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Vivek Ramaswamy takes questions about his Hinduism — one Bible verse at a time
NBC News ^ | 9.13.2023 | Alex Tabet

Posted on 09/13/2023 8:18:32 AM PDT by libh8er

NEVADA, Iowa — Republican voters eager to learn more about Vivek Ramaswamy are especially curious about one thing: his religion.

“What is your opinion of Jesus Christ?” an Iowan asked Ramaswamy at a campaign stop in Nevada on Saturday. When Ramaswamy explained that in his Hindu faith, Jesus is “a” son of God and not “the” son of God, the potential caucusgoer followed up with another question about “the fact that the only way to heaven is Jesus Christ.”

It’s a common occurrence as Ramaswamy hits the trail in Iowa. It was the second time he had been questioned about his faith that day and the sixth time in his last two visits to the state. It’s not just Iowa, either. In New Hampshire over Labor Day weekend, a voter asked about Ramaswamy’s religion, prompting an answer about the importance of religious liberty in the U.S.: “I’m Hindu, and I’m proud of that. I stand for that without apology. I think I’m going to be able to be more ardent as a defender of religious liberty.”

Ramaswamy, a first-time candidate, drew new attention after his debate performance last month — against a demographic backdrop that has been an obstacle for other Republican presidential hopefuls.

About two-thirds of Republicans in the 2016 Iowa caucuses identified as evangelical or born-again Christians, according to NBC News’ exit poll. And the evangelical constituency tends to reward Republican candidates who reflect their religious values, including past caucus winners like Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2016 and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008. Sandwiched in between: 2012 winner Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania and practicing Catholic — who won praise from influential Republican evangelicals as “an evangelical at heart” who spoke to their values.

(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: hinduism; ramaswamy; vivek
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To: TiGuy22
We don’t need to have an evangelical Christian as president

We elected one in 1976, didn't work out too well.

21 posted on 09/13/2023 9:25:09 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: cnsmom
Vivek is about values over religion as are many Americans young and old.

Vivek is a superb actor. Better than all of the other candidates (even Trump). He has a great show going, and I enjoy it immensely, because he demolishes the other candidates with such skill.

Vivek will not do any of the things he talks about. But he will do things with more flair than his predecessors. He will do what his big money investors ask him to do. Same as it ever was.

And being a from a first-generation immigrant family, raised in a Hindi culture is a legitimate disqualification for President of the United States in my book. I have worked with too many people from India. It takes several generations to weaken the bonds of that culture. Recent immigrants and their offspring are still fully immersed in it.

Their perceptions, rules, reactions, and tolerances are very different from ours, and we ignore that at our own peril.

I do like the food. Bollywood makes some entertaining films. Almost all the medications that I trust are made in India. So are the lenses in the cameras I use. There are very strong family ties and support systems which are admirable. There is value in the culture, which we can copy into ours.

We don't need a Brahmin ruler with the corruption and the caste system that comes with Hindi culture. We already have too much of those tendencies in our native culture.

22 posted on 09/13/2023 9:26:33 AM PDT by flamberge (We are living in those "interesting times" the elders warned us about.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

I lke Ramaswamy. After all, we’re not electing him pope. A president governs the country full of catholics, protestant, jews, hindus, taoists, non-believers.


23 posted on 09/13/2023 9:27:46 AM PDT by Veto! (FJB Sucks Rocks)
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To: libh8er; All

It’s my understanding that he and Nikki are Hindus. Is this true?


24 posted on 09/13/2023 9:34:57 AM PDT by wiseprince (Me)
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To: SeekAndFind

There’s a Jewish legend that the Children of Abraham by Keturah went to India when they were separated from Isaac. They brought with them spiritual gifts of a kind of monotheism that became a kind of Brahma/Atman overlay to the crude idolatry of the pre-existent Hinduism.


25 posted on 09/13/2023 9:36:48 AM PDT by jjotto ( Blessed are You LORD, who crushes enemies and subdues the wicked.)
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To: flamberge

“ So are the lenses in the cameras I use.”

Off Topic : I am curious. What lenses are those ? I know top end lenses are still made in Japan, some in Germany, while others outsourced to China, Thailand etc. This is the first I am hearing of lenses manufactured in India.


26 posted on 09/13/2023 9:37:04 AM PDT by libh8er
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To: libh8er

“Ascended Masters” BS. Glad they finally got him on the record proving he lied when he said he believed “This is one God.”


27 posted on 09/13/2023 9:42:20 AM PDT by Golden Eagle (Jesus 2024)
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To: Responsibility2nd

“Evangelicals didn’t vote for trump based on his religious values. If he picks Vivek, they’ll still vote for them.”

I disagree. And I’ll go as far as saying that any “evangelicals” that vote for or support a Hindu (pagan) for VP would not qualify as a “Christian” in Christian terms. That’s just my personal opinion, of course.

It’s one thing to vote for someone that professes to be Christian, but isn’t really. Who can judge and how are we to know unless or until their behavior reveals their true nature? But... it’s quite another thing to vote for one who, up front, admits to being a pagan...ie to not being a Christian.


28 posted on 09/13/2023 9:45:27 AM PDT by Danie_2023
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To: Responsibility2nd

they voted for Trump because he had Pence for his VP ... that’s why he chose Pence ...


29 posted on 09/13/2023 9:50:17 AM PDT by bankwalker (Repeal the 19th ...)
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To: Danie_2023

I’ll keep your comments (and hundreds more from only Trumpers) in mind when Trump picks Vivek as his veep and therefore only Trumpers won’t vote for Trump.


30 posted on 09/13/2023 9:52:35 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (A truth that’s told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent ~ Wm. Blake)
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To: bankwalker

No, they voted for Trump because the alternative (Hillary or Biden) was unthinkable.


31 posted on 09/13/2023 9:54:15 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (A truth that’s told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent ~ Wm. Blake)
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To: libh8er
Moving way off-topic...

What lenses are those?

Computar branded lenses are made in Bangladesh and certain provinces of India.

So are some of the "German" lenses.

Yes, that was a big surprise to me when I looked into it.

There are some very fine craftsmen and engineers from India. Some of them have equipment and manufacturing operations better than anything in the USA or Europe.

You can find smart, productive people everywhere you look for them. Cultures which treat those people well always prosper.

32 posted on 09/13/2023 9:58:42 AM PDT by flamberge (We are living in those "interesting times" the elders warned us about.)
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To: Responsibility2nd

“I’ll keep your comments (and hundreds more from only Trumpers) in mind when Trump picks Vivek as his veep and therefore only Trumpers won’t vote for Trump.”

I think we’ve had this conversation before...lol. But, I’ll say it again. I will NOT support or vote for a pagan like Vivek under any circumstances. I am neither a NeverTrumper (as I’ve been accused of before) or a TrumpOnly.

If Trump were to choose Vivek, the Hindu pagan, as VP that would be a signal to me that:

A. He is not what he has presented himself as (namely a Jesus-following Christian), and
B. I can’t control what others do but I can at least control my own choices (it’s about all I have remaining within my control during these ‘end times’ we’re in).

At that point I would be forced to choose to not support or vote for Trump and his pagan VP. It’s just that simple. And I posit that most Christians would use the same ‘logic’ and connecting the dots.

But again, I don’t believe that is going to happen, so we’re just hyperventilating over far-fetched hypotheticals.


33 posted on 09/13/2023 10:18:07 AM PDT by Danie_2023
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To: Danie_2023
If Trump were to choose Vivek, the Hindu pagan, as VP that would be a signal to me that:

A. He is not what he has presented himself as (namely a Jesus-following Christian)

_______________________

Trump might be a good man; a good leader. But he is hardly a Jesus-following Christian.

34 posted on 09/13/2023 10:30:05 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (A truth that’s told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent ~ Wm. Blake)
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To: Responsibility2nd

“Trump might be a good man; a good leader. But he is hardly a Jesus-following Christian.”

People can be converted to Christianity and be saved after decades of having been a sinner. Who are we to judge? HOW are we to judge? We can’t. All we can do is go by that person’s behavior and by the choices that they make.

Unless you can, God-like, read someone’s mind and heart, you have no other way of “knowing” for sure. There’s a Bible verse that addresses it...goes something like “by their fruits, ye shall know them”.

Trump rebuilt the military and national security after Obama did his level best to destroy it. Trump rebuilt the economy, even despite the bio-weapon release. Controlling the US border was an essential part of that rebuilding. He did the right things that makes me think he’s either a Christian or a pretty good imitation of one. At this point in our nation’s demise, I’ll take it. Unless he does something to convince me otherwise and that I was wrong.


35 posted on 09/13/2023 10:39:20 AM PDT by Danie_2023
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To: wiseprince

I think Nikki is a Sikh, not a Hindu..


36 posted on 09/13/2023 10:49:06 AM PDT by JohnBovenmyer (Biden/Harris events are called dodo ops)
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To: JohnBovenmyer

She is Methodist.


37 posted on 09/13/2023 11:01:53 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: libh8er

“What is your opinion of Jesus Christ?” an Iowan asked Ramaswamy”

I wonder what would happen if someone asked a Jewish candidate that question.


38 posted on 09/13/2023 11:08:40 AM PDT by suthener
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To: TiGuy22
We don’t need to have an evangelical Christian as president. God will work through whom He wants to work through.

"In order that the living may know
That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the lowest of men.’ Dan 4:17

39 posted on 09/13/2023 11:20:42 AM PDT by aimhigh (1 John 3:23 "And THIS is His commandment . . . . ")
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To: Dilbert San Diego
"But such a test falls apart, in my opinion, if Freepers are trying to say, they prefer a so called Catholic Biden, who abhors all the values we believe in, or they would prefer a nominal Christian such as Barack Obama, who likewise abhors our values."

The antedecent proposition is flawed. You have no qualifying test.

Biden calls himself a Catholic, that doesn't sustain him as a Catholic.

Obama is a gay, pot-smoking, down-low apostate murtadd Muslim, "nominal Christian" my azz.

Bill Clinton called himself a "Baptist" but their brief church attendance in DC was at Cankles' Methodist church, she came from a hard-core Methodist family, but was Ms Spirit Cooking even a "nominal Christian"?

40 posted on 09/13/2023 11:26:35 AM PDT by StAnDeliver (TrumpII)
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