31. Please, please someone name me a conservative outside of Ron Paul who holds a national office. PLEASE PLEASE

bdien at 1:59PM on Feb 19th 2008

32. Well, what about Republicans who belong to liberal, mainline Protestant churches? My political beliefs at completely at odds with the teachings of my church, the United Methodist Church.

I admit that I am a bad Christian. As a Methodist, I believe in turning the other cheek. As a Republican, I believe in executing criminals and bombing out enemies.

Of course, as a Christian, I believe that God forgives us for not strictly following Christ's teachings.

Cenk,

Why did I support George 41 and George 43? Because I am a loyal Republican. I don't care about the person's background or philosophy. I just vote against the Democrat.

I've voted for people as liberal as Charles Percy and as conservative as Alan Keyes. Why? Because Chuck Percy ran against Paul Simon, who never agreed with Ronald Reagan on anything, and Alan Keyes ran against Barack Obama, who hasn't agreed with George Bush on anything.

Remember, I still like Nixon, even though he did increase the size of the federal government, wrecked the economy for nearly 2 decades with wage and price controls, and gave us Watergate.

Why? Because Humphrey and McGovern would have screwed up the economy even worse and appesed the unions.

As Howard Baker once said, any Republican on his worst day is better than any Democrat on his best day.

Kent at 2:18PM on Feb 19th 2008

33. If you pretend your god is a member of your political party, you haven't sanctified your politics, you have corrupted your religion.

In this country it is the duty of the informed dissenter to make his case against you and for his chosen representatives.

It is certainly his right and probably his duty as a diligent citizen to ridicule your religion if you've melded it with your politics.

Both the bible and American common law state you cannot serve two masters. That is the reason for separation of church and state.

If you claim 'god' is part of your party, it is the right of every american to treat your 'god' with whatever contempt your political party has earned.

It is meet and right so to do.

Clif Kuplen at 2:13PM on Feb 19th 2008

34. I'm sure glad a lot of people (there are some that do unfortunately) do not follow your philosophy because we would not grow as a society with that knowledge. You are definition of what Sir Charles is referring to. Being loyal does not mean being blind and closed minded. I hope you are not serious and being sarcastic.

S.Green at 2:51PM on Feb 19th 2008

35. The comment was for #33 Kent.

S.Green at 2:52PM on Feb 19th 2008

36. Barkley got it half-right.A fake Christian is one who pleases conservatives,liberals,pro-war,anti-war,pro-choice,pro-life,dems,GOP,etc.....and forgets to please Christ.

aniekan thomas at 2:52PM on Feb 19th 2008

37. There are Christians and then there are fundimentalist Christians.
I must admit in the year 2002 I started studying
Buddhism, and I have never looked back.
Althought I am an Activist for Children and Animals, I am sometimes called a Radical Buddhist, so be it. I gave up meat years ago and I bet my soul feels better than that wonderful man called "Jimmy Swaggart" I mean afterall he was helping those poor ladies trying so "hard" to heal their souls and it just happened to be that he was "nude" he just wanted to be one of them, bless his sweet honest heart.
The day my 2 beauitful daughters who thought they wanted to be Christians were sitting in a very, very large San Diego, Calif Church in the east county when all of a sudden Pastor J.
told his flock that they MUST vote for the BUSHMAN.
YOU MUST, and thats it. Be sure to go out and do the right thing in the voting booth. This was 2004.
They never went back.
He was a fake Christian that lived in a 3 million dollar home in a gated area with money we had given him. And here our daughters are doing everything they can to stay above ground.
When Pastor J. found out that my oldest daughter had just landed a fantasic job in the Areospace world hired as a contractor, We all cried with joy.
Mother and baby could now buy a little Condo.
She received a call asking if she could help out with at least 20 to 30% to help the pastor with living exspensives.
Shit she just got the job, how the hell did he know.
Well thats my story.
They have only seen him once and he was driving a huge black Navagator.
I hear alot of "what goes around comes around" I wonder if that also means The Christians and the Lions. OH MY, OH MY.

Judith at 3:02PM on Feb 19th 2008

38. #27 Alan, How about God for President? Is your last name Barkley?
Gwhiz

G Whiz at 3:15PM on Feb 19th 2008

39. Charles Barkley basically reiterated on CNN what John McCain said so accurately back in 2000: conservative christians are "agents of intolerance."

Of course, McCain has done an about-face from that brave and 100% accurate stance and has spent the last 8 years desperately sucking up to conservative christians in order to become President. McCain has sold his integrity, his principles, his self-respect and his very soul in the process.

McCain is a beaten down shell of his former self, now he is just another political whore for the conservative religious right nutties.

Pathetic!

McCain Sold his Soul at 3:22PM on Feb 19th 2008

40. God Bless Father John (post #4) for sharing his views in such a straightforward manner. I am relieved to know that there are some Christians here in the U.S. who believe in and truly try to follow the real teachings of Christ...it makes me feel sad and hopeless to see that the Christian ideals have been hijacked and twisted by the so-called 'moral majority' and have become entwined with the political agendas of those who want to control other peoples' lives in every way they can. I'm not really a religious person because of these people - they make it look bad for everyone else - but I do pray that common sense and decency will return to this country before it's too late.

helas at 4:00PM on Feb 19th 2008

41. Great blog Cenk.

The "moral majority" is neither moral nor a majority. MOST people just want to live and let live. The Christo-fascists are making that simple concept far too difficult.

What I like most about all of Father John's posts is that he consistently does what Christians *should* do...
Clean your own house! Relegate the lunatics to the fringe, where they belong.

Captain Negative at 4:08PM on Feb 19th 2008

42. Charles Barkley is an uneducated idiot. He needs to keep his mind on basketball. Politicians are not Christians or non believers. They are whatever it takes to win the race.

Wayne Ridgeway at 5:24PM on Feb 19th 2008

43. Father John, God Bless you. For Kent-So all you care is that the person is a REPUBLICAN.. right? So
if Charles Manson gets out of prison(for some strange reason) and runs for office as a republican than you'll vote for him if the only other candidate is a democrat? Pretty sad.

bell08 at 5:29PM on Feb 19th 2008

44. Who is Barack Obama?

Very interesting and something that should be considered in your
choice.


If you do not ever forward anything else, please forward this to all
your contacts...this is very scary to think of what lies ahead of us
here in our own United States...better heed this and pray about it and share it.

We checked this out on "snopes.com". It is factual. Check for yourself.

Who is Barack Obama?

Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born
in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM
from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white ATHEIST from
Wichita, Kansas.
Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two
years old, his parents divorced. Hi s father returned to Kenya. His
mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia.?
When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocate to Indonesia. Obama
attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a
Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is
quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he also
attended Catholic school."

Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that
that he is not a radical.

Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this
influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned
to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct
influence over his son's education.

Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham,
introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school
in Jakarta.

Wahabism is the RADICAL teaching that is followed by the Muslim
terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. Since
it is politically expedient to be a CH RISTIAN when seeking major
public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined
the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim
background. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he
DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran.

Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegiance nor
will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands
over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches.

Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential
candidacy.

The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside
out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the
President of the United States, one of their own!!!!

iamchavira at 5:42PM on Feb 19th 2008

45. I hate to break this to you guys who believe Father John is for real. I don't have enough time to shoot all of the holes in his arguments, so let me just highlight a few. America isn't mentioned in the Bible? No kidding? Were Russia, England, Australia, South Africa (the answer is no before you go look it up). That was the single dumbest argument I've ever had to read. The funniest part of his post is that he tells us all of the things in the Bible about helping the poor, etc... implying that these are the things we should be doing, yet he dismisses the parts of the Bible that clearly, and I mean in no uncertain terms, state that God hates homosexuality. And yes, in many, many passages in the Old Testament, God commands the Israelite army to wipe out armies of unbelievers. I'm not sure what Bible Father John is privy to, but he might want to get a new copy. I happen to believe in gay marriage, but I'm not a Christian. If you're going to spout off about how America should follow the Biblical instructional guide, don't just pick the parts you like and ignore the parts you don't. Is there anything more hypocritcal than that?

Highlander at 5:58PM on Feb 19th 2008