Hold on while I get the popcorn out of the microwave.


hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/J/JESUS_VOTE?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Religion Experts Ask How Jesus Would Vote

By BOBBY ROSS JR.
Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Just a few miles from George W. Bush's former office at the state Capitol, a panel of religious experts weighed a question with relevance to many people of faith: How would Jesus vote?

It's a complex topic that can't be boiled down to simple political terms, said religious leaders who attended a Texas Faith Network conference in Austin on Tuesday. Many at the conference voiced concerns that the religious right dominates discussions of faith and morality in politics. They complained that issues such as abortion and gay marriage seem to take priority over hunger, corporate crime and even the war in Iraq.

James C. Moore, co-author of "Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George Bush Presidential," drew laughter and applause when he offered his view to the moderate to left-leaning crowd of about 250 clergy and lay leaders.

"If ever there were a bleeding-heart liberal, it was Jesus Christ," Moore said at Congregation Agudas Achim synagogue. "I think the carpenter from Galilee was the original Democrat."

Some research has found that white Christians who attend worship services at least once a week are far more likely to vote Republican, while less frequent worshippers and those who are not religious tend to lean Democratic. Many analysts have criticized Democrats for failing to more effectively reach religious voters.

"The sound bites and the headlines have co-opted people of faith," said the Rev. Tom Heger, pastor of St. John's Presbyterian Church in Manchaca, south of Austin. "It would be a surprise to a lot of folks to discover that there are some very faithful, regular church attendees who aren't going to vote for Bush."

Conservative pastors such as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson "would have us believe that morality is all about where you stand on abortion, how you treat homosexuals. I think that is simply wrong," said John D. Moyers, senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for American Progress.

The presidential race pits President Bush, a Republican who openly professes his evangelical Christian beliefs, against Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, a Roman Catholic who is more hesitant to discuss his faith publicly.

The Rev. Timothy Tutt, pastor of United Christian Church in Austin, declined to say whom he will support in November, but balked at the perception that Bush is the only choice for people of faith.

"As I read the Scriptures and as I understand faith, God's side is the group that's feeding the poor, caring about children, making sure that people have enough food to eat - not killing others," said Tutt, who opposes the war in Iraq.

Juan Galvan, Texas president of the Latino American Dawah Organization, a group of Hispanic Muslims, said he's certain Jesus would not vote strictly for Republicans or Democrats.

"Prophet Jesus, or Isa as Muslims call him, would look at the stance of politicians on various issues before voting," Galvan said. "He would weigh in the good and bad of each individual."

Michael Jinkins, a pastoral theology professor at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, said: "Based on my reading of the Gospels, I think Jesus might surprise us all on his voting record. He was far less 'religious' than the people who criticized him most."

In fact, Jesus might not support Bush or Kerry - or anyone else, for that matter.

"Jesus was not one to take sides on political issues," said Derek Davis, director of the J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies at Baylor University in Waco.

While there were obviously no Democrats or Republicans during the time of Jesus, different groups vied for attention, including the fundamentalist Pharisees, the aristocratic Sadducees, the spiritually devout Essenes and the revolutionist Zealots.

"Interestingly, Jesus never sided with any of these groups but remained above such earthly disputes," Davis said. "This does not mean we should do the same. He was God. We are mere humans."

That liberal group of "theologians" is so far out in left field that they wouldn't condemn sin if they even believed it existed.

Austin, Texas, is home to one of the most Godless secular school in the western world....UT.

Jesus wouldn't vote.

Jesus only became angry enough to use force once in the scriptures.

It was the moneylenders that angered Him so.

Jesus would be too busy.

Jesus would vote with plagues sent upon us for behaving like the idiot sinners we are.

Quoted: Jesus would vote with plagues sent upon us for behaving like the idiot sinners we are.

+1.....

Jesus would support much of the liberal agenda...as long as nobody was FORCED to comply...Remember free will.

I honestly believe the right is 'closer' here than the left....but we're all light-years away from being correct.


edit: anyway, Jesus saw no reason to concern Himself with matters of this world....

The King of kings and the Lord of Lords would not vote but command.

Quoted: The King of kings and the Lord of Lords would not vote but command.

Darn tootin.

Let's see, Jesus is Prolife and doesn't support gay marriage, hmmm....   W'04  

"If ever there were a bleeding-heart liberal, it was Jesus Christ," Moore said at Congregation Agudas Achim synagogue. "I think the carpenter from Galilee was the original Democrat."

If they truly knew Him, they would have instead said:

"If ever there were a bleeding-heart liberal, it is Jesus Christ," Moore said at Congregation Agudas Achim synagogue. "I think the carpenter from Galilee is the original Democrat."



wganz
¶

Quoted: Let's see, Jesus is Prolife and doesn't support gay marriage, hmmm....   W'04

Not trying to be an ass or support the "unclean" -whom, BTW, Jesus himself loved as any other while the "clean" and rightoues rejected them.., but show me where in the new testament he says that.

this is a man who sacrificed his own life and would do it again. kerry.

Quoted: this is a man who sacrificed his own life and would do it again. kerry.

If you are talking about Jesus, you are wrong. He only did it once and he said he would return again as the Lion, not the Lamb.

Quoted: Quoted: Let's see, Jesus is Prolife and doesn't support gay marriage, hmmm....   W'04   Not trying to be an ass or support the "unclean" -whom, BTW, Jesus himself loved as any other while the "clean" and rightoues rejected them.., but show me where in the new testament he says that.

Jesus accepted the truely repentant, the Pharasies were not. "Go and sin no more". Jesus will take you as you are but will never leave you the way He found you. Planerench out.

Quoted: Jesus wouldn't vote. Jesus only became angry enough to use force once in the scriptures. It was the moneylenders that angered Him so. Jesus would be too busy.

Spot on.

Quoted: Quoted: Jesus wouldn't vote. Jesus only became angry enough to use force once in the scriptures. It was the moneylenders that angered Him so. Jesus would be too busy. Spot on.

jolly good, old chap.

From my limited understanding when Jesus returns, it won't be Republican or Democrat. It will be the righteous and the righteously screwed.

Quoted: From my limited understanding when Jesus returns. it won't be  Republican or Democrat. It will be the righteous and the righteously screwed.

Your time is running out then.

Sgtar15

I despise liberal theologians.

Quoted: Quoted: From my limited understanding when Jesus returns. it won't be  Republican or Democrat. It will be the righteous and the righteously screwed. Your time is running out then. Sgtar15

I'll take my chances

Jesus wouldn't vote for anybody. If Jesus was in the US right now I would vote for HIM, not somebody else.

With Him in power, I would have nothing to fear at all from government.

That being said, Jesus would vote pro-life, to reform welfare and government programs so only the truly needy got them, to get rid of most of the lawsuits in this country, reform education so that schools taught actual subjects instead of multicultural crud, reform the courts so that robed dictators no longer had the power to change the Constitution on a whim, and spend an awful lot of time telling people who claim His name to either get saved or be quiet.

Jesus was not some bleeding heart. Jesus was tender to people in genuine need of His touch and who sought the right. He had compassion on sinners of all stripes.

But Jesus had absolutely no patience for the proud elites of His society that thought themselves superior but used their power to opress people in the name of "bettering society."

Jesus is kind, loving, and gentle. But He is not some lopsided person. As human beings we are capable of great tenderness to the ones we love and great compassion to those who need it, but we are also capable of being harsh and downright violent to people who threaten us or who attack our loved ones. We see no contradiction in this.

How is it, then, that people are so confused about Jesus being the same way?

Jesus would lead us to war both in a physical and metaphysical sense against the forces of darkness in the human heart and the outward manifestation of this evil in the world.

Jesus Christ was not some limp wristed pansy.

Jesus Christ was, is, and always shall be King of Kings and Lord of Lords, precious and elect in Zion, the Rose of Sharon, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Him who is Faithful and True!

He is a King, and if He were here, He would rule like one. The only King I would gladly serve is Jesus Christ.

The funny thing is that the Bible clearly says that one day Jesus Christ will return to this earth and rule all of it from His throne in Jerusalem. Then we will see how these idoit liberal theologian's ideas match up with the reality of His Kingdom.

Well, obviously Jesus could never vote for Kerry.

But, he might still have some trouble voting for the President who allowed Federal Prosecutors to force the removal of the 10 Commandments from all the US courthouses(Bush).

I suppose it's that "lesser of 2 evils" thing again.

But remember, the lesser of 2 evils is still...............evil.
Don't forget it, or it will bite you in the ass.

Quoted: Jesus wouldn't vote for anybody. If Jesus was in the US right now I would vote for HIM, not somebody else. With Him in power, I would have nothing to fear at all from government. That being said, Jesus would vote pro-life, to reform welfare and government programs so only the truly needy got them, to get rid of most of the lawsuits in this country, reform education so that schools taught actual subjects instead of multicultural crud, reform the courts so that robed dictators no longer had the power to change the Constitution on a whim, and spend an awful lot of time telling people who claim His name to either get saved or be quiet. Jesus was not some bleeding heart. Jesus was tender to people in genuine need of His touch and who sought the right. He had compassion on sinners of all stripes. But Jesus had absolutely no patience for the proud elites of His society that thought themselves superior but used their power to opress people in the name of "bettering society." Jesus is kind, loving, and gentle. But He is not some lopsided person. As human beings we are capable of great tenderness to the ones we love and great compassion to those who need it, but we are also capable of being harsh and downright violent to people who threaten us or who attack our loved ones. We see no contradiction in this. How is it, then, that people are so confused about Jesus being the same way? Jesus would lead us to war both in a physical and metaphysical sense against the forces of darkness in the human heart and the outward manifestation of this evil in the world. Jesus Christ was not some limp wristed pansy. Jesus Christ was, is, and always shall be King of Kings and Lord of Lords, precious and elect in Zion, the Rose of Sharon, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Him who is Faithful and True! He is a King, and if He were here, He would rule like one. The only King I would gladly serve is Jesus Christ. The funny thing is that the Bible clearly says that one day Jesus Christ will return to this earth and rule all of it from His throne in Jerusalem. Then we will see how these idoit liberal theologian's ideas match up with the reality of His Kingdom.

I would agree with this.

Quoted: <snip> ....but we're all light-years away from being correct.

+1... only I think the left is about 1/8 of a millimater "closer" than the right ... but I could be wrong ;)

Quoted: Let's see, Jesus is Prolife and doesn't support gay marriage, hmmm....   W'04

I'd agree that the first part of your sttatement is true... but what makes you think the second part is?? Jesus never commented on "homosexuality" and the memory might be mis-remembering here... but seems to me there was a Roman soldier (higher up) who had a "slave" that appears to have been his lover (yeah I know, not = but... sign o' the times/culture) and at the soldier's urging he healed the slave. Not "condoning" but not "condemning" either...

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: From my limited understanding when Jesus returns. it won't be  Republican or Democrat. It will be the righteous and the righteously screwed. Your time is running out then. Sgtar15 I'll take my chances

The Q is, will sgtar15??? ;)

Quoted: Well, obviously Jesus could never vote for Kerry. But, he might still have some trouble voting for the President who allowed Federal Prosecutors to force the removal of the 10 Commandments from all the US courthouses(Bush). I suppose it's that "lesser of 2 evils" thing again. But remember, the lesser of 2 evils is still...............evil. Don't forget it, or it will bite you in the ass.

Yep, that's why I'm voting Badnarik... I find it too distatsteful to vote for EITHER W OR Kerry. :/ Choices Bad or WORSE... when one of the sorry asses are gonna likely win anyway... might as well vote your conscious....

Quoted: Jesus wouldn't vote for anybody. If Jesus was in the US right now I would vote for HIM, not somebody else. With Him in power, I would have nothing to fear at all from government. That being said, Jesus would vote pro-life, to reform welfare and government programs so only the truly needy got them, to get rid of most of the lawsuits in this country, reform education so that schools taught actual subjects instead of multicultural crud, reform the courts so that robed dictators no longer had the power to change the Constitution on a whim, and spend an awful lot of time telling people who claim His name to either get saved or be quiet. Jesus was not some bleeding heart. Jesus was tender to people in genuine need of His touch and who sought the right. He had compassion on sinners of all stripes. But Jesus had absolutely no patience for the proud elites of His society that thought themselves superior but used their power to opress people in the name of "bettering society." Jesus is kind, loving, and gentle. But He is not some lopsided person. As human beings we are capable of great tenderness to the ones we love and great compassion to those who need it, but we are also capable of being harsh and downright violent to people who threaten us or who attack our loved ones. We see no contradiction in this. How is it, then, that people are so confused about Jesus being the same way? Jesus would lead us to war both in a physical and metaphysical sense against the forces of darkness in the human heart and the outward manifestation of this evil in the world. Jesus Christ was not some limp wristed pansy. Jesus Christ was, is, and always shall be King of Kings and Lord of Lords, precious and elect in Zion, the Rose of Sharon, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Him who is Faithful and True! He is a King, and if He were here, He would rule like one. The only King I would gladly serve is Jesus Christ. The funny thing is that the Bible clearly says that one day Jesus Christ will return to this earth and rule all of it from His throne in Jerusalem. Then we will see how these idoit liberal theologian's ideas match up with the reality of His Kingdom.

As usual spot on

The Q is, will sgtar15??? ;)

I would hope so.

Lord knows I try to be good.


SGatr15

Quoted: That being said, Billy Graham would vote pro-life, to reform welfare and government programs so only the truly needy got them, to get rid of most of the lawsuits in this country, reform education so that schools taught actual subjects instead of multicultural crud, reform the courts so that robed dictators no longer had the power to change the Constitution on a whim.

Fixed it for you.

You sounded pretty good after the first paragraph then ended on a sour note. Sorry, I just have a thing for writting style, but you would alienate a sizable portion of your audience and automatically be rejected with this sentance if it wasnt ARFCOM:

Then we will see how these idoit liberal theologian's ideas match up with the reality of His Kingdom.

Otherwise it was well written.