Not easy being Christian with Election

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Registered: 08-05-2004
Not easy being Christian with Election
49
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 8:24pm
Orginial link: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/9/prweb155931.php

Christians object to their faith being appropriated for political purposes; preaching anger and revenge in the name of Christianity ignores the New Testament messages of grace, love, and inclusiveness.

Indianapolis, IN, (PRWEB) September 9, 2004 -- As the 2004 election approaches, many Christians believe their fellow Christians are deserting the principles of their faith to follow a banner of anger, revenge, and punishment.

One of those is Gregg Hodgson, 67, an Indiana businessman and former banker who has served as campaign manager for Republican political candidates. A self-described "quiet Christian," Hodgson has devoted his recent years to helping people plan their own small businesses. "I've worked, one-on-one, with nearly 2,000 small businesses," he says. "It's the talent I've been given, and I try to make a difference with it before my own Judgment Day arrives.“

Today, Hodgson has decided to back the Kerry-Edwards ticket. "I'm rather conservative," he explains, "so I can't possibly support an administration that throws away a nice surplus and turns it into the worst deficit we've ever seen, in four years. The worst part of the deficit – which is being called our first 'permanent deficit' – was caused by Mr. Bush's lavish tax-breaks to the wealthy,” says Hodgson. “Even ignoring the way he exalts the rich, which of course isn't a Christian principle, what do we have to show for all that wasted money? Virtually nothing. It'll get even worse for the not-so-rich, too. Our treasury is broke, so we'll have to slash education, health-care and environmental programs.”

Hodgson also decries the Bush administration’s way of governing and campaigning, which he labels, "fear-based manipulation, with nothing behind it." He suggests that politicians who appeal to our primitive fears, angers, and desires for revenge are stuck in the Old Testament, and are forgetting the New Testament messages of inclusion and love.

Hodgson acknowledges that there was a political aspect to the decision by the early Christians to build on the Old Testament. But he worries when he sees modern-day Pharisees attempting to hijack Christianity for political purposes.

"The Old Testament can be handy for bad guys," Hodgson observes. "Whenever they want to appear 'righteous' while exalting the rich, bullying the poor, passing judgment on others, or attacking others with vengeful anger,” they usually invoke the Old Testament.

Real Christians should not be fooled, Hodgson warns. "We've seen plenty of demagogues in our time, wrapping themselves in the flags of Christianity or patriotism so they could gain power. Christ repudiated the vengeful aspects of the Old Testament in very strong language. He ordered us to treat others as we'd want them to treat us – the toughest lesson anyone has ever tried to teach human beings. That's why he accompanied it with blanket forgiveness. He knew we'd often fail at it!"

"Angry, judgmental, revenge-filled people may call themselves 'Christians,' or even 'Fundamentalist Christians,'" Hodgson concludes, "but the Prince of Peace would know them as the very people he came to save! He'd forgive them, of course, but he'd weep bitterly at the harm they do in his name."

For a copy of John Bugay’s “The Christian Right Need Not Fear a Kerry Presidency” and other articles on this topic, contact media@republicansforkerry04.org


Edited 9/23/2004 8:25 pm ET ET by crownotangelgrl

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Avatar for momeebear
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 8:52pm
Interesting article, thanks for posting that. I've often wondered how some Christians reconcile their beliefs, or Christian principles, with the actions of this administration. I guess not all can. Food for thought......
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 8:58pm
You're welcome. With me and my beliefs I am along with seperating the church and the state. What's right for me isn't right for someone else. Know what I mean? XOXO.
Avatar for momeebear
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 9:21pm
Yes, I know just what you mean. And not being a Christian myself, I too am very much in favor of keeping church and state separated....
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2004
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 11:00pm
My husbands grandmother made this statement to me the other day" I am going to vote for Bush, because my preacher told me to,and that Bush believes in God",She also watches the preachers on tv. and believes everthing they say.esp Pat Roberts. I think that there is a place for religion, and it is out side of the goverment. Your religion should be between God and you. I don't think that it should be in school,if you want to pray you can do that anywhere,Isen't that something that you can do in silence? When I was small we had several kids with diffrent religions, it seemed like the christian religion always took presidence over any other. I bet the Jewish,muslim and Jehova witness kids felt left out,I know I would have.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 11:35pm
Definietly. Don't forget the pagans and wiccans too. I remember reading earlier this year (sorry I don't have the story anymore) that a family who's wiccan (or maybe pagan?) were accused of sacrificing their kids in rituals when it wasn't true. People love to point fingers and jump to conclusions about a certian religion just because it's not along the lines of, say the Bible, or something else. Not everybody believes in holding the Bible up for worship but mainly sees it as a history book. Like the old saying goes: don't knock it till you've tried it (or at least learn about it in this case). I do think you should at least do the Pledge in school but not prayer but shouldn't force the Pledge on someone if, for their own reasons, don't want to do it. When I was in high school we had a five minute silent type of thing where you could either just sit or say a little prayer or whatever your heart's content. I remember one time for some reason this kid in one of my classes didn't stand up and do the pledge and the teacher got onto him about it. I think that was wrong since he does have the choice not to. It's not a law you HAVE to do it. There was also this whole thing in Alabama not too long ago about putting the Ten Commandments on a court house front of a town and someone really wanted to take out "In God we trust" out of the Pledge. That's going a bit too far for my taste. XOXO.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2004
Fri, 09-24-2004 - 12:32am
I hear ya! Because of all of the mud slinging on both partys sides, and the big mud slinger " the christian colalition"(sp), being from the south, I have not felt comfortable with some of the things so called christians have been saying. I have actually been looking at Judisiam, and reexamning my beliefs. I don't know if I want to be on the side that thinks so closed minded. I realy hate the treatment of Gays by the church.And the way they want women to be so subservant. But those are my thoughts. not trying to force them on any one. I have a question for you? My jewish friend ask me this, tell me what you think? Sandy my friend said " If you believe in Jesus, and he was a Jew, why do christians not celebrate the same holidays as us? She said Jesus did. She said this to me yestarday and, it got me thinking? so what do you think?
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Fri, 09-24-2004 - 12:54am
I'm really not sure. *shrug* I guess only thing I can say is when Jesus died he took on the cross with him the old laws and definietly changed things so his followers were more-so called Christians then Jews. Only thing I can think of. If anybody has anything better than I'd love to hear since I'm not totally sure myself. I was brought up in the Christian home (Church of Christ) but I'm more now days a spiritualist and believe a lot of different things. I still attend services on Sunday morning's to worship and partake in the Lord's Supper but I believe in a lot of different things personally. What's for my parents isn't nessessarily for me now days since I've grown a lot spirituality and all that. XOXO.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2003
Fri, 09-24-2004 - 9:21am
It's too bad the president didn't listen to his church leaders before going into Iraq. I remember hearing a leader from his church speak against the war before we went in. Although I couldn't find the pre-war quote from that leader, here's something more current from the United Methodist church's website. Bush belongs to the United Methodist church. If you go to www.umc.org, you can read several other articles by typing "iraq war" in their search feature.

March 20, 2003

The General Board of Church and Society expresses deep sorrow and regret over the preemptive attack on Iraq. The invasion marks a new military posture by the United States of America. Around the world people remain deeply divided over the legitimacy of this war and concerned about its spiritual and temporal costs and consequences. We pray for its swift conclusion so that the work of reconstruction and peacemaking can begin. We pray for the safety of military personnel now in great danger and for their families and loved ones. We pray for the people of Iraq and others in the region who experience displacement, destruction, and death. We pray for members of Christian Peacemaking Teams who remain in Baghdad as a witness to peace. We pray for the President of the United States and leaders of the United Nations as they seek to bring an end to war. We “deplore war” and continue to “urge peaceful settlement of all disputes among nations” (164(G) of the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church). Respecting those who now support the use of force against Iraq and honoring those who will not let us become complacent about war, we pray for the day “when there will be no more war and people will live together in peace and justice” (165(C) of the Book of Discipline). In the name of Jesus we will “let the peace of Christ rule” (Colossians 3:15) in our hearts as we seek to be “peacemakers.” (Matthew 5:9)

Only General Conference speaks for the entire denomination. The General Board of Church and Society is the international social witness and advocacy agency of The United Methodist Church, charged by General Conference to "conduct a program of research, education, and action on the wide range of issues that confront the church. It shall speak its convictions, interpretations and concerns to the church and to the world.”

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-21-2004
Fri, 09-24-2004 - 10:06am

I do think you should at least do the Pledge in school


Think about this: If a kid does not want to do the pledge with "in god we trust" and does not, won't that kid feel outside the group? And if he doesn't feel outside the group won't he be made to feel that by the other kids? You know how kids are in school.


Also about the ten commandments on the courthouse: the courthouse is

Donna
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2001
Fri, 09-24-2004 - 10:22am
"Sandy my friend said " If you believe in Jesus, and he was a Jew, why do christians not celebrate the same holidays as us?"

The difference is that Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah (Savior) and Jews do not; they believe he was a great prophet and teacher but not the Messiah. It's a little more complicated than that, of course, but if you're really interested I can recommend some good books on basic Christianity that can explain it a little more fully.

Bev

girl in chair

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