golden rule to use in such questions.
As if those who would get personally offended about something Rick Santorum said about JFK weren't a lock to vote for Obama anyway. Other than you, of course.
As a student of politics, I think JFK is the most overrated president this nation has ever had. As a Catholic, I find him to be an embarrassment.
“...I think Ronald Reagan did a wonderful job without invoking Christianity into governing this nation....”
On the contrary. Google “Ronald Reagan Tribute - Bel Air Presbyterian Church.” You will see that Reagan invoked his Christianity publicly at home and abroad and made it clear that it very much informed his morality and his leadership. He was, perhaps, more gracious in his delivery, but otherwise not much removed from Rick Santorum’s positions.
His speeches were widely admired at the time, but they would send the punditry into hysterics today. That’s how far our culture has deteriorated. And that’s why so many of us are looking for a culture warrior to lead this country back to greatness.
I’m a Gingrich supporter myself, but I will be happy to vote - and work for - Santorum should he win the nomination.
News for Faheem Younus: Christianity is not the same as Islam. Go back to Pakistan if you don’t like it.
Ok so you are a student of politics huh? Well then you are out of my league. I’m a Catholic and I also think JFK was overrated, however I found Santorum’s statement in wanting to “throw up,” was reckless, classless and unnecessary. But then again you are the expert.
Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:
Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.
Good! We don’t want a democracy. We want to restore the Constitutional Republic.
democracy
Since I have seen a secular country morphing into a theocracy at the hands of a religious fanatic,
the Jeffersonian wall of separation between church and state.
So let's demand a separation between church and candidate.
The absolute arrogance of a Pakistani Muslim lecturing Americans. He does not have the least clue about America. He is either absolutely ignorant or decidedly duplicitous. In any event he should be regarded as a Pakistani Muslim Terrorist Comparing an American candidate to a Muslim politician
in Barbaric Pakistan is to be regarded as absurd.
seeking to destroy this Republic.
Good for you. I will write in Newt Gingrich.
And help Willard in Michigan?
Obama thanks you.
What “emphasis on his Christianity”? It seems to me he’s focusing on the issues.
Excellent!
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