Tag: Religious Right

Low Morals Caused Economic Crisis

I have been reading and writing about the economy and the problems and the solutions for a long time….recently I saw one of the dumbest things I have ever seen……Oklahoma state representative, Sally Kerns,  has found a new way to make the GOP look more stupid and less in touch than anyone before her.

The state representative has taken it upon herself to create an “Oklahoma Citizen’s Proclamation for Morality,” which essentially blames the nation’s sinners (you know, like the gays and divorcees) on the economic recession. Here’s a snippet of the document, which can be read in its entirety here:

WHEREAS, we believe our economic woes are consequences of our greater national moral crisis; andWHEREAS, this nation has become a world leader in promoting abortion, pornography, same sex marriage, sex trafficking, divorce, illegitimate births, child abuse, and many other forms of debauchery; and

WHEREAS, alarmed that the Government of the United States of America is forsaking the rich Christian heritage upon which this nation was built; and

WHEREAS, grieved that the Office of the president of these United States has refused to uphold the long held tradition of past presidents in giving recognition to our National Day of Prayer; and

WHEREAS, deeply disturbed that the Office of the president of these United States disregards the biblical admonitions to live clean and pure lives by proclaiming an entire month to an immoral behavior;

This woman has given a NEW meaning to the word religious zealot…..she has NOT done a service to her supporters.  We do not need representatives that have this type of thinking….this will NOT solve our problem with the economy.  This is a stupid person, by that I mean she is culivating ignorance.

Let’s Be Fair To Liberty University

We have all heard the report that the Democratic club was booted off the campus of Liberty University.  As always the is another side to the story.

Jerry Falwell, Jr has respoinded to all the reports:

“Apparently many journalists do not let the facts get in the way of a juicy, agenda-driven story,” wrote Jerry Falwell, Jr., chancellor and president of the Lynchburg, Va.-based Christian school, in an Op-Ed released to the media Monday.

“The University has not banned Democrats from campus. Nor has the Democrat club been banned from meeting. And, never has the University or its officials said that a person cannot be a Christian and a Democrat. Sorry for those who want to run with these titillating soundbites, but these are the facts,” he added.

According to Falwell, whose father founded LU in 1971, Democratic clubs have existed at Liberty University over the last several decades but as unofficial student clubs not endorsed by the school.

Then, last fall, the College Democrats asked the university to officially recognize their club, thus granting them permission to use Liberty University’s name, hold public events on campus, and receive a small financial subsidy that only officially recognized clubs are eligible for.

To be recognized, however, Liberty asked the club to insert two clauses into their constitution – one stating that they are a pro-life organization and the other that they support the traditional view of marriage.

So the club was not banned it was kinda like being de-certified.

Year Of The Bible?

Did we not already have one of these in 1983?

I ask if any of the elected officials actually know anything about American history?  My guess is that they DO NOT!

I do not normally post on religious stuff, but occasionally there is something that needs to be analyzed.  Religion is like so many other things, it is a personal choice that is none of anybody’s business, especially the government’s.  And the government needs to stay neutral in ALL aspects of religion.

Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia has introduced a resolution in Congress.

“Republican lawmakers with apparently too much time on their hands and no solutions to offer the country are pushing a resolution that will not address the nation’s problems or advance prosperity or even untangle their previous governing mistakes,” blogged the Progressive Puppy.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with Christianity,”  Broun said in an interview with POLITICO.  Rather, he says, it seeks to recognize that the Bible played an integral role in the building of the United States, including providing the basis for our freedom of religion that allows Muslims, Hindus and even atheists to vocalize their own beliefs.

The resolution specifically asks the president “to issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of all faiths to rediscover and apply the priceless, timeless message of the Holy Scripture which has profoundly influenced and shaped the United States and its great democratic form of government.”

I am afraid that I cannot agree with the above statement.  Why, you will ask?  Because some of the Founding Fathers were deist…..people like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, James Madison, John Adams and Thomas Paine, to mention a few.

Deists in case you are wondering–The belief that reason, not faith, leads us to certain basic religious truths.

  • Rejection of all religions based on books that claim to contain the revealed word of God.
  • Rejection of reports of miracles, prophecies and religious “mysteries”.
  • Rejection of the Genesis account of creation and the doctrine of original sin, along with all similar beliefs.

Just some of the beliefs of deists.   Where is the Bible mentioned in any of the “official” documents of the birth of the nation?   The one that everyone points to as proof of the influence of the Bible is the quote “all men are created equal”, sorry but that is proof of nothing other than the influence of Thomas Paine on the documents and he was a devout deist.

It is my belief that the Bible may have played a small part in the formation of America, but it was not the source of all the documents that established the United States of America.

We DO NOT need a year of the Bible!  What we do need desparately is some form of education for the elected officials on the history of this country.

Democrats Not Wanted

By now everyone has probably heard about Liberty University’s ploy of kicking the Democratic Culb off of campus, because it did not conform to the rules and such of the school.  I have found a copy of the e-mail:

From: Hine, Mark (VP Student Affairs)
Sent: Friday, May 15, 2009 1:37 PM
Subject: LU College Democrats

I must inform you that the College democrats’ club is no longer going to be recognized as a Liberty University club. We are unable to lend support to a club whose parent organization stands against the moral principles held by Liberty University. I expressed these concerns when we met, earlier in the spring semester.

The Liberty Way states, “It is the duty of every student to respect Liberty’s Statement of Doctrine and Purpose. They may not engage in any activity on or off campus that would compromise the testimony or reputation of the University or cause disruption to Liberty’s Christian learning environment.”

The Liberty University School of Law had been working on a policy to govern their clubs and organizations for quite some time. They have now completed that policy and we have adopted it for Liberty University as well. Now that it has been adopted and will apply to all clubs and organizations, it is clear that this club does not comply.

Below is a copy of the policy which governs clubs and organizations at Liberty University. This policy is posted on the website.

STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS POLICIES

Student clubs or organizations must request and receive permission from the Liberty University administration before they may meet on campus, advertise, distribute or post materials, or use any University facilities for their activities or events. All such clubs or organizations and their activities or events must be consistent with the University’s mission, and must be and remain in compliance with the Liberty Way, the Honor Code, and any policies or procedures promulgated by the University. The University reserves the right to refuse the use of its facilities for any reason to any student club, organization, activity or event.

Consistent with the Honor Code, all students, student clubs and organizations, faculty and staff of Liberty University, have a responsibility to uphold the moral and ethical standards of this institution and personally confront those who do not.

No student club or organization shall be approved, recognized or permitted to meet on campus, advertise, distribute or post materials, or use University facilities if the statements, positions, doctrines, policies, constitutions, bylaws, platforms, activities or events of such club or organization, its parent, affiliate, chapter or similarly named group (even if the similarly named group is not the actual parent, affiliate or chapter) are inconsistent or in conflict with the distinctly Christian mission of the University, the Liberty Way, the Honor Code, or the policies and procedures promulgated by the University.

Maybe the name “Liberty” needs to be changed, since no one is free to associate and there is a clear violation of the term “Liberty”.  Just a thought.

Could The GOP Become A “Religious Party”?

You know kinda like the ones we all hate in the Middle East?

John McCain’s top adviser from the presidential campaign urged fellow Republicans on Friday to warm up to gay rights and warned that the GOP risks becoming the “religious party” with its opposition to same-sex marriage.

Steve Schmidt, in his first political appearance since the election, spoke at the Washington, D.C., convention for the Log Cabin Republicans — a grassroots group for gay and lesbian Republicans.

He urged Republicans, in the near-term, to endorse civil unions and stop using the Bible as rationale for gay-marriage opposition.

“If you put public policy issues to a religious test, you risk becoming a religious party,” he said. “And in a free country a political party cannot be viable in the long-term if it is seen as a sectarian party.”

Schmidt predicted gay marriage will create a bigger and bigger divide between the GOP and the electorate in the years ahead. He said that as young voters age, they may adopt conservative views on the economy and national security — but they will not abandon liberal, social beliefs.

THe GOP is already the party of Southern white conservatives, which for the most part are ultra-religious.  The recent “Tea Parties” just showed that the hate for Obama is stioll there and the Repubs are capitalizing on it.

See, He Is No Better Than Any Other Candidate

Democrat Barack Obama said yesterday that if elected president he would set aside more than $500 million a year in federal funds for religious organizations to help the disadvantaged, sharply expanding a Bush administration program that has strong support from evangelical Christians.

Political analysts said Obama’s proposal appeared to be part of an attempt to shift to the center and recruit moderate, evangelical Christians and mainstream Catholics, two voting blocs that consistently supported Bush and have embraced Republican candidates.

Groups cannot use the money to proselytize those in need, he said, and they cannot refuse to hire someone of a different religion. Federal dollars granted directly to churches, temples, and mosques can only be used on secular programs, Obama said, adding that close monitoring will “ensure that taxpayer dollars only go to those programs that actually work.” The People for the American Way, a liberal public-interest group, issued a statement yesterday applauding Obama for those safeguards, but questioning why he would allow direct government payments to houses of worship, something that “is neither necessary nor appropriate.”

Obama is just becoming the candidate I was waiting him to become.  In the past I have said that I was not yet an Obama supporter and this is why I wait.  Democratic candidates start getting votes because they are left leaning, then as the general approaches they almost always move to the center.  This is just a pandering piece to try and wrangle the religious from the Repubs.