Posts Tagged Tea Party
The Tea Party and Israel?
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on November 27, 2010
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If we are going to cut social welfare programs, then we need to cut foreign aid programs first. Even foreign aid to Israel. The problem, however, is that many on the Right (and the Left in many cases) have their own pet projects. For those on the Right, it is Israel. And for the life of me, why is it that Rand Paul is actually sticking to his guns on this and earning my respect on this single issue?
But while Mr. Cantor and other newly empowered Republicans are eager to promote themselves as Israel’s staunchest defenders in Washington, the reconfigured American political landscape is a more complex and unpredictable backdrop for Middle East peacemaking.
Scores of Tea Party-backed candidates are entering Congress, many of whom favor isolationist policies and are determined to cut American foreign aid, regardless of its destination.
Rand Paul, the newly elected Tea Party-backed senator from Kentucky, bluntly told the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, an influential pro-Israel lobbying group, that they were going to disagree about the need for foreign aid and suggested that they move on to other topics, according to a person briefed on the meeting.
….
Representative John A. Boehner, the Ohio Republican who is the House speaker-designate, sent out fund-raising literature aimed at Jewish voters, criticizing the administration for its pressuring of Israel on issues like settlements.
“That was the first time I had seen Israel used in a partisan political way,” said Representative Gary L. Ackerman, a New York Democrat and outgoing chairman of the House foreign affairs subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.
NYT: Is Tea Party a blessing or curse for Israel? – Politics – The New York Times – msnbc.com.
So, what do you think? Do you think that while we cut social programs and foreign aid to other nations, that Israel alone must continue to collect American tax-dollars?
Related articles
- Israel Must Fear Tea Partiers, Or Something Like That (legalinsurrection.blogspot.com)
- The Fun’s Just Beginning (slog.thestranger.com)
- “GOP and Tea Party Gains Are Mixed Blessing for Israel” and related posts (docstalk.blogspot.com)
- GOP to cut Foreign Aid to Israel? (thechurchofjesuschrist.us)
- Daoud Kuttab: America’s Latest $3 Billion Bribe to Israel (huffingtonpost.com)
Rick Scarborough and modern Constantinism in the Late American Empire
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on October 12, 2010
.jpg "Ary Scheffer: The Temptation of Christ, 1854")
Image via Wikipedia
You remember Rick Scarborough right?
“Look at Europe and the rampant invasion of England. They are practising Sharia law and I think this crew is going to fight that.” Mr Scarborough also outlines how the US is a “special country” – more than any other in the world – and that is how God intended it. He adds: “If we are to become 30 per cent Hispanic we will no longer be America.” (And therefore no longer special.) “That would be a bad thing.”
Guess what? Well, he’s back pleading the case that the United States must elect Republicans because of the soon-coming of Christ who will break through the clouds, to hold us accountable as a geo-political unit for electing Democrats. Because, you know, that’s how it works.
Pastor, when the people go to the polls on November the second, just three weeks away from the time of this taping, they’re going to choose either conservative leadership or continued liberal leadership. And some of you will stay in bed and watch The View!
I think most of us who preach and pastor and minister to people and pick up the remains of the liberal agenda through broken lives, abortions, homosexuality, and all the attendant ills that go with all of these things that are happening in our country, shake our heads in disbelief and say “how did this happen and how can it be stopped?” I think he’s referring to what happened when George W. Bush happened.
Some of us believe that a lot of these things have to happen before Jesus returns (Yes, Jesus plans to return just as soon as gay people can get married) and I live every day of my life anticipating the return of Christ. But frankly, a thousand years with the Lord is like a day , and a day is but a thousand years and while we anticipate the imminent return of Christ, it may be another generation or longer before Christ comes. And what you and I have got to do is maintain order, establish righteousness in the public place until he comes. And we do this by voting! With politics!!!!
I’m not asking you to depart from preaching the Gospel, I would never do that and I know you wouldn’t do it if I asked. No, but would you consider adding to the “Gospel”? But I am asking you to see the urgency of this election. I am asking you to encourage your people to vote not as Republicans or Democrats but as followers of Jesus Christ and particularly this election year on November the second.
I urge you to stand in your pulpit and remind the people that their rulers will make the laws under which they will live. And the only way to reverse the direction of this country is to elect righteous men and women.
We are providing though our organization, at VisionAmericaAction.org, down-loadable free Republican and Tea Party voter guides, I’ll be sending you emails with all the right information where you can download nonpartisan voter guides. We’re hosting luncheons across the state that many of you pastors will get invitations to over the next couple of weeks. I want to urge you that when you get that invitation to respond to it . And I want you to pray for the redemption of this nation. It is now or never for the church and the only hope of this church being mobilized that you and I attend is for you and I to stand before those people and say “vote your REPUBLICAN values on November the second.”
Pastor, would you help me?
Our website is VisionAmericaAction.org. We have another educational website, VisionAmerica.org. Please look at what we have to say there and download the materials. We even have preaching materials there for you.
God bless you, dear brothers.
I wish you well and look forward to meeting you soon.
ht – by the way, his version of the letter is better…
And, on a completely unrelated note… the English Defense League and the American Tea Party are becoming cozy – because, as Italy and Germany proved, brown shirts and black boots go great together… (Yes, I am being snippety. No, I don’t think that all people concerned for their country are Nazi’s.)
Related articles
- Scratch Pad One: Effects of Constantine (thechurchofjesuschrist.us)
It’s not indoctrination if a black man ain’t involved
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on September 29, 2010
I love this!
Coloring books aren’t just about Disney princesses and Dora the Explorer anymore.“The Tea Party Coloring Book for Kids,” published by the St. Louis-based Really Big Coloring Books Inc. and sold online for around $4 at coloringbook.com, has been a big seller – and is causing a stir.
…..
“When taxes are too high, the high tax takes away jobs and freedom,” reads one passage. “In 1773 we had a Tea Party and this led to freedom from high taxes. Today we are having another Tea Party and this will lead to freedom from high taxes again!”
……
“We’re not really making a political statement,” he told Hotsheet, noting that his company publishes books on a range of topics, including the Rockettes and Cirque de Soleil. He stressed that the book did not include direct attacks on a political party and contains historical data and information on how a bill becomes a law. (here)
I mean, of course this isn’t indoctrination….
Witchy Woman – Christine O’Donnell
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on September 20, 2010
Christine O’Donnell does not now practice witchcraft. We’ll say that right off. If she was an actual witch, we would not be having this discussion. The Ministry of Magic would have arrived during the night and wiped any memory of an O’Donnell-witchcraft connection out of our poor Muggle heads.
But she may face a serious problem related to her comments about witchcraft. And that could explain why Republican strategist Karl Rove, among others, remains dubious of her chances to win Joe Biden’s old Delaware Senate seat in the fall.
Let’s start at the beginning, for those who’ve arrived late and are standing in the back. More than a decade ago Ms. O’Donnell, appearing on comedian Bill Maher’s “Politically Incorrect” show, made comments to the effect that she dabbled in witchcraft when she was a teenager.
“I never joined a coven,” she said.
O’Donnell canceled appearances on several Sunday news shows after clips of her old witchcraft talk surfaced. Since then she has made light of the whole matter.
“How many of you did not hang out with questionable folks in high school?” she laughed at a Republican picnic in Delaware on Sunday. (here)
The thing about Christians is that we should be able to forget about the indiscretions of youth, or old age. Frankly, of all the things that she has talked about, I’m okay with this. She realized that it wasn’t right, and moved on.
No biggie…
When did God finance campaigns, Prosperity Preacher style?
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on September 4, 2010
This is a letter from Tea Party candidate Joe Miller,
Greetings,
We don’t want to loose the momentumn of this great campaign!! We are going to get Joe Miller elected, it’s just that for reasons we don’t understand God wants us to have a waiting spell.
We need to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves, and keep the campaign uplifted in constant prayer.
In order for Joe to keep campaigning he needs funds. So far the Lord has always provided the money in this grass roots campaign, and this time God is going to use you to provide!
A fundraiser will be held at Campaign Headquarters on Monday from 5:00-8:30 pm. We need as many people to show up and make this a great event for the campaign. Joe and Kathleen will both be joining us, let’s encourage them by showing all the support we can. The one way they need us right now is through donating funds!! It cost alot of money to run a clean campaign and we all know that Joe’s campaign isn’t receiving any monies from corporations or from out of State entities.
Refreshments will be provided
MONDAY 5:00-7:00pm OPEN HOUSE
7:30-8:30pm FUNDRAISER (Joe Miller will be joining us at this time)
Campaign Headquarters
401 East Northern Lights, Suite 202
*Co-Hosted with Senator Fred Dyson & Wes Keller*
*Bring a friend
*Drinks will be provided (soda, water)
*Bring Check Book or Credit Card
*Chips will be provided
*Bring a smile
Invite all your friends and let’s come together to have a great evening and donate to the campaign that we all believe in!!Paid for by Joe Miller for US Senate
Please RSVP with ASAP:
– Harmony
So, when did God get so involved in U.S. Senate campaigns that He actually donates to them?
Yeah, bring a smile….
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- Joe Miller Campaign Funded By God, K Street (huffingtonpost.com)
I’m making a prophecy about 2011 – Israel v Iran and the Tea Party
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on July 28, 2010
I have no great love for the Tea Party. I have no love at all for the Tea Party (again, I am clearly wrong to address it as a monolithic structure, but I haven’t heard much right from them, so turn about is fair game, I reckon), but one of the mistakes that they have made is to be co-opted by the same people who they are fighting against. Or, maybe they are just fighting against Democrats…. Nah…they want all the ‘bums’ thrown out, right?
Anyway, a few weeks ago, a certain depraved Congresswoman from Minnesota organized the Tea Party Caucus in Congress. The great thing about the grassroots movement is for once, common people were taking part in the conversation (you know, except when financed by Freedom Works and their corporate sponsors). From what I understand, many in the Tea Party crowd(s) are non-interventionist, following the only sane thought which Ron Paul has ever had, that we do not need to use our military in the foreign nation building and police watch dog policies which we are currently and have been engaged in for several generations. Now this Caucus, which has co-opted the grassroots movement, is suggesting that Israel go to war with Iran. Do they really think – wait, of course they don’t think – that Israel would be alone in the war with Iran or that Iran would be alone with the war with Israel? An Israeli-Iranian war, while fodder for Christian Zionists, would do nothing but prolong our involvement in the Middle East, and get more of our troops killed – even if, for some reason, we didn’t have to intervene.
Look, I don’t like thinking this, much less putting it out there, but Ron Paul is right. (Shivers, uncontrollably) We forget that Iran supported us at first in Afghanistan, moving towards moderation in their politics; it was only after the U.S. invasion of Iraq that Iran snapped back into conservatism and elected Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Had we listened to people like Ron Paul and the late Senator Byrd, the world would be a different place at the moment. Yes, we got rid of Saddam, but by doing this, we got the nutjob in Iran. Good trade? Hardly.
So, let me tell you my prophecy – the Tea Party Caucus comes to power in the November Elections, hardly resembling the actual Tea Party and pass resolutions giving Israel the ‘support’ it needs to do what the ‘U.S. won’t.’ Israel attacks Iran, with the cheers of U.S. Zionists of the Hagee variety. Iran strikes back and so do other Islamic countries We have to get involved because we are in the cross-hairs. Lots of solders die. Lots. Lots. And more….
note 1 – Ron Paul and the non-interventionist foreign policy is actually a ‘Christian’ thing to do. I generally tend to be libertarian when it comes to foreign policy.
note 2 – Bachmann is a nut.
note 3 – the Hagee Zionists are different from the garden variety kind. Hagee and his bunch believe that things like pushing Israel to battle Iran is something that can bring on the mythical Rapture. Hagee and his CUFI, which is Assyrian for ‘I will blow you up to make peace’, pervert the Scriptures and the well-intentions of Messianic Jews (real Jews who believe in Christ) and real Christians who support the Jewish People. They are also connected to Bachmann and others in the Tea Party Caucus
note 4 – unless the Tea Party people – the real people who support smaller government, etc… – make a concerted effort to destroy the so-called Caucus, then their positions are invalid and thus muted. They are being used. Deal with it.
Faithful America takes on Glenn Beck
Posted by Joel in Religion and Politics on July 17, 2010
They aren’t the first, not the last. Faithful America bills itself as a counter to the Tea Party and Glenn Beck’s insanity (Honestly, I think that we should stop referring to the movement as the Tea Party and recognize that it hasn’t achieved hegemonic status.)
One hundred thousand faithful Americans are telling Glenn Beck that enough is enough. This summer as Beck travels the United States solo and with Bill O’Reilly, Faithful America-a multi-faith justice organization-has rallied its members to push back against Beck’s anti-Christian-social-justice message. When Beck makes stops in South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C., the group’s provocative new ad will follow his trail and challenge his words as “piecemeal gospel” on local Christian radio stations.
Read more: here
I’m not sure a radio ad is all that is needed, to be honest, but a refocus on Social Justice as something more than Churches taking government money to help the poor. Yes, fight Beck and the stupidity that he and others espouses, but so too understand that the social justice message might one wishes to espouse is the same one that is carried out by others.
