Absolution for Newt - How evangelicals are finding a way to support Gingrich.

Slate ^ | 12/2/2011 | David Weigel

[TBBT]

The last time Pastor Robert Jeffress elbowed into the presidential race, he was warning a crowd of “values voters” about the dangers of nominating a Mormon. Jeffress, who leads the First Baptist Church in Dallas, wanted them to pick Rick Perry instead: He was an evangelical Christian who “sang the doxology,” married his childhood sweetheart, and stayed faithful (as far as anyone knows) for 29 years. Easy choice. But Republicans may not get to choose between Perry and Mitt Romney. The current front-runner in Iowa is Newt Gingrich—thrice married, an admitted adulterer, a late convert to Catholicism. He’s pulling voters from the other “anti-Romney” of choice, Herman Cain, because women keep tumbling out of Cain’s closet clutching sexual harassment settlements and phone records of (allegedly!) decade-long affairs. “I think there's now an evangelical tri-lemma,” says Jeffress, who still backs Perry but doesn’t have illusions about his current electoral oomph. “Do you vote for a Mormon who's had one wife, a Catholic who's had three wives, or an Evangelical who may have had an entire harem?”

[TBBT]

Put Newt or anybody else aside for a moment...

I'm struck by this. With the top priorities and problems facing our country (Economy, Jobs, Debt, Iran, etc...), I can't for the life of me understand how a candidate's past martial issues can be the biggest hang up for a voter. Are you kidding me?!

Back to Newt...

Jen Green explained that the doubters worried about “the affairs and the seeming lack of public repentance for them,” and felt that Gingrich hadn’t “done enough to restore their faith in him.”

Really? Newt's acknowledged - publicly and often - his marital indiscretions and has stated that he's asked for forgiveness and reconciliation with his god. What else do they want? Should he provide them a sacrifice on the alter? Perhaps the guy should agree to subject himself to several rounds of intense corporal mortification. Would that do it for these people?

Granted, I'm not the most religiously versed. But, it was understanding that forgiveness was to be given without extracting a price. But then again - what do I know?

[MestaMachine]

Ignoring the evils of men is how we arrived at these problems in the first place. Continue to ignore them and not only will the problems continue, they will get worse. That is not forgiveness, it is contributary hypocrisy.

[MestaMachine]

contributory.

[Fred]

This should turn them out...

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/08/gingrich_profile_featuring_ex-wife_begets_question.php

[ExSoldier]

Everybody has feet of clay. When it comes to my salvation, I did my part: I SINNED. Jesus did the rest and it is a free gift. Christians know this. I don't deserve to go to heaven, not by a long shot. But I accepted the free gift and guess what? I'm still a sinner! So is Newt. So is this Jen Green. I'll cut Newt a break and so will most Evangelicals, because they know that risking Obama for another term is just inviting the Anti Christ home to roooooooost! And Obama ain't the anti Christ but I'll bet he gives him a big hug and another apology.

[Esther Ruth]

Heard the maha rushie himself say many years ago - it is one thing to offer someone mercy, grace, forgiveness - but — but they still have to deal with the consequences of their crime or sin — and in this case the consequences for newt are that his past behaviors now disqualify him for this high office.

[Fred]

He is such a man of conviction, this will win them over

http://www.lifenews.com/2011/12/02/newt-gingrich-pro-life-but-says-life-begins-at-implantation/

[fantom]

The marriage crap is just a head fake. My guess is if Newt claimed to be a Mormon forgiveness would be less in style. Newts problems will be on full display for the millions of voters under 60 who have no idea who he is if he manages to get the chance to face Boy Wonder. The debate blather is also a head fake. Anyone who watches these debates will see another white haired overweight geezer telling The young Prince to get off of his lawn. Newt is McCain 2 without the respect for his service.

[Pollster1]

. . . in this case the consequences for newt are that his past behaviors now disqualify him for this high office.

At least from my perspective, forgiveness is God's decision. It's my place to decide whether to trust him with the country God has given us. He has in the past been a shocking slimeball morally, and that makes me less willing to trust him, both personally and professionally. He has, however, claimed to have found God and reformed. I am at least willing to consider the possibility that he is sincere. He is VERY far from my first choice, even among those running, but having sinned (egregiously) a decade ago is not completely disqualifying - if his repentance is real. We have to judge him by his actions over the past few years, and I'm keeping an open mind on that question. If God is willing to forgive him, who am I to hold a grudge in an area that does not directly relate to his sins?

[TBBT]

Heard the maha rushie himself say many years ago - it is one thing to offer someone mercy, grace, forgiveness - but — but they still have to deal with the consequences of their crime or sin — and in this case the consequences for newt are that his past behaviors now disqualify him for this high office.

So an individual must continue to pay for a sin for all eternity? That's what forgiveness and redemption means? And who is man to extract such a sentence? What about second chances? If you've changed your life, you should still be brought down by past sins? We are not talking about criminal penalties here...

[Atlas Sneezed]

in this case the consequences for newt are that his past behaviors now disqualify him for this high office.

---

I disagree. I’m not going to let this nation be destroyed in a search for perfection in areas that are not pertinent to the job.

Newt is the only one who can beat Romney.

And he can beat Obama.

And his sinc

[posterchild]

Ross Perot said it well when he was asked why he fired an employee for infidelity - “If your wife can’t trust you, why should I?”

[MestaMachine]

WHOAH!
From the article:

“as in his first divorce, he fought Marianne tooth and nail over any financial settlement. And then he had the Atlanta archdiocese inform Marianne that their marriage was invalid in the eyes of his fiancée’s faith; 9 years later, he completed his conversion to Catholicism.”

SNIP

Probably not. Marianne didn’t give up on her marriage so easily — but Gingrich asked something of her she could not give.

She called a minister they both trusted. He came over to the house the next day and worked with them the whole weekend, but Gingrich just kept saying she, (Calista,) was a Jaguar and all he wanted was a Chevrolet. ” ‘I can’t handle a Jaguar right now.’ He said that many times. ‘All I want is a Chevrolet.’ ”
He asked her to just tolerate the affair, an offer she refused.
************************************

This man’s soul is for hire.
He STILL can’t afford a Jaguar, but Tiffany’s sure likes her.

[greene66]

It’s not a religious aspect for me. In fact, I always pretty much enjoyed hearing what Gingrich had to say, in speeches or as a pundit, even though he often went off the rails in recent years quite often. He’s certainly been great in these debates. But the scuzziness IS a problem for me. The years of Bill Clinton and having to endure a man totally devoid of character and morals, sullying the Oval Office, just dragged down the whole damn country into a sort of relativist sewer which lingers to this day.

I mean, there were times I was so repulsed by Clinton’s slime and its effect on the whole culture, my mind would get so worked up and irritated that I couldn’t get to sleep some evenings. So now, about 15 years later, I’m somehow going to just set aside my whole value-system and throw my standards to the wind? But in a way, the question is moot, since there are some other suitcases full of incredibly unpalatable things, like Newt’s global-warming stances, his FreddieMac lobbying, his pro-mandate views, the Scozzyfava incident, his rotten ‘red-card’ pathway-to-amnesty ideas, and probably a few more things. It’s all way, way too much for me, I’m afraid. I can’t honestly say I find Gingrich any more preferable than Romney.

[Mariner]

Would your life well suffer such scrutiny?

[Recovering_Democrat]

Yeah, I consider myself a very devoted follower of Christ. I am not perfect, but I do believe. But that being said, my goal for our nation in the next election is to boot Hussein. I don’t consider Mormonism’s theology remotely accurate. But if we nominate a Mormon, I’ll pull the lever.

If we nominate the “cheater” Newt, then I will vote.

If we nominate the old crank Paul, I will vote.

Folks, the Republic can be saved with these men in office. With Hussein in office for another term, we may be thrown into the abyss.

[starlifter]

Why don't the evangelicals stick to electing pastors?

[Sans-Culotte]

Ignoring the evils of men is how we arrived at these problems in the first place. Continue to ignore them and not only will the problems continue, they will get worse. That is not forgiveness, it is contributary hypocrisy.

I think some of you need to read up on the leaders from the Bible. Read about Jehu, for one. He was chosen by the Prophets to be King and ruthlessly broke the power of the Baal worshippers. He appears to have later fallen into idol worshipping apostasy himself. But he was the man for the job when he was needed.

[luvbach1]

...my mind would get so worked up and irritated that I couldn’t get to sleep some evenings.

As Bubba is puurported to have said: "Try putting a little ice on that."

[SoConPubbie]

Everybody has feet of clay. When it comes to my salvation, I did my part: I SINNED. Jesus did the rest and it is a free gift. Christians know this. I don't deserve to go to heaven, not by a long shot. But I accepted the free gift and guess what? I'm still a sinner! So is Newt. So is this Jen Green. I'll cut Newt a break and so will most Evangelicals, because they know that risking Obama for another term is just inviting the Anti Christ home to roooooooost! And Obama ain't the anti Christ but I'll bet he gives him a big hug and another apology.

We're talking about politics and Newt's liberal/moderate/conservative positions on the issues, not whether or not he has been forgiven for his sins.

Since he has, since 2000, done the following, he does not deserve the support of principled conservatives:

1. Supported the false notion of Global Warming
2. Supported Cap-n-Trade
3. Supported the Individual Mandate
4. Supported Limited Amnesty
5. Supported the Extreme Liberal Scozzafazza over the conservative Doug Hoffman in NY23
6. Called Ryan's plan "Right-wing Social Engineering"
7. Stated "The Era of Reagan is Over"
8. Supported “Criminal Safezones Act” with Pelosi which created "Gun-Free" zones