Who’s the real Christian? Beck? Obama? You? Me?
Glenn Beck attacks Barack Obama’s religious beliefs, claiming “it’s a perversion of the gospel of Jesus Christ as most Christians know it.”
But in turn, at least some in the Christian evangelical community say similar things about Beck.
“Glenn Beck promotes a false gospel,” says Christianinvestigator.com. “However, many of his political ideas can help America. Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values. Mormonism is not a Christian denomination but a cult of Christianity.”
Brannon Howse, a conservative writer and founder of Worldview Weekend, which organizes Christian conferences, criticized evangelical participation in that event in a column this week.
“The Apostle Paul warns Christians against uniting with unbelievers in spiritual endeavors,” Howse wrote. “While I applaud and agree with many of Glenn Beck’s conservative and constitutional views, that does not give me or any other Bible-believing Christian justification to compromise Biblical truth by spiritually joining Beck.”
Much of the criticism – along with confusion about the propriety of evangelicals politically linking arms with Mormons – is less formal and more rooted among in-the-pews churchgoers than evangelical elites.
“Jesus Christ’s Church has universally rejected Mormonism’s Anti-Trinitarian theology and its claim that mortals may become God,” David Shedlock, a contributor to the evangelical blog Caffeinated Thoughts, wrote in a post this month. “Beck asks Christian leaders to ‘put differences aside,’ but Beck himself daily peppers his broadcasts with Mormon distinctives because he cannot keep his beliefs to himself.”
Sad stuff, for politics, for religion, for Chrisitianity.
But that’s what happens once you inject religion into politics. Debates about the right government policy degrade into debates over who is more Christian than the other, or whether they’re Christian at all. It’s remarkable how many times we have to relearn that lesson.
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474 comments Add your comment
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
7:22 pm
PAUL
A piece of graffitti from my university days (the Science Dept…they had the best)
Someone had written that and somebody had added
“…thenby all means bake at 350 for 45 mins. Serves six.”
Scout
August 30th, 2010
7:23 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxFzFIDbKpg
Paul
August 30th, 2010
7:23 pm
Spkr Pelosi’s swamp-draining initiative isn’t going so well. Even after years of practice…
“Longtime Dallas congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson has awarded thousands of dollars in college scholarships to four relatives and a top aide’s two children since 2005, using foundation funds set aside for black lawmakers’ causes.
The recipients were ineligible under anti-nepotism rules of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which provided the money.”
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/082910dntexcongress.2c049bb.html
Oh yeah, full disclosure. She’s a Democrat.
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
7:24 pm
Of course, I don’t believe in reincarnation, Christian heavens, purgatories and hells, Jewish sheols, Norse valhallas and hels nor Islamic jannahs and jahannams.
But hey that’s my hangup, right?
But I did love this line from Schwartzkopf. When asked if believed in forgiveness for those who harbored terrorists he said, “I believe that forgiving them is God’s job. Our job is to simply arrange the meeting.”
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
7:24 pm
Oh, cr*p, that would have come out top of the page…JAY edit someone and get me off there!
Paul
August 30th, 2010
7:27 pm
josef nix
I notice no one who ends up on Food TV ever started life as a scientist….
BTW – I loved the Turtles. Got a kick out of the lead singer (?) who didn’t play any instrument but the tambourine.
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
7:30 pm
josef, those Turtle songs bring back very vivid memories for me.
What a great time to be a kid, huh?
OK, one last one from the future Flo & Eddie. A great cover of Sonny Bono’s classic…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDZcKkExz4o&feature=related
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
7:35 pm
Ah, the Turtles and memories…it was indeed a great time to be a kid and amazing, but I can still sing along with them…remember every word!
PAUL
Food TV, eh… and what’s your favorite show….?
RW-(the original)
August 30th, 2010
7:35 pm
I guess I’ll have to take Friday for picking a fight…Monday seems to be taken!
josef,
Jay B made it crystal clear that Monday was his day for fight picking this morning.
GOP is Gone
August 30th, 2010
7:35 pm
I cannot believe that this conversation is continuing. Funny, I don’t remember being a “Christian” written into the constitution’s Presidential requirements. Frankly, I would be giddy to know that he is an atheist, that way I could trust him to make a judgment on facts instead of fantasy.
Never mind that the divisiveness in this country today is exactly what makes a terrorists day. They are showing young little boys the videos of those fools at ground zero as proof that America is an enemy to Islam and not just terrorists. And very few Americans are getting it. Mayor Bloomberg gets it. Image that, a billionaire Jewish man. He has far more integrity than the non-Christian Christian Glenn Beck, and more reasons to hate Muslim/terrorists who attacked HIS city. Beck with his black boards and crocodile tears to the point of being dehydrated is a megalomaniac who is lining his pockets with money from a terrorist funded FOX news organization. Yeah, the whole time they were ragging on the
funding of the Islamic center, they are being funded by the same Arab.
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
7:38 pm
RW
Well, was You Know Who his stand in here?
@@
August 30th, 2010
7:41 pm
Redneck:
I got to say, though, that @@ ratting Bookman out is pretty low-down.
RAT(ting) is a dish served by left-wingers. I’ve tasted it. It’s lousy. Wouldn’t serve it to a dog.
Not saying, jay’s a dog or anything…
Paul
August 30th, 2010
7:43 pm
josef nix
“Food TV, eh… and what’s your favorite show….?”
An impossible question, that…
GOP is Gone
You begin with “Never mind that the divisiveness in this country today is exactly what makes a terrorists day.” and then continue with “…He has far more integrity than the non-Christian Christian Glenn Beck,…Beck…is a megalomaniac who is lining his pockets…from a terrorist funded FOX news organization. ”
and you don’t see the irony?!!?
Paul
August 30th, 2010
7:46 pm
Aw, nuts.
First Anonymous, now Mike. Two bloggers show up with The Truth, excoriating the infidels (Christians have infidels, right?) but ask them a couple questions and poof! they’re gone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfdnhnjlsAk
mike
August 30th, 2010
7:49 pm
LOL. Beck may be a partisan hack, but he when he says jump, liberal pundits shout, “how high?
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
7:50 pm
PAUL
Paula Dean…”you can tell it’s a good recipe if it starts with a stick of butter…”
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
7:51 pm
mike
Ain’t it the truth! Sometimes I wonder if they aren’t on his payroll!
@@
August 30th, 2010
7:53 pm
Nobody asked me, but my favorite Food Network program is “The Barefoot Contessa”…Ina Garten.
I like her calm approach to food.
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
7:55 pm
@@
I like her, too…
Hillbilly Deluxe
August 30th, 2010
7:56 pm
Ain’t it the truth! Sometimes I wonder if they aren’t on his payroll!
Or is it the other way around?
Paul
August 30th, 2010
7:57 pm
josef nix
One of my sons (in restaurant business) once said “you know why food at high-end restaurants tastes so good? Because each plate averages a stick of butter.”
mike 7:49
Funny perspective!
@@
Barefoot inna garden, eh?
TaxPayer
August 30th, 2010
7:58 pm
How many of you cons had your honor restored by Beck. Come on. You can share your secrets with us.
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
8:02 pm
Hillbilly
There is that…
Okay, who’s a real Christian…
My down the street neighbor and her husband…when they heard about the five young uns whose mama was being held for deportation and they were alone went down, loaded ‘em up, took ‘em in and are raising them and putting them through school and why, they were asked, “and why not?” They answered. Was under the weather last week, so she made me her fantastic gumbo…
Paul
August 30th, 2010
8:02 pm
Huffington Post goes from Progressive Politics to Progressive Porn.
Can anyone tell the difference?
“In the wake of Glenn Beck’s hugely successful Restoring Honor rally held in Washington, D.C. this weekend, the Huffington Post has published an offer of $100,000 to anyone with evidence that would destroy Beck’s reputation and take him off the political/cultural battlefield.”
I suppose this is the logical progression of progressives’ tactics with Dr. Laura: hear something you don’t like, don’t argue the facts, don’t offer a better viewpoint; instead, try to personally destroy them.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2579985/posts
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
8:02 pm
Don’t know nuffin about no Ima Gonna’s on the Food Network.
But one time I was channel surfing and this one made me stop…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6DxffYN8I8
@@
August 30th, 2010
8:03 pm
Code Pink…Code Pink!!!!
Two men were arrested after a flight from Chicago to Amsterdam and were charged by Dutch police with preparation of a terror attack, ABC News is reporting online.
One man was identified as Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al Soofi who had lived in Detroit, according to ABC News.
Officials found a box cutter and large knives in al Soofi’s baggage, according to the report. A cell phone taped to a Pepto-Bismol bottle and watches taped together also were discovered.
Read more: Report: Man with Detroit ties held in suspected terror plot after flight | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20100830/NEWS06/100830053/Report-Man-with-Detroit-ties-held-in-suspected-terror-plot-after-flight#ixzz0y9HcUeNd
A Pepto-Bismol bottle???
Paul
August 30th, 2010
8:06 pm
Well, well, well.
Went to Huffpo to directly link (source material and all that) and this is what’s posted: “Editor’s Note: This piece was published directly to the Huffington Post by its author. It didn’t meet our editorial standards and has been removed from the site.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beau-friedlander/100000-for-glenn-becks-se_b_698724.html
Standards? Or too much blowback? Real question is, is this the end of it and do they give Mr. Friedlander a ‘naughty, naughty’ wink or do they fire him? You know, in the fine progressive tradition of “say something bad, lose your job.”
Just lookin’ for a little consistency -
TGT
August 30th, 2010
8:09 pm
The hits keep on coming: CLIMATE CHANGE LIES ARE EXPOSED:
“THE world’s leading climate change body has been accused of losing credibility after a damning report into its research practices.
A high-level inquiry into the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found there was “little evidence” for its claims about global warming.
It also said the panel had emphasised the negative impacts of climate change and made “substantive findings” based on little proof.
The review by the InterAcademy Council (IAC) was launched after the IPCC’s hugely embarrassing 2007 benchmark climate change report, which contained exaggerated and false claims that Himalayan glaciers could melt by 2035.”
Paul
August 30th, 2010
8:09 pm
AmVet
First time I’ve watched Giada with the sound on….
Lil' Barry Bailout
August 30th, 2010
8:15 pm
We’ve got 10% unemployment, a $1.4 trillion budget deficit, Islamofascists building nuclear weapons, failing schools, and people STILL living in trailers in New Orleans, and THIS is what Bookman is worried about?
No wonder–paying attention to the important stuff would be bad publicity for his Idiot Messiah.
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
8:18 pm
Yeah, Paul.
Cooking shows are a bit lost on me, but anytime she’s on, I’ll watch. And dream of dessert…
RW-(the original)
August 30th, 2010
8:19 pm
Well, was You Know Who his stand in here?
josef,
I must have missed something. Then again there’s no future in going backward to find out.
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
8:21 pm
RW
The one who accused me of picking a fight was in earlier throwing out invective…
Paul
August 30th, 2010
8:23 pm
AmVet
It’s a hoax, but it’s funny:
http://thechive.com/2010/08/10/girl-quits-her-job-on-dry-erase-board-emails-entire-office-33-photos/
Pleasant evening, all -
TaxPayer
August 30th, 2010
8:28 pm
Why aren’t any cons bragging about how Beck restored their honor?
kayaker 71
August 30th, 2010
8:43 pm
Taxpayer,
He’s trying. You are just not listening. A few facts about Saturday’s proceedings. Although this was supposed to be a big racial clusterf***, no racial speech was heard. Although “these people” are about nothing but violence and compared to brown shirts, not a single complaint was filed with the police or security about violence, disrespectful speech or unseemly behavior. CBS said that there were 87K people there. Many have estimated the crowd at between 400-500K. The Smithsonian has asked Beck for memorabilia of the largest rally organized by a single person in the the history of rallies in DC. Are you listening to the message or just demonizing this guy? There were blacks, asians, whites, jews, in the crowd, especially the 240 clergy of all faiths that were gathered behind Beck on the dias. King;’s niece is already catching heat for hanging out with whitey. Did you listen to what he had to say or were you just too filled with hate? There was not a single instance of political speech, not a single sign, no racial connotations….. what the hell do you want? This guy could come back from the dead and to you and all the liberals, he would still be an assh***.. And I thought you had half a brain. You and Tucker are just alike. Bookman at least has an occasional glimmer of sanity but you are all but dead in the water.
josef nix
August 30th, 2010
8:48 pm
Gotta run…g’night…
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
8:53 pm
Gale: “The problem is that something that should be a very private matter for each person and his conscience, has become a means to rile up an emotion-driven electorate. We would be far better served if we insisted our politicians keep their religious beliefs to themselves.”
HD: “To give a serious answer, although I’m not sure that is what he was after, numbers 1-3 are between themselves and God, it isn’t for me to say. Number 4 is the one I need to be concerned about, and I could always do better.”
Wise words to live by, Gale and HD!!
Sabagio Mauraeno
August 30th, 2010
9:00 pm
Enter your comments hereI’m Muslim. My parents met in the US after immigrating from Romania and Indonesia. They came from countries where freedom of religion didn’t happen. Religious tolerance was what they found here. That’s what I was taught, anyway. Lately, really the last several years, I haven’t seen much of it, if news reports are any indication. My question then, to the editors, is: In your faith and values section of the paper, could you reserve space for discussion of Muslim family values and their views on the role of citizens in the community? Has it ever been tried? Don’t you think it’s time to give peace, love and understanding a chance?
Sabagio Mauraeno
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:01 pm
But since I never live by wise words, thought I’d pick at Scout over the Trinity Doctrine:
* The word “Trinity” does not appear in the Bible
* The word “Trinity” was first used by Tertullian (c.155-230)
* The doctrine of the Trinity is commonly expressed as: “One God, three Persons”
* The doctrine is formally defined in the Nicene Creed, which declares Jesus to be: “God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.”
* Past and present Christian faiths who do not believe in the Trinity include:
o Arianism (4th century)
o Some Radical Reformers (16th century), such as Michael Servetus
o Jehovah’s Witnesses
o Mormonism
o Unitarianism
* Reasons given for rejecting the doctrine of the Trinity include:
o It is not mentioned in the Bible
o It does not make philosophical sense
o It is not compatible with monotheism
o It is not necessary in order to explain the “specialness” of Jesus
* Reasons given for believing in the Trinity include:
o It is taught indirectly in various statements in the Bible
o It explains the divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit while affirming monotheism
o It would not be expected that the nature of God would make sense to human minds
o The early ecumenical councils (primarily Nicea) are authoritative
http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/beliefs/trinity.htm
Midori
August 30th, 2010
9:02 pm
Taxpayer,
everyone is calling Beck’s “I have a scheme” event “Whitestock”
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:06 pm
When the culture goes the country goes.
Mick
August 30th, 2010
9:11 pm
kayaker
So, 100k got together to listen to a media entertainer – no problem. However, after watching most of the rally, I still want to know what needs to be restored?
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:12 pm
Bruno:
Matthew 28
“18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
That’s good enough for me.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:12 pm
“When the culture goes the country goes.”
Would it be more accurate to say that “When the culture goes, the country changes ??
I know every generation goes through that change, because (1) As a youth, I rejected the music/art/values of my parent’s generation and blazed my own trail (2) I have very little in common with the youngest generation coming up, and they frankly don’t care. Is this necessarily a bad thing?? Not sure, but it’s definitely a natural sequence.
@@
August 30th, 2010
9:13 pm
I just took a looksee at C. Tucker’s column. Interesting that she’s using Christopher Hitchens to exact her pound on white flesh. Given all her columns regarding “radical right-wingers” and their “islamaphobia”, she may wanna check out Hitchens opinion of the “seedier” side of Islam and those who want it to go forth unquestioned.
Just an excerpt from Hitchens’ piece at Slate:
Emboldened by the crass nature of the opposition to the center, its defenders have started to talk as if it represented no problem at all and as if the question were solely one of religious tolerance. It would be nice if this were true. But tolerance is one of the first and most awkward questions raised by any examination of Islamism. We are wrong to talk as if the only subject was that of terrorism. As Western Europe has already found to its cost, local Muslim leaders have a habit, once they feel strong enough, of making demands of the most intolerant kind. Sometimes it will be calls for censorship of anything “offensive” to Islam. Sometimes it will be demands for sexual segregation in schools and swimming pools. The script is becoming a very familiar one. And those who make such demands are of course usually quite careful to avoid any association with violence. They merely hint that, if their demands are not taken seriously, there just might be a teeny smidgeon of violence from some other unnamed quarter …
As for the gorgeous mosaic of religious pluralism, it’s easy enough to find mosque Web sites and DVDs that peddle the most disgusting attacks on Jews, Hindus, Christians, unbelievers, and other Muslims—to say nothing of insane diatribes about women and homosexuals. This is why the fake term Islamophobia is so dangerous: It insinuates that any reservations about Islam must ipso facto be “phobic.” A phobia is an irrational fear or dislike. Islamic preaching very often manifests precisely this feature, which is why suspicion of it is by no means irrational.
I’d enlighten her, but Cynthia is Granny’s neck in the woods.
Oh well…
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
9:14 pm
everyone is calling Beck’s “I have a scheme” event “Whitestock”
To quote the sage josef nix, “I don’t care who you are, thass funny!”
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:16 pm
“That’s good enough for me.”
The elements of the Trinity are presented in various combinations throughout the Bible, in single form, in couplet form, and all together as you have presented in Matthew 28. I think a good argument could be made either for or against the concept of Trinity.
BTW, based on your selection of quotes, are you a King James Version supporter. Personally, I prefer the NIV.
Mick
August 30th, 2010
9:17 pm
amvet
Saw this sign: jeff beck not glenn beck.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:18 pm
“My question then, to the editors, is: In your faith and values section of the paper, could you reserve space for discussion of Muslim family values and their views on the role of citizens in the community? Has it ever been tried? Don’t you think it’s time to give peace, love and understanding a chance?”
Sabagio–I don’t keep score, but I do recall several AJC articles in the past devoted to explaining Muslim theology. Though Islam is large on a world scale, we’re still at the 1-2% representation level here in the US. Great challenge for the AJC, however.
Mick
August 30th, 2010
9:19 pm
The father, son, and holy ghost took a train to the coast, the night the music died and they were singing bye, bye….
North DeKlab Voter
August 30th, 2010
9:19 pm
Where are the libs hiding Pelosi? Are you giving her food and water ?
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:21 pm
Bruno:
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams
“[O]nly a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.”
“Whereas true religion and good morals are the only solid foundations of public liberty and happiness . . . it is hereby earnestly recommended to the several States to take the most effectual measures for the encouragement thereof.” Benjamin Franklin
“[T]he Christian religion, in its purity, is the basis, or rather the source of all genuine freedom in government. . . . and I am persuaded that no civil government of a republican form can exist and be durable in which the principles of that religion have not a controlling influence.” Noah Webster
“[T]he only foundation for a useful education in a republic is to be aid in religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments. Without religion, I believe that learning does real mischief to the morals and principles of mankind.” Benjamin Rush (Signer of the Declaration of Independence)
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:22 pm
Bruno:
I like both as well as other versions taken directly from the Hebrew and Greek.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 30th, 2010
9:23 pm
After the event, walking from the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool through Constitution Gardens, this reporter scanned 360 degrees and could not see a scrap of trash anywhere. Participants and volunteers had collected all their refuse and left it piled neatly in bags around the public garbage cans. Near Constitution Avenue, I did encounter one stray piece of paper—but too old and faded to have been left that day.
And then you have Inauguration Day 2009-
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_uSNpfk4dbL4/Sq_kHrN2czI/AAAAAAAAATE/TZMz1pzdWVA/s400/obama+inaugaration+photo+3+.jpg
Trash!
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:24 pm
AmVet–More JA to get you psyched up. I’ll make a gentleman’s bet that he plays this one from the second YES album:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzb0lIPpg8o
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:24 pm
@@:
Have you wondered where N.O.W. is regarding the repression of Muslim women here in the United States? They are strangely silent. If Baptists were making their women wear burkas what do you think N.O.W. would be doing?
Burning burkas on the street !!!
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
9:27 pm
Mick, as we all know, Jeff Beck is the real deal. He’s influenced generations of guitarists. Even other guitar gods.
Glenn Beck is a con artist, drama queen and serial prevaricator.
Which begs the question, THIS is the man to restore American honor?
What a farce…
@@
August 30th, 2010
9:28 pm
Ten hut! Last two paragraphs.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:29 pm
“After the event, walking from the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool through Constitution Gardens, this reporter scanned 360 degrees and could not see a scrap of trash anywhere.”
Definitely not the case at the 1992 Earth Day celebration at Piedmont Park. Of course, it was a great concert, though, featuring Papa John Creech and the Black Crowes.
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:30 pm
Headline: “Two men taken off a Chicago-to-Amsterdam United Airlines flight in the Netherlands have been charged by Dutch police with “preparation of a terrorist attack,” U.S. law enforcement officials tell ABC News.
The men were identified as Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al Soofi, of Detroit, MI, and Hezem al Murisi, the officials said. A neighbor of al Soofi told ABC News he is from Yemen.”
Well, no kidding Sherlock.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 30th, 2010
9:30 pm
EDUCATION SEC URGED STAFF: GO TO SHARPTON RALLY
Do I not know what I am talking about?
theyeshaveit
August 30th, 2010
9:31 pm
But that’s what happens once you inject religion into politics. Debates about the right government policy degrade into debates over who is more Christian than the other, or whether they’re Christian at all. It’s remarkable how many times we have to relearn that lesson.
Well, I am certainly not more Christian than the other guy. The problem with Christians is that they persistently ignore Christian values.
CurtJa
August 30th, 2010
9:33 pm
Beck is a Mormon. Mormons venerate a false prophet who warped and twisted the Word, and hence are not Christian. Not a tough debate, really.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
“Glenn Beck is a con artist, drama queen and serial prevaricator.”
Am–Why can’t you accept him for what he really is: a self-promoter in the Muhammed Ali style?? I don’t care for him, so simply do what I do for anyone else I don’t care for on TV, i.e. turn the channel. Is there something deeper about him that bothers you??
@@
August 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
Scout:
N.O.W.?
Conservative, Tammy Bruce, thinks N.O.W. is a terrorist group.
If the Baptists were Democrats, supporting abortion, I doubt seriously N.O.W. would complain.
Conservative Baptists opposed to abortion? ABSOLUTELY!
Priorities, you know.
Mick
August 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
Separation of church and state, no religious tests for office holders. The middle ages, the catholic church, the king of england, all wreaked death and torture to people who were different or had different beliefs. Then finally a renaissance where people could contemplate the joys of this life rather than being promised a better one in the next life. Why not have both? The US Constitution created to keep religion on the sidelines, exactly where it belongs.
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
9:34 pm
Brother B, I’m like a kid awaiting Xmas!
Next week, two TR shows and then on the 12th, Jon Anderson!
With a golfing weekend in Myrtle Beach in between.
What a great year it’s been. Hell, I’m still high from seeing Justin Hayward and the Moodie Blues back in February.
Sometimes, it is as though my life just keeps getting better all the time. Or maybe I just savor the sweetness of it more now…
Love is the only answer,
hate is the root of cancer then.
Truth is just for the being
and there’s the sight for seeing then.
Back at ya.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOpWXmDpDek&feature=related
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:37 pm
Anyone going to watch El Jefe’s speech on Iraq tomorrow night ?
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:41 pm
“The problem with Christians is that they persistently ignore Christian values.”
eyes: Once more, from Richard Feynmann, the greatest Physicist of the second half of the 20th century:
“Looking back at the worst times, it always seems that they were times in which there were people who believed with absolute faith and absolute dogmatism in something, And they were so serious in this matter that they insisted that the rest of the world agree with them. And then they would do things that were directly inconsistent with their own beliefs in order to maintain that what they said was true.”
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:42 pm
Headline: “Biden Says US Won’t Abandon Iraq”
Well, so did President Ford about South Vietnam …….. but he forgot about Congress.
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
9:42 pm
Is there something deeper about him that bothers you??
Nope, I’ve seen virtually none of his programming. On CNN or Fox. Or elsewhere. Ever.
What little I know of him has been through the attention he gets here in blogdom. So I’ve read some of his boneheaded statements, etc and watched a few hilarious youtube clips of him making an ass out of himself. But that’s about it.
But to the point that he is just another exceptionally wealthy “televangelist” preaching to his sheep, what the hell do I care?
I just find it a bit bizarre, but very American, that he is such a megalomaniac that he stands in front of Honest Abe to get even more pub…
Midori
August 30th, 2010
9:42 pm
Palin sends her “defense of Beck” twitter to Beck (the singer)
Apparently Sarah Palin was so incensed that the media were eviscerating Glenn Beck over his rally of hypocrisy that she fired off a tweet:
Silly media reports“maybe thousands”@Beck’s “irrelevant” event;insinuating MSM sheeple mustn’t believe their own eyes&ears re: event’s truth
about 8 hours ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
Strangely enough in her haste to defend her pudgy crybaby buddy, Palin inadvertently sent them, not to Glenn Beck’s Twitter page, but to the page of Beck the famous and much more successful musician and singer.
Like I said we can DEFINITELY tell when Sarah sends her own tweets.
(From our friends at the Immoral Majority–who are most definitely NOT Sarah or Glenn’s buds)
http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/
AmVet
August 30th, 2010
9:43 pm
McCann hits a bomb and the Braves rout of the hapless Mets is on.
How sweet is that???
Scout
August 30th, 2010
9:47 pm
“And so he bowed.” But I won’t.
TAPS !
@@
August 30th, 2010
9:49 pm
Scout:
One more thing. I watched a PBS documentary awhile back, “The Women of Afghanistan”.
As I’ve already stated, I’m no big fan of the surge into Afghanistan. The women are attributing our presence there, as the reason they’re suffering unspeakable atrocities. Said after the initial invasion, things got a bit better, but NOW, it’s unbearable for them. They want us gone. Said they would rather return to their burqas. They said they’d rather fight for their own freedom.
Thing is…there was another documentary about young boys being used as sex slaves by the men in Afghanistan….call them “The Dancing Boys”. Seems it’s a tradition over there for men to purchase boys as young as 11 from poor families, take them to all male gatherings and make them perform. The boys are then sold to the highest bidder and used for sexual pleasure. If the boys try to escape, they’re killed.
The women want us gone? Fine with me, but what will they do to save their children?
It’s disgusting and I’m disgusted with the whole lot of ‘em.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:50 pm
Good YES comeback, Am. I have a feeling that we’ll be cheering/singing at different parts of the show, but that’s what makes the world go round, right??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPr-Zx3pnCY
@@
August 30th, 2010
9:50 pm
Except the children of Afghanistan. It’s always about the children with me.
Does ANYBODY care about the children?
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:52 pm
As far as other bloggers here, my thinking style probably most closely matches that of md. Musically, I probably line up well with theeyeshaveit.
Of course, it’s great to hear from everyone. It would be too boring if we spoke with one voice.
BADA BING
August 30th, 2010
9:54 pm
Hey Scout….. when the next 9/11 happens, this blog is going to be strangely silent, don’t you think? I am sure there won’t be any muslim segments on here for a while after that.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
9:54 pm
“Does ANYBODY care about the children?”
ODB did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2-5GSjZvW8
“WU TANG IS FOR THE CHILDREN!!”
Midori
August 30th, 2010
9:55 pm
but will you hold hands with him, Scout?
@@
August 30th, 2010
9:59 pm
Bruno:
Gee, thanks. NOT!
Unlike you, it’s not ALL about the music with me.
Hope your interview/meeting/whatever went well.
I’m out.
Falcon
August 30th, 2010
10:04 pm
Please don’t compare tithing to taxes. Tithing is a commandment from God, which is voluntary. We as Christians should seek to give in as many ways as we are able and desire.
Taxes on the other hand are collected by force and are used in many instances to destroy the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
10:04 pm
“Hope your interview/meeting/whatever went well.”
Thank you for the sentiment, @@. I would give myself an A- for the interview. Won’t find out until the end of the week if there will be an open position, however. The owner is still trying to resolve his concerns with the current associate.
Either way, I think this September will be my swan song here in Atlanta. It’s been a great 30 years, but I think it’s time to move on.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
10:06 pm
“We as Christians should seek to give in as many ways as we are able and desire.”
Falcon–I’m not sure what the mainstream interpretation of tithing is, but I’ve always interpreted the commandment to not mean ONLY money. A person can give their time as well, which sometimes makes more of an impact than money.
Falcon
August 30th, 2010
10:10 pm
I agree with you Bruno – we should give of our “substance”. There are many things more substantial than money, like love, time, understanding, education, prayers, etc. – good call.
Southern Harmony
August 30th, 2010
10:10 pm
I bet Obama is more Christian they beck -hes of the chosen few
Falcon
August 30th, 2010
10:16 pm
Two scriptures that could hopefully bring people together instead of keep them biased only to their own understanding.
Mark 9: 38-40
38 ¶ And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
40 For he that is not against us is on our part
And, Matthew 7:16-20
16 Ye shall aknow them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a ccorrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Let us not judge men solely on the church they attend, but by their fruits.
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
10:19 pm
Falcon, I’m not sure who your favorite televangelist is, but I’m going with Mike Murdoch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=205dNLquKnE
Bruno
August 30th, 2010
10:23 pm
“Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.”
I’m guessing you’re more of a Benny Hinn man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7q0xynqcC4&feature=related
(Just teasing you, Falcon)
Brett
August 30th, 2010
10:46 pm
Jesus would both weep and vomit at the sight of Beck and such fellow-freaks.
Brett
August 30th, 2010
10:49 pm
OMG! Lil CubSCOUT is still here!! A nuther Murcuhn make-believe hero!
Praise Geesuusah! Yup.
Pyrata
August 30th, 2010
10:57 pm
Here’s the rub and nobody is going to like it. Both Obama and Glenn Beck are, historically speaking & by strict definition, sub-Christians at best.
In the truest sense of the historical record, the earliest Christians (the Apostles) were from Judaism. The Church which they founded was Eastern Orthodox and “… they were first called Christians at Antioch….” Acts 11:26.
In 1054 the Roman Church founded by St. Peter, left the Orthodox Communion and founded its own “pope”, and by extension, it’s own ecclesiastical church, based on the “pope’s” encylicals of that time. On a lovely autumn day in 1517, one irritating upstart named Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the All Saints Cathedral at Wittenburg. Thus began the Protestant Reformation which continues to this day.
Moral #1 : You can’t combat one heresy with another, and once you are a schismatic (1054 AD) anyone who follows you is by definition, also a schismatic in perpetuity.
Moral #2: Once you are a schismatic, your beliefs are necessarily tailored to suit your own agenda, and Obama’s case, it proves to be quite interesting.
Methodism, by strict code may be termed “Christian” in scope but not in praxis since it has no historical ties to the original Church (Orthodox) and subsequently, is founded on a liberation theology that the earliest Christians would not recognize, much less, embrace. Methodism in modern times, has tended to embrace the human Jesus, and while not exactly rejecting his “divinity”, at least has ignored it as long as possible. This is where a comparison between Obama’s “Christianity” and Islam gets interesting. Muslims too, reject/ignore Jesus’ divinity, while honoring him as an imperfect prophet. Turns out, this is a particularly Nestorian heresy rooted in the teachings of yet another “heretic” from the Orthodox faith “Nestorius”. Nestorius taught that Jesus was fully human but not really divine. Therefore he rejected the hypostasis and it hardly surprising to me that Mohammed carried that through in his writing of the Qu’aran.
In this way, we could almost say that in the modern day, many Protestant or shall we say non-historical “Christians” such as Obama and Glenn Beck, a Mormon may in fact be, at the furthest reach of this logic, Nestorian heretics and therefore, they ALL have something in common.
Unfortunately, the true historical measure of a “Christian” church is whether or not it has the following:
Apostolic Succession dating directly back to the Apostles which can be verified through a historical record.
Seven Sacraments
Holy Orders
Holy Scripture combined with, Holy Tradition.
At best, one can say that out of all the Protestant denominations, the only one that comes to that description would be the Anglicans (also known as some of the more conservative Episcopalians in the US, which is a whole ‘NOTHER story for ‘NOTHER time.)
The only 3, historically verifiable Christian groups that can fit this description are:
The Eastern Orthodox
The so-called “Oriental Orthodox” (Ethiopian, Copts of Egypt, etc.)
The Roman Catholic Church – which can be eliminated in essence because of it’s record of willful schism.
One could argue that by that same logic, one would have to eliminate one of the other 2 (Oriental and Eastern) because either:
A. the Orientals were right to reject certain Ecumenical councils OR
B. The Easterners were right to hold and ratify 7 Ecumenical Councils.
So, anyone in a snit about this whole issue, either way, has a lot of thinking and research to do.
Best wishes,
Pyrata
Pyrata
August 30th, 2010
11:09 pm
One last thought and then I will shut up:
The problem here, for Protestants and Mormons alike, is not where they differ, but where they are similar. Both groups would reject the criteria listed above for inclusion in historical Christianity.
Joseph Smith believed/taught that Christianity was somehow corrupted and needed to be “restored” 1800 years later.
Protestants, like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Zwingli believed similarly that the Christianity which they knew was somehow corrupted and needed to be “restored” in the 16th century.
The problem for Protestants and Mormons alike is this question:
If Christianity needed to be “restored” in ANY fashion, why would Jesus, a supposedly divine and human being, choose the 12 Apostles who, by that logic, chose all the wrong people, did all the wrong things, and managed to corrupt themselves in the first generation?
Answer: Assuming the basis of the question is legitmate, the answer is: Not a very good religion founder, if you ask me.
Of course, I’m naturally biased. I am Eastern Orthodox and therefore, the above paradox isn’t my problem to solve.
Mike
August 30th, 2010
11:14 pm
Bruno, it’s late and that was confusing.
I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I don’t follow people who are dead and burried in the ground, such as Buddah, Mohamud, Joseph Smith or Elvis Presley.
Each of the above has a grave. Jesus’ was empty on the third day. He rose from the grave, spent more time on Earth to teach and counsel, and then literally ascended to Heaven.
And to paraphrase Arnold, Jesus said “I’ll be back.”
Bruno
August 31st, 2010
12:37 am
“Bruno, it’s late and that was confusing.”
No confusion on my part–mythology is mythology is mythology. People who want to argue whose mythology is more truthful than others are fools in my book. Especially people like Pyrata above who make an appeal to historicity, as if historical precedent somehow makes one branch of Christianity more “valid” than others.
If believing that one person out of the billions who have lived on this earth was divine makes your life better, I’m not going to stand in your way, Mike. If you wish to discuss the concepts of Grace, Salvation, etc., I’m happy to open up my Bible and we can together see what light the document sheds on these beautiful ideas. But, the moment you start claiming that mythological stories are factual in a Scientific fashion, then you open yourself up to ridicule.
Bruno
August 31st, 2010
12:40 am
And for USinUK, I can’t resist leaving this Benny Hinn piece entitled “Demon Possessed Witch”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4pp7IZ3nH0&feature=related
Have a blessed morning, all.
Jeremy OIson
August 31st, 2010
2:22 am
I am Mormon. Let me put something out there for you all to think about. Was Jesus not called a false prophet, accused of speaking blasphemes, and crucified for such? I dare you to claim he wasn’t. If you know anything about history and the Bible you know this is true. He claimed to be the Son of God and was condemned because people thought, “Is he not the carpenter’s son?” How could he be the Son of God, the Messiah? Yet he was. He was persecuted and rejected by the established church of that time period. The Jews are still waiting for the Messiah to come for the FIRST time. When he comes again the Jews will see the marks in His hands and His feet and ask, “Where did you get these?” He will reply, “In the house of my friends.” Then they will know who he is and fall at his feet with tears in their eyes. Now, I know it is nearly impossible for some to consider, but please, think honestly, if God did visit a boy Joseph in a grove of trees and restore the true gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness to him in 1820, do you think Satan would make it smooth sailing for him? No, he would not, and he hasn’t. Joseph Smith has been accused of being a false prophet, blasphemous, and was martyred for the cause of pure true Christianity. Now, I am not saying Joseph Smith is the Savoir or that I worship Joseph Smith or anything like that, but I am saying that Joseph Smith was and is a true Prophet of God. Thomas S. Monson is His prophet today.
Jeremy OIson
August 31st, 2010
2:30 am
I would also like to make a challenge to all. Let’s start a new trend. That is, let us be courageous and use our real names as our screen name in posting comments in forums, blogs, and comments like this instead of cowardly hiding behind fake names. If we believe in what we are saying, why should we not stand up and be counted for who we really are. I am not afraid for people to know who I really am, I am Jeremy Olson and I live in Orland, California, if you want to call me and discuss my beliefs with me feel free to call my cell phone at 530-321-8848. I am not ashamed of my beliefs or afraid of discussing them with anyone.