Posted on 01/25/2016 10:47:54 AM PST by mandaladon
According to presidential candidate and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, there's one thing that more important to him than the country he's running to lead: his God.
In a remarkable exchange in New Hampshire, Politico reports, Cruz told reporters "I'm a Christian first, American second, conservative third and Republican fourth."
"I'll tell ya, there are a whole lot of people in this country that feel exactly the same way," he added.
Cruz, currently ranked second in GOP candidate polls according to RealClearPolitics, enjoys wide support among evangelical Christians in important, early-voting primary states like Iowa, where Cruz is locked in a tight race with current frontrunner Donald Trump. Cruz repeatedly accused Trump and his support of "more deal-making" and enjoying the support of unpopular "establishment" Republicans.
By proclaiming himself a Christian first and an American second, Cruz is professing higher loyalties than the United States â odd for a candidate who has repeatedly accused Muslims of doing much the same thing.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Actually what is happening here is the sorting of the “ Wheat from the Tare”.....
The puritans were the most self righteous bigoted arrogant bastards to ever land in this country. They themselves brought the dreggs of religious zealotry from the old country here. And they left to escape persecution to boot.
They would do anything, including hanging, burning and drowning to further their narrow minded ignorant view of theirs...and all in the name of religion. Puritans were a cult.
Of course it’s super-controversial to liberals because most of them seem to hate even the mention of God.
For me, it’s a little bit irksome for two reasons, neither of which are the statement itself, but rather within the context of the Cruz campaign.
1: It looks too much like virtue signalling. “Hey everyone, look how Christian I am!” Instead of simply living it. This, combined with the way he’s been campaigning, is too close to the kind of thing that a phony or a spiritual narcissist would do.
2: See the logger comparison that I made in an earlier post. There is a specific job description for President of the United States, and being a spiritual leader is not part of it. This kind of attitude, if you will pardon the hyperbole, is more similar to someone campaigning to be a priest-king, not President.
A Christian President should faithfully uphold and execute the laws of the United States. Other than making sure that he is spiritually healthy (through Word and Sacrament, or at least that’s what we Lutherans say), his top priority needs to be on that, because that’s the vocation in which God has placed him.
That’s why this statement, combined with the super-religiousness of the Cruz campaign, annoys me.
Which has zero to do with voting.
I am completely and totally against gay marriage. HOWEVER, like Cruz, I do not think gay marriage is a top 3 priority of the new president. A priority yes, but I have to give border security, second amendment rights and reversing Roe v Wade the top 3. Reversing obamacare and fighting ISIS come in a close second. Dealing with the moral rot at the base of the country is high priority, but first we have to ensure there will be a country to fight for.....
I know, I mentioned where it came from. It has a jarring effect when I see it used like your are using it. Just me.
We disagree on candidates and on religion, but please see my post 103 for the reason that this statement is discordant to me.
Good for Cruz. That is the same set of priorities I have. If you are a Christian first you espouse the same ideals we should have as Americans. After all, the founders of this nation founded it on Christian principals. If you don’t agree just read their writings. Even those who modern historians claim as unitarian (Franklin, Jefferson)because they seldom mention Jesus Christ, claim New Testament values for the nation.
Not a wise move and it’s exactly why the youth wants nothing to do with him. Sad reflection of society? Sure
Yet it’s a reality that wishing isn’t going to change inside of this election cycle.
Ted is turning his campaign into a jihad.
Two Corinthians 3:12
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
...and based on the polls, Iowa 3rd and NH 4th.
I am surprised given he took an ‘oath’ to defend and protect the Constitution, that he neglected to say ‘original intent’ of the Constitution.
If that's true then so-what? Who wants to be summoned to the cockpit of a plane that is crashing and burning anyway?
See my post #108
It seems to me that he is not claiming to any role as spiritual leader but rather telling the electorate that if he is elected as a Christian he will be applying his Christian beliefs to the way he acts and how he governs.
A Christian should not hide his faith under a rock.
I don’t know enough about the Taliban to make the comparison, but I do know a little about dominionists, firsthand, so I know how warped & destructive it/ they are.
This is a heresy to Christianity. It is contrary to Christ.
Good! I’d worry about anyone who put their country before God almighty.
A Christian should not hide his faith under a rock.
Nor should he use it for cynical pandering to garner votes.
So you have made similar objections when Trump has tried to proclaim his Christian bona fides in order to get votes???
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.