Soup to Nuts: Morning Bible Quote

Halloween Bible Quote
Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm.
    
ISAIAH 9: 19-20

Soup to Nuts “Don't be a Christian gawker” » Thomasville Times Enterprise

 

The Right Wing Nut and editor of the Thomasville Times Enterprise is headed out to the far reaches of fairy land and this time he’s taking  Jesus with him.  Although nobody has asked Jesus if he really wants to go.  When you deal with the Christian Right  you can’t ask questions. Questioning really upsets them.  So Jesus, you’re in for the ride of your life…well so to speak.

Go here and read Lastinger’s editorial. http://timesenterprise.com/opinion/x62497502/Dont-be-a-Christian-gawker

Lastinger tries to make the point that America was founded on Christian values.  You hear this over and over from the Christian Right.  Just as Lastinger does they trot out some cherry picked quote from one of the founding fathers and use it to justify their religion.  Lastinger cherry picks a quote from George Washington’s Farewell Address.  “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable.”  Nice quote, it doesn’t say anything about Christian vales or the Federal government’s ability or right to influence religion.  Just like Lastinger, it says nothing! 

Lastinger wants desperately to believe this country was founded on the Christian religion; that is the Christian religion as he interprets it. What he and the others of the Christian Right conveniently forget is that America was founded on Secularism.  Our nation was the first not to have an official state-endorsed religion.  The Constitution makes no mention of religion, in fact it states there will be no religious test for anyone seeking public office.  And the Oath of Office does no end in “So help me God”.  That was added by politicians pandering to their political base.  Thomas Jefferson’s “Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom” was in fact the model for our Constitution and First Amendment specifically denying the government any power over religious matters. 

At this point in his editorial, Lastinger really starts throwing the Fairy Dust.  You need to fasten your seat belt because the strangeness becomes professional.  We cross over into the Twilight Zone.  With Jesus kicking and screaming all the way.

Lastinger claims “Christians who exercise the authority granted to them by God were instrumental in the fight for civil liberties and the abolition of slavery.”  Really?  Christians.  It was the Christian churches that actually supported slavery, segregation and other forms of racial injustice.  But we must give the churches credit, they have apologized for their racism.  Slavery was abolished in 1865, remember that date 1865.  The Southern Baptists apologized for their involvement in slavery in June of 1995 and elected their first black pastor in June of 2012.  The United Methodist Church apologized for centuries of racism and support of slavery at their general conference in 2000.  The Episcopal Church apologized at their 75th general convention in 2006.  The Catholic Church acknowledged their racism in 1956.  Guess they were the only ones that made it under the 100 year mark.  Way to go Catholics!!  (Sarcasm alert)

Lastinger ends up this bizarre rant with a cherry picked Bible verse from Proverbs 29:2. “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan.”  That sound, that’s African Americans groaning through the centuries with all those “righteous in authority”.