| The American Conservative Religious Right Aren't |
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| Norm's Soapbox- My corner of Hyde Park |
| The American Conservative Religious Right Aren't |
Email me SiteMap |
| Norm's Soapbox- My corner of Hyde Park |
While the American Conservative Religious Right claims to be Christians, followers of Jesus of Nasereth, they prove to be followers of Paul, Paulians if you will, because they reject the teachings of Jesus in favor of Paul. While Jesus preached egalitarianism and a generous non-judgmental approach, Paul requires the poor to work for their food and no Christian of his flavor may break bread with them, or beggers or theives. Jesus was less judgemental.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” [John 13:16 KJV]
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. [Matthew 7:1-2 KJV]
“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, bu t perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” [Luke 6:41 KJV]
“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” [Matthew 6:26]
Jesus was much more inclusive and real world based (Matt. 25:31-45), for while Paul demands belief in Christ, and only faith in Christ for salvation, Jesus preached the deeds that come from following the Commandments lead to salvation, believer or not, as in the Good Samaritan.
A lawyer asked Jesus what the most important commandment was, and Jesus answered (as reported in Matt 22:36-40 and Luke 10:25-37) that the greatest law was to love god and the second was to love your neighbor as yourself. In the Luke he says “This do and you will live” clearly stating salvation is related to actions. Luke includes the example, the parable of the Good Samaritan, which defined “neighbor” very broadly, to include enemies, and not a believer. Jesus chooses as the example of one who gains eternal life one who was not a believer but acted in the spirit, which is what the lawyer specifically asked.
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” [Matthew 22:37-40 KJV]
“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” [John 3:17 KJV]
“And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” [Matthew 19:24 KJV]
“But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.” [Matthew 12:7 KJV]
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” [Luke 12:48 KJV]
Paul's claim of salvation by and only by belief fails to recognize Jesus' requirement of real world action.
"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” [Matthew 25:34-40 KJV]
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.” [Matthew 25:41-43 KJV]
The airwaves are filled with preachers' prayers, and the "conservatives" seek officially lead prayers in schools, which Paul would approve of.
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” [Matthew 6:5 KJV]
As far as conservative goes, they oppose conservation, be it land, forrest, water, energy, lives, or the climate. Rather than just resisting change, they seek reduced taxes, regulation of business, governmnet, and more regulation of private behavior. They do not even believe in not changing the Bible: Conservative Bible Project
For them, it looks like the money is right: "In God We Trust", and money is their God. They meet the third or fourth dictionary defenition of "conservative".
06/18/14