Posted on 02/12/2016 9:45:44 PM PST by SoConPubbie
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Many of the Republican presidential candidates descended Friday on Greenville ahead of Saturday's CBS debate.
But only one was savvy enough to get himself enlisted as the opening act of a throbbing, trembling Christian rock concert that packed 14,000 evangelicals into a downtown arena on Friday night.
So here came Ted Cruz, striding onto the catwalk of a stage, beaming under the spotlight, leading the crowd in prayer, asking them to unite behind him in next Saturday's primary election, and jumping up like a basketball player high-fiving fans as he walked into the locker rooms in the bowels of the arena.
"Welcome to Winter Jam -- and to God be the glory," the Texas senator said.
Winter Jam is a touring, four-hour show featuring born-again Christian rock and rap artists. It performed at Greenville's Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Friday night.
Ted Cruz about to address 14,000 (!) pumped up evangelicals in Greenville. Opening act of Christian arena concert pic.twitter.com/SYBIPCVdtz
- Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) February 12, 2016
For any Republican politician, this was a captive and prized audience. Evangelical Christians are an especially influential voting block in South Carolina, especially in the Greenville area, known as the Upcountry.
Cruz gave about six minutes of remarks and prayer at the start of the concert. He thanked the crowd "for standing unapologetically with Jesus, for confessing your faith with love."
Cruz talked about religious liberty being "under assault," but said that across the country "people are waking up."
"Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values," Cruz said. "Those values of life and marriage are under assault, religious liberty is under assault, and yet the American people are rising up."
Cruz did not attack any rivals, nor did he make an overt political pitch. But he cast himself as a champion of social conservative principles,
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I think Cruz would be damned if he did or damned if he didn’t in this case.
A pastor can’t be a manager?
Better to take the damning that you get from living out the deeper values.
Even Christ got that kind of damning.
But when I feel like it, if you throw another rock, I will throw a boulder. I fight back especially with those who don’t provide any facts to back up their opinions. See how that works?
I mean be cognizant of the post.
Some people still want some kind of religious Caesar to keep pumping the faith from his castle.
Others are willing to have a cooperative one.
But you know he’s a Senator and lawyer and it is possible to witness for Christ in your daily life without being a preacher.
I wish he did, then that would make it far easier for me.
He’s got a bushel over the kind of light that really counts.
He’s a “Christianity to get us morality” kind of person.
If he was a “Christianity because it is God’s love” kind of person, I would be all rah rah for Cruz. He’d be the kingpin of a faith movement, and as strategically placed as possible.
I hate this mediocre Christianity. It attracts nobody to the gospel.
But you do realize that, for the most part, everyone that is saying Cruz was wrong to judge her, would be saying he was a hypocrite for allowing a porn star to be in his ad? It’s all the gotcha game.
Doesn’t matter. For him to speak up and say he was taking the guff, would strike the most Christ-illustrating pose that we have seen in what... centuries?
My “opinion” as you say is rooted in the fact that I can call someone tomorrow who speaks with Ted Cruz daily. That person is one of the most Godly and committed Christians my family has ever known. I will trust their opinion of the man’s integrity over platitudes and non-specifics from a candidate that has historically been shown to have malleable positions. I can see that we aren’t going to get anywhere with this. Again, if Trump is elected, I hope your faith is well served.
Corporations and politicians are risk-averse. Controversy arose, the spot was cancelled, just like that. Looking for a deeper, moral context is going to lead to disappointment. Could Cruz have made it a “teachable moment” and spoke about repentance and forgiveness? He could have, but that supposes that the actress actually has, an unknown. Just to clarify, I’m not the biggest Cruz supporter on FR, I think he’d make a fine SC judge or even VP for Trump, and I’ll vote for him if he’s nominated. It just strikes me as a little unfair to judge his campaign for cutting ties to a potential risk of embarrassment.
I don’t see the same thing you see. I don’t think Cruz is using his faith as just a campaign tool. I don’t think he is stuffy and judgemental. I think he’s just a man who knows that this nation needs a Christian leader and he is one and he is not afraid to put himself out there to be judged.
I wish he HAD put himself out there to be judged... for the sake of the actress. Saying he was going to act on the basis of mercy and forgiveness, and that he hopes she would consider yielding her life to the Lord if she hasn’t already.
The test that proves what you are isn’t always the test you were expecting and cramming for.
If this is the most “godly and committed Christian your family has ever known” — then you need to have your eyes opened.
There is so much superficiality parading around as “godly and committed.”
From her imdb page she’s done a lot of work. You have to understand that when an unknown actress shows her boobs it’s soft core porn. But when a big star shows her boobs it’s art.
This woman was simply being a working actress. I doubt she’s earned much over the years and this commercial was probably a “buy out” so she wasn’t going to be paid residuals so she’s already gotten all the money she’s going to get anyway. So cancelling it didn’t cost her anything.
I would hope that he’d take a lesson from it, at least, that he should try a little more awarely next time.
Jesus knew exactly what “risk” to take. It sent Him to the Cross. It got him hooted at by “all the Jews” (or, all manner of Jews). Vindication came, quietly and growing, with His resurrection.
Hear hear! Preach on, dear
I don’t disagree that many take on the mantle of faith as a facade to curry favor. Obama did it, the Clintons did it, and Trump has tried to do it.
But he’s not Christ. He has never claimed to be Christ like. He’s only claimed to have a deep faith in Christ and belief that Christian values are important to being President of the US.
Donald Trump says he is a Christian, but because people don’t perceive that it is important to him, he doesn’t have to face the same judgement as Cruz. This is my perception.
Nothing in dollars and cents, but she expressed disappointment.
It wouldn’t have been hard to be merciful to her, and that only God and she knew her fate. That would distinguish him from rigid religion.
However, this is not the only rigid religion context he has gotten himself into.
Well I could rant like this for hours but what’s the point. The point is that the only thing that can outclass rigid religion is living faith, like Jesus outclassed the Pharisees. And that isn’t even a political question but a spiritual one, and its answer would come through a different set of people.
Good night.
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