Has Bob Beckel gone Nuts?

It would seem to me by your criteria mentioned for being a Christian, no citizens of the UK, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Poland, France, Italy, Canada, Japan, etc. who likes their own country’s government, could possibly be a Christian, since all are more socialist than the USA.

Of course the USA is quite socialist in certain areas, (with very bipartisan support) like agriculture, medicare & social security.

So are Christians who receive benefits in those areas defective, compromising, Christians?

I agree, socialism moves toward substituting government for God—and it is no accident that some of the most socialist countries in the world are also the most godless... However its a very broad brush to judge some individual you do not know—except for his political rhetoric—as to his individual devotion to Jesus Christ.

There are unfortunately a lot of conservatives...going to hell...and not a few socialists...who aren’t. Who knows what ratio—and that doesn’t contradict that limited government is indeed a better system, for godly people anyway.

Again, very dangerous, regarding individuals, to mix politics and religion in evaluating them.

You have no idea where they are coming from or where they are going...

"Gone"? As in recently? Some questionable assumptions going on there.

I loathe his politics, but, I’ve always liked Bob Beckel. When he’s wrong, or makes a mistake, he admits it and apologizes.

I never could stand him. But the way the other Four get along with him is endearing in a way. Sort of like the crazy old uncle who everybody humors and puts up with because attacking him would be cruel.

Bob Bekel hasn't gone nuts, he's gone honest and real - won't go over well with his liberal friends...

That said, even when the spouting liberal garbage, he's basically a good man. In the old days there were liberals who believed in making the world better - not just saying it so they could con ignorant victim groups... Beckel's from that earlier group...

Exactly. One can call him a dupe, but he simply believes the Dem PR, like a lot of well-meaning democrats out there.

It doesn't do Conservatism any good to unfairly demonize our opposition. There are real demons out there...and they aren't people.

[ And by “others” I hope you include Colmes and O’Reilly. ]

Colmes is paid to be stupid, but O’Really is different ..
He wants to become the current Walter Cronkite.. and is pretty much..

He could care less about patriotism like Walter..
Both were/are poseurs.. actors.. opportunists..
Bill bends over backwards to “fair”.. like a teenager..
He wants to appear tough but isn’t.. he is a coward..

But he does go on the attack every now and again as long as he is safe..
Problem is literally EVERYONE ELSE is worse than him..
Making him appear courageous..

1. My “judgment” is not of individuals or groups, but of a system. If I failed to communicate that, I apologize. However, a conversion experience is not a blank check to continue in obvious, public sin, as is the case with active promotion of socialist policy. How would you avoid “judging” someone who claimed to become a Christian, but continued, for example, to be a professional stripper?

The injunction of Jesus not to judge is not a suicide pact with reason and wisdom, for he also teaches we should judge with righteous judgment, again, not in the pharisaic sense of self-righteous superiority he condemned, but in the sense of wisdom and discernment, the application of godly truth to every decision of a believer’s life, including who to trust and who not to trust. Until Beckel disavows the godless essence of his past socialist rhetoric, as you call it, I have no more basis for trusting his profession of faith than I do the conversion of, say, an abortion doctor who keeps on killing innocent babies.

2. Again, God brings judgment on nations too for their collective rejection of Him, which socialism does, root and branch. But unlike Beckel, the vast majority of people in socialist countries have not made it their life’s mission to promote the wickedness; they are just being swept along with a political tide they do not fully understand. As Jesus said, few stripes for the less culpable and more stripes for the self-designated intelligentsia.

3. Which gets us to the “dangerous” practice of obeying Christ in all areas of one’s life, including politics. I don’t know how to be a “partial Christian,” segmenting my mental life into compartments, some of which Christ may rule, and other parts from which he is forbidden. Nor do I know of any other reasonable person who intentionally leaves their basis for moral reasoning, whatever it is, out of their public decision making. We bring to the table who we are. We obey certain rules of respect for the denominational beliefs of others, but we do not act in a moral vacuum. People who do not see abortion, for example, as murder, will vote for public policy that results in the killing of innocent babies. Private beliefs do necessarily affect public decision making. That’s just the way it is. Better to acknowledge it and move public policy in a direction compatible with divine law, than to pretend neutrality and move public policy toward that which invites the judgment of God.

Peace,

I always thought that Colmes was paid just to irritate me;
Guess I need to reevaluate that whole "center of the universe" thing.

O'Reily is a bully, maybe because he was always too tall for most people to challenge.
Bullies are usually cowards when confronted, so you're apt to be correct.

Just as odious is that (despite his oft repeated admonitions to the audience) he is not only bloviator but, due to a lack of core values, he can bloviate out of both sides of his mouth. (Or some orifice.)

All of which leads me to wonder how or why Dennis Miller readily teams up with him, I'd hoped Miller had higher standards than that.

[ All of which leads me to wonder how or why Dennis Miller readily teams up with him, I’d hoped Miller had higher standards than that. ]

Miller is your rare intelligent and “fairly” courageous liberal..
He don’t see abortion as murder or being gay as queer..
but he does know when “somebody” has their hand in his pocket..
and would like “them” to keep their hands to themselves..

Simply Miller is smarter than O’Really.. AND USES HIM...
Miller is using O’Really like a rented Donkey.. but both are liberals..

As liberal as Juan Williams or Robin Williams but play the devils advocate..
meaning acting like they are a bit “conservative”.. when they are NOT..
They “play” to the other more numerous crowd.. republican rubes.. or independent droolers..

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