Posted on 11/21/2015 1:08:52 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Many around me in the coffee shop nodded in agreement in support of welcoming Christian refugees and rejecting those of other faiths. It fits their narrative that they should help persecuted Christians. After all, despite the fact that American Christians are the most entitled and privileged people in the history of the planet, many feel persecuted.
One of the more endearing customs of many of our small town Iowa churches on Sunday morning is story time. The pastor welcomes elementary and pre-school aged kids up front, where he or she sits with the children, and shares a parable. Often the pastor sits down on the steps leading up to the altar, and the children will sit, cross legged at the pastor's feet.
Always the pastor picks a good story, something about the importance of friendship, kindness, sharing, telling the truth, feeding the hungry, or helping the poor. Good lessons to learn.
And it was story time at Oskaloosa's Smokey Row recently, when Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz addressed a packed house at the popular coffee shop. And like church, some of the crowd were sitting as his feet, as perhaps 15-20 children from a local Christian school were there to learn, and be a part of the Iowa caucus process. Yet despite Cruz's apparently devout Christian faith, it was a different kind of story time, and I assure you that the children didn't hear a word about friendship, kindness, sharing, telling the truth, feeding the hungry, or helping the poor. Not a word.
Cruz's wife Heidi introduced her husband. Just a week before, Jeb Bush had stood in the same place. This time, however, the crowd was very different, and at the same time of day. Bush's crowd was older, mostly on the wrong side of middle-age.
Cruz's crowd was much younger and intergenerational-this in addition to the elementary the class that sat at his feet. I sat next to a family where four generations were present. Mixed throughout the crowd were young couples with multiple children, anxious to hear Cruz's message. While Bush had jogged from the back of the coffee shop to the front of the room to loud applause, Cruz quietly snuck in the back, and slowly made his way into the center of the crowd unnoticed, to finish watching Heidi's introduction with the rest of us.
Cruz gave his standard stump speech we who cover him are familiar with, that if elected president he would revoke every single Obama "illegal" executive action, investigate Planned Parenthood, stop the persecution of Christians, abolish the EPA, the Department of Education, the IRS, increase support to the military, and "rip to shreds this catastrophic Iranian nuclear deal," among other points.
Cruz constructed a contemporary world view that mirrors the Roman world in which early Christianity arose. Christians persecuted by the Roman state, overbearing taxation, economic troubles, loss of traditional values, a weakening of the Roman legions, an arising eastern empire, and a generalized fear of invasion by "barbarian hordes" are among many reasons given as contributing both to the fall of Rome and the emergence of Christianity as a viable religious movement. Substitute "America" for "Rome," toss in Syrian refugees, Iran, Putin, standard Republican economic and values talking points, and it's scary stuff.
Especially for kids. And it's not happening in the distant past. It's happening right now, according to Cruz.
I've seen Cruz a few times, and his speech is pretty much the same. Lots of destruction, no thought to the consequences. He cracked a few jokes, which are important for any good speaker. Every politician does it. The ensuing laughter establishes a relaxed a rapport with the audience, and establishes who the in and out-groups are in binary opposition. Here's one:
"I spent most of last week in Washington, D.C., so it is great to be back in America."
The audience loved that one. No one likes Washington anymore, and it places the audience as the center of a place they love, at least abstractly-America. In-group identity politics that we all play at their best. Here the in-group being real Americans like the Ted and audience. Out-group-people in Washington.
The rest of Cruz's speech, including the jokes, continued this in-group vs. out-group dichotomy with as to be expected subsequent in-group favoritism and out-group derogation. The out-group of course quickly became Democrats, Hillary Clinton, and of course, Cruz's favorite punching bag-President Obama.
Here's an example in the form of a joke. Cruz praised the Pope's visit to Washington, and then explained:
>>>".. the press conference (with the Pope) at The White House was a little awkward. Every time the reporters addressed a question to 'Your Holiness,' Obama would answer...."<<<
Or this:
>>>"The next day President Xi of China was in Washington to meet with President Obama. News outlets across the globe reported on this momentous meeting between the world's most powerful communist and the president of China."<<<
The audience rocked with laughter. The children, not knowing what the adults were laughing at, looked around, and then joined in sympathetically. What a funny guy! One Democrat I knew in the audience cringed.
Does Cruz really think Obama sees himself as holier than the pope? It doesn't matter. It places Obama in the out-group, and portrays the president as smug, self-righteous and condescending. Which of course, is what Cruz is being, while appearing to be humble. Does he really think Obama is a communist? I doubt it. But tarring Obama with that label obviously works, especially since half of his audience doesn't know what communism is, only that it is evil. And certainly out-group.
All under the "innocent" guise of laughter. And who doesn't like to hear the laughter of children, especially when they are being inculcated with your worldview?
Writers since Aristotle and Plato have written that the purpose of jokes and laughter is to produce scorn, to ridicule. In the early Christian church laughter was frowned upon as mockery and representing hostility, and so offensive it may deserve death. Two particular Bible verses on mockery has haunted me since Sunday School as a child. Remember when the group of children laugh at the prophet Elisha for his baldness:
>>>He went up from there to Bethel and, as he was on his way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, "Get along with you, bald head, get along." He turned round and looked at them and he cursed them in the name of the Lord; and two she-bears came out of a wood and mauled forty-two of them. (2 Kings 2:23, 24).<<<
We have a different view of humor today of course, and Cruz clearly isn't worried about she-bears coming out of the wood to maul him.
Speaking of being mauled, how about those Syrian refugees? Talk about an out-group. Yet Cruz does have a soft spot for some of the refugees. The Christian ones. Cruz repeated the position he has taken previously that he would welcome refugees from Syria as long at they were Christians.
Think about that image. Can you see it now? One of our soldiers on a Middle Eastern border, weapon in hand, telling a crowd of refugees, "Hey, Christians in this line, everyone else in that line over there!" If that image doesn't horrify you, it should. Like other presidential candidates, Cruz apparently loves the Constitution, except when he doesn't.
Think of the message the children heard: It's good to help Christians, but to hell with everyone else. And people wonder how the seeds of bigotry are planted?
Many around me in the coffee shop nodded in agreement in support of welcoming Christian refugees and rejecting those of other faiths. It fits their narrative that they should help persecuted Christians. After all, despite the fact that American Christians are the most entitled and privileged people in the history of the planet, many feel persecuted. Just look at the evidence in their minds - the modern Christian martyr Kim Davis went to jail for a couple of days for standing up to her faith in not signing marriage licenses. And there is that pesky Fox News faux "War on Christmas." Around here the evidence is pretty weak. Christmas songs are common in public school holiday programs, and I’ve seen Christian protesters gather to intimidate gay couples while they were getting marriage licenses at the courthouse window. One non-practicing Muslim woman in town is afraid people will find out that she was raised in the Islamic faith.
Yet, as I looked around the coffee shop, I understood where some of their feelings are coming from. Their world is falling apart on all fronts, from persecution real or imagined, loss of values, taxes, big government, you name it. What Ted Cruz told them is the same thing many other candidates are telling them, and what they hear on Fox News every night. To them, gay marriage is truly an assault on their valued traditions, the increased secularization of society is seen as a disaster, and the persecution of Christians is real.
Twice recently two acquaintances asked me, unsolicited, what I thought about the persecution of Christians - once when I was the speaker at a service club meeting and a second time at a local high school football game. With respect to taxation, our farm to market roads are falling apart and pavement and asphalt roads in the country are turning to gravel. Farming has been upsized, and few jobs are left. Many of our big manufacturing industries have fled overseas, or to the big city. In the name of frugality and and austerity our services have been centralized and privatized, which of course means they are taken to our bigger cities and given to corporations. Jobs that used to allow for a middle-class lifestyle are now gone. Even jobs in industries that can't be shipped overseas, like meat packing, are gone. A person working in a meat-packing plant today earns about the same wage today as they did in 1980.
Add a generalized fear of invasion by "barbarian hordes." They are afraid, and some of them either fear or rejoice that the end times are near. It's year zero.
Ted Cruz is their candidate. He's a Baptist with apparent deep intellectual roots in dominionism. This perspective has been criticized many times, but that's not my purpose here. It's America. He's free to practice the religion of his choice, as are the people who are likely to vote for him. Yet, those with differing perspectives need to remember that the mission of evangelism is to convert or assimilate, and their efforts to have a bigger say in all aspects of modern life-including government-is real, with consequences for all of us.
As I looked around the room while Cruz patiently worked the crowd, I realized that Cruz is in no hurry. Sure, if Trump and Carson fall, and he somehow winds up on the Republican slate, he'll be happy. Yet, at only 44, he's in it for the long run. So are many in the conservative Christian movement. They recognize that while they may not be able to change the world, their children can. The very children in the room, listening to Ted Cruz's story time, where the world is a scary place, and the man at the front of the room wants to save them from evil President Obama and his fellow Democrats.
While many say the members of the Republican party is aging, I see a youth movement in Iowa. The homeschool movement is growing here and in much of the nation, and many homeschoolers are devout Christians. Christian schools are thriving as well. Much of this is at the expense of public schools. An Iowa Democratic official told me recently that of the Iowa Republican legislators who have children who are school aged, approximately 20 percent of them homeschool their children. They distrust the public schools enough not to enroll their children in them, yet vote on their funding. The real war on public education began when Ronald Reagan took on higher education as governor of California, and it continues today. In a remarkably ignored yet transparent self-fulfilling prophecy, Republicans claim austerity, cut public funding to schools, and then say the schools are failing. Rinse and repeat.
The goal ultimately is to legislate that public money not to go to public schools directly, but to follow the child into the home if home schooled, or into charter, or Christian schools. The destruction of public schools is therefore a "good" thing.
And Cruz is their candidate. The one and only. Of course, Huckabee, Santorum and Carson would be disappointing second choices, but no other candidates would be acceptable.
I was sitting at a different coffee shop the other day, when one young woman I admire very much stopped to talk about the candidates. I don't know how many brothers and sisters she has exactly, but I know of at least eight. All are home schooled, well-educated, and smart as smart can be. They are all thoughtful, polite, and I have no doubt all will succeed at life. That is what they have been raised to be. She’s a twenty-something in college.
"Who do you like for president?" I asked.
"Cruz," she replied, sitting down at the table with me, putting her coffee down. "He's the only true conservative, and a godly man. A true leader."
"But he hasn't done anything," I said.
"Of course he has," she replied. "Lots of proposed reforms the RINOs and Democrats wouldn't accept, and he nearly brought the government down"
"And almost bringing the government down is good?"
She looked puzzled. "Of course it is. And he's the only one without a big ego."
"Cruz? No ego?"
"No, it's not about him," she said. "He's doing the Lord's work."
I remembered hearing much the same from another young Republican when when I shared that Cruz and others like him want to turn America into a Christian theocracy.
"What's wrong with that?" he had replied. "America was founded as a Christian nation, after all."
Ted Cruz's exact words to the audience in Oskaloosa, and repeated to a nation of young Christian conservatives across the nation, during story time. It begins in preschool. In the womb maybe. And if they can't vote yet, there is always next election, and the following. An army of Christian soldiers. And they are young, and their number is growing.
I looked back at the young Cruz supporter. She sipped her coffee while I sipped mine, at the same table, in different worlds.
Yep, I think that’s right. They have invented a sinister sounding word for what is basically standard Christian belief.
Well, isn't that special. I'm sure you polled every single attendant to find out their understanding of communism, eh, Bobby? I'd wager that several of the attendants in that audience were veterans who did a hell of a lot more in their lives than you ever did, Bobby, and they know a lot more than you do about communism.
Worthless liberal dipwad.
Was the author equally appalled at the prospect of an Attorney General saying he’s going to take care of “my people”.
My question would be to the audience here on FR- if The Donald chose Ted Cruz
as his running mate as VP would it not change the face of the VP?
*************
Yes, but.........
I don’t think Cruz will be VP. The race will be decided in a select few states, probably
less than 10 and most likely the VP will be chosen as someone who could help win some of
those states. Secondly, a VP is often closeted or limited in his role/activities and I
don’t see Cruz wanting to be in that situation. JMO.
From my observations during these past years Uncle Joe has been intentionally muted & dumbed down bootlicker by Herr Executive Order. You’ll not see both of them together much & only as needed because these two clowns have different photographers It’s quite interesting of Herr Executive Order has managed to effectively muffle Uncle Joe.& they are not two peas in a pod either & their political views are like chalk & cheese so to speak.
In the most recent past many see Uncle Joe inappropriately touching women or putting his head up his ass with bizarre commenting.
It’s really about time a new POTUS and the VPOTUS would stand together united in salvaging the shitehole mess Herr Executive Order has made of this country.
I once read a journo story on Uncle Joe and his personality & how he is in REAL life & how he relates to people in general and those around him. The journo was up close & personal w/Uncle Joe & followed him everywhere & came to some startling conclusions which do not reflect positivity.
Uncle Joe has been collecting from the gubmint for a very long time prior to his ascendency as VP and he’s one of those guys who has a entitlement complex but then again that’s my opinion & the conclusions I reached after reading that journ’s report.
I’ve been looking for this piece of journo for a while now & can’t find it but when I do I’ll post it here on FR-
Uncle Joe is a real character and totally insincere human being.
From my observations during these past years Uncle Joe has been intentionally muted & dumbed down bootlicker by Herr Executive Order. You’ll not see both of them together much & only as needed because these two clowns have different photographers It’s quite interesting of Herr Executive Order has managed to effectively muffle Uncle Joe.& they are not two peas in a pod either & their political views are like chalk & cheese so to speak.
In the most recent past many see Uncle Joe inappropriately touching women or putting his head up his ass with bizarre commenting.
It’s really about time a new POTUS and the VPOTUS would stand together united in salvaging the shitehole mess Herr Executive Order has made of this country.
I once read a journo story on Uncle Joe and his personality & how he is in REAL life & how he relates to people in general and those around him. The journo was up close & personal w/Uncle Joe & followed him everywhere & came to some startling conclusions which do not reflect positivity.
Uncle Joe has been collecting from the gubmint for a very long time prior to his ascendency as VP and he’s one of those guys who has a entitlement complex but then again that’s my opinion & the conclusions I reached after reading that journ’s report.
I’ve been looking for this piece of journo for a while now & can’t find it but when I do I’ll post it here on FR-
Uncle Joe is a real character and totally insincere human being.
Although the story is salted with the usual left wing drivel, I found it interesting how the writer recoiled in horror at all the Christian children. They were everywhere - in churches, at home schools and sitting at the feet of pastors and Senator Cruz.
I admit I was likewise amazed, but in a good way, seeing all the Christian children in a southern community we moved to. Kids were everywhere - walking on the streets, in shopping malls and playgrounds. It was quite a contrast from the aging and crumbling northern community we moved from. There, children were far and few between as compared to the south.
Here in the south, big families with children seem to be the norm. Local governments and families are investing a bunch of money on children, the future. That, IMO, bodes well for a strong America in the coming years.
Anyway, I see the references the writer makes to children quite positive, while the writer is repelled. He has seen the future in Christian children, and it’s not a good sign for him and his repulsive Marxist travelers.
Right here on FR, as well as on FB, the joining together in common cause (as when putting businesses on the "naughty list" at Christmas, or getting Cracker Barrel to reverse on taking down Duck Dynasty merch), no one asks "Catholic or Protestant? Calvinist or Arminian? General Association or SBC?"
Senator Cuz is inventing nothing. If he does anything, he will merely give new purpose to that which is already present.
“America was founded as a Christian nation, after all.”
This is what its about for the Libterds. Its not Ted Cruz its Christianity they really fear and loathe. They hate the message more than the messenger.
To liberals, insult and derision are signs of intelligence and truth.
You can’t talk to them because they are literally 13 years old.
LOL, yeah that would be a short article wouldn’t it.
It’s an eye opening piece. The author is so entirely brainwashed, no doubt having spent years surrounded by similarly indoctrinated smug “intellectuals.” It’s not surprising the author has no capacity for understanding Christian Americans who seek to live their faith. He’s one of the ones who think his view of reality should be forced upon them because it’s better than their faith.
Wishful thinking. Such coalitions are a marriage of convenience. Tell them all they have to commit to eating Chic-Filet until it is the undisputed king of fast food and the effectiveness of such marriages will become readily apparent.
Papertyger, Thanks for the explanation. I do see what you are saying now and can somewhat agree.
BTW.... My “specific authorization from God” is the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) which is the living WORD of God.... nothing less and nothing more. And even there, I guess we have to account for possible mis-translations from the original manuscripts.
Yea, I’m all in for Cruz! He’s a squeaky clean guy and they hate him for it (along with lots of other stuff). It pains me more folks don’t see he’s the best we had since Reagan (better in that I think he’s a true Christian). I just meant the media will hate him and do everything they can to undermine him if he gets the nod. They never quit, they lie and they make stuff up (but I repeat myself). I would love to see a debate with Cruz and Hitlery.
Thank you for that link. Interesting and helps explain Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in my mind. :)
And don't forget all the doctrines that, despite the rhetoric, are NOT specifically, positively, enunciated in the Scriptures such as baptism.
Those divisions run long and deep, and show absolutely no sign of resolving themselves.
Hey, your incitement thread is over there. What are you mooing about over here? You left us like an outside troll.
I was wondering why you hit and run over there. You should probably answer your inbox, since you’re so invested in TDS, with your TRUMP troll threads. You have earned the mail.
She would have no problem with elementary school children being forced to sing Christian songs where the Messiah is replaced with Barack Obama. That kind of indoctrination is okay. MMM MMM MMM, Barack Hussein Obama. She did not have a complaint that public school children are being forced to recite Muslim loyalty to Allah and sing songs to Allah in public schools.
Christian children need a Christian world view and history/identity. Everyone has a world view. This one hates the Christian world view and while pretending to be a Christian, she holds a liberal/socialist, anti-Christ, anti-American world view. Her party voted to expel God from the party platform two times last election. She is ssssssoooo superior.
“...Obama sees himself as holier than the pope? It doesn’t matter. It places Obama in the out-group, and portrays the president as smug, self-righteous and condescending.”
And your point is, Salon Pajama Boy?
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