As we near the November election, many right wingers are getting more insane and nutty in their rhetoric. The most offensive part is that they do so with the Holy Bible in their hands and are followed by people who claim to know Jesus.
Rather than just give a bunch of verses from the Bible that could easily be dismissed and taken out of their context, I will instead offer words spoken by Jesus himself. Though many will find excerpts from their own verses to refute many of the points offered below, the fact remains, based on his direct words, JESUS himself would not agree with the RIGHT WING.
Here are five reasons why...
1) Jesus had LOVE for those who were not his brethren.
“If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” - Matthew 5: 46-47
A common theme among many right wingers is the idea that only those that agree with them are American. So called Christian right wingers have taken it to an even further extreme and say that only ‘Real American Christians are worthy’ and all others are serving the devil and will go to hell. This rhetoric is not based in a place of love and concern for others. Jesus put others first and not just those whom shared his view. He spoke to Jews and gentiles alike. Had they existed during his life, he may have even embraced Muslims. He loved all people, but hated the sin. This is the concept missed by many right wing Christians. Every day in the media, right wing Christians shows the world their anger and contempt for all things different, but should be showing you the kind of love that Jesus is describing in the verse above.
2) Jesus was not a hypocrite.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” - Matt 7: 3
“These people are only looking for hand outs” this is an example of the type of rhetoric should never be repeated by a Christian of any kind. As a Christian, we know that first and foremost, that God gives handouts. In fact, the most important handouts that God gives ones that not everyone deserves. The first handout is life itself. Why do the wicked and truly get to live as we do? The second is forgiveness. If you honestly believe in John 3:16 there will be people in heaven that we may have thought should have gone to hell but God chose to forgive them. Finally, Jesus has a handout. In fact, he gave out handouts to those who others think did not deserve them. He healed people with leprosy. Feed the poor. Forgave criminals and prostitutes. Therefore, it is completely hypocritical of ANY Christian to look down on the poor and needy and being unworthy of any help that they ask to receive.
3) Selfishness.
It is tough to be a part of the right wing and not use the phrase ‘My Taxes, my country, or my money”. Jesus would not have uttered any of this. Just under the turn the other cheek verses Jesus said the following.
“Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” - Matt 5:42
Part of being a true Christian is giving to those that ask and having the faith that your needs will be supplied. However, as right wing, Christians stump on the threat of a ‘socialist agenda’ and fear of wealth distribution and this is NOT in line of what Jesus said. As a Christian, we are to believe that nothing of this world is ours and that it ALL belongs to God. Sadly, based on their rhetoric, many of these Right Wing Christians would blame the multitude of 5,000 of being lazy and have not taken care of their own money wisely, rather than attempt to feed them with two fish and five loaves of bread.
While we are on the subject… lets talk about taxes…
“Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it? … Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” - Luke 20: 22-25
Despite how brutal and burdensome they may have been, Jesus willfully and peacefully paid taxes. As a Christian, we should know, the money itself does therefore; it is also it is hypocritical for ANY Christian Pastor or follower of Christ to utter the phrase, “my tax money”. Yet, many do. Jesus could have, but did not.
4) Peace
“But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.” - Matt 5: 22
Jesus was a man of peace. He would never threaten violence. However, the right wing is almost characterized by its threats of violence and anger. This should not be a characteristic of the so-called Christians within that party but it is. In the Beatitudes is emphatically states that “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Yet, many Christian Conservatives have embraced the concept of violence as a means of communicating their views to the rest of the world. However, Jesus himself never recited rhetoric that meant to instill fear, hatred, or distrust of anyone. Yet, high profile Christian leaders such as Pat Robertson on down have trickled the notions of violence from the pulpit. Sadly, many so called Christian followers have also embraced this.
5) The Dual Allegiance
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” - Luke 16:13
Can a Christian truly serve and be as Patriotic as many of these Right Wing Nut Jobs claim to be. Better question... is who are they truly serving when they claim carry the Bible in one hand, but carry a gun or the constitution in the other?
PARTING SHOT …
“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
- LUKE 11:20
I’m just going to let that one sit…
