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Author Topic:   Conservative Bible Project
vimesey
Member
Posts: 1398
From: Birmingham, England
Joined: 09-21-2011


(3)
Message 29 of 39 (673535)
09-20-2012 4:55 AM


Contextualising the bump
Just wanted to focus the Conservative Bible Project discussion on the particular issue which led to this thread being bumped.
It seems (from over here in the UK at least), that a great deal of GOP narrative, policy, underlying belief and sheer desire revolve around protecting wealth. Taxes are evil - people who aren't rich are worthless moochers and scroungers - there's a deficit, so cut benefits and leave our money alone.
On any sane reading of the bible, this is a decidedly un-Christian attitude to life. You could cogently argue that it is, in fact, utterly inconsistent to have this attitude, and at the same time honestly claim to be Christian.
Now, I suppose it would be open to Republicanism to argue that their economic policy is entirely consistent with their near universal espousal of Christianity, by saying that economic policy is a purely secular matter, to do with the health and wellbeing of a wordly state, and therefore nothing to do with religion. They can salve their religious consciences by demonstrating what proportion (I'm guessing it's not the same proportion which Jesus suggests, but hey) of their wealth they contribute by way of charity to the poor and needy. They can cancel out the anti-Christianity of their economic policy by divorcing it from their religious beliefs.
However, this would only be a reasonable argument, if large swathes of their other policies and political platforms weren't festooned with appeals to Christian values; the word of God; and most ironically from the perspective of the CBP, the inerrancy of the bible.
So the GOP is left with either having to ignore the disconnect between one of the core messages of the Christian faith and their economic views/policies; or bald faced lie about the depth of their commitment to their Christian faith; or come up with projects like the CBP, which attempts to paper over this shameful disconnect, with a spectacularly brazen attempt to re-write the faith.
You simply cannot get around this fundamental point, though - sticking the boot in to the poor and needy may, in Republican minds, be a sensible economic policy, but in their wildest, most fevered dreams, can they seriously believe that it's what Jesus would have done ?
Edited by vimesey, : Edited for sense

Replies to this message:
 Message 30 by caffeine, posted 09-20-2012 5:17 AM vimesey has replied

  
vimesey
Member
Posts: 1398
From: Birmingham, England
Joined: 09-21-2011


Message 31 of 39 (673537)
09-20-2012 5:24 AM
Reply to: Message 30 by caffeine
09-20-2012 5:17 AM


Re: Contextualising the bump
Yeah, it's an interesting thought process isn't it - "our policy is to reduce taxes for the wealthy, and to cut the benefits and help given to the poor and the needy - but don't worry guys, because if you're lucky, we'll all remember to be very Christian and give some of our wealth to you after we've done this. Please, please - no thanks are necessary - it's the Christian thing for us to do."

This message is a reply to:
 Message 30 by caffeine, posted 09-20-2012 5:17 AM caffeine has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 36 by driewerf, posted 09-23-2012 3:13 AM vimesey has not replied

  
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