by Teh Nutroots | As Damozel posted earlier at BN-Politics, McCain's attempt to present his wife as a biker chick hasn't panned out too well for him. A man who goes a-wooing the far right evangelicals can't really be too buttoned-down or zipped up. This is one sort of mistake I don't remember ever seeing George Bush make. As we've all seen, far right Christians are fine with violence, but they hate any whiff of sex.
And now there's a Christian PAC that's come out in support of Obama. (Washington Wire) It's true. This must be that "Christian left" that Damozel is always going on about---which I kind of thought was a myth---or maybe it's the Christian center or not-so-far-right. I don't know. I don't know jack about God.
A recently launched Christian-based political action committee, the Matthew 25 Network, will air a television ad in support of Barack Obama touting his family values that will coincide with a faith-based forum on Saturday hosted by Pastor Rick Warren at the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.
Both Obama and Republican rival John McCain will attend the forum. (WW)
Here's their ad, which frankly makes me like Obama less. Nobody worries about the "atheist vote." WARNING: This ad may be fatal to diabetic atheists.
But it's not Obama's fault or anything. There's no "and I approved this ad" here. It's a Christian ad with a Christian message for Christian families. I guess they like this sort of thing, with the sincerity from the ministers and the plinky-plink music in the background.
And I do like this ad---"Tainted"---by DemRapidResponse.
Anyway, the Right-eous are pretty pissed off about all this.
RIGHTEOUS SHORTERS;
AND THE RIGHT-EOUS SAITH [IN A NUTSHELL]:
Shorter Erick Erickson [ Red State]: Rick Warren has sold out to the forces of Darkness (Democrats) and no longer has enough of the Spirit to be trusted to ask Obama about his support for Infanticide [i.e, for not letting the wingnuts impose their views of what an "infant" is on the rest of us]. Obama, unlike any Republican candidate, tries to wear his religion on his sleeve.
NB. Erickson says there won't be any hard questions at the forum. Crooks and Liars agrees.
MacsMind: No matter what anyone says, John McCain's adultery isn't as sinful as Edwards because McCain didn't lie about it. [Wrong--see this]. Apples and oranges! Furthermore, Rick Warren doesn't speak for evangelicals and, if he supports Obama, has proven that he is not a true Christian pastor. Any Christian pastor who supports Obama (1) is a false teacher; and (2) likes killing little babies. He can't even be trusted to deny contraception to low income women!
Robert Stacy McCain [The Other McCain] Republicans are generally regarded as stuffy prudes. But when McCain offers up his wife for the inspection of a lot of hairy bikers at a topless beauty contest, everyone gets offended. Why can't people appreciate Republican humor?
Ken Shepard [Newsbusters]: Rick Warren has sold out to the libs, and is hand-in-glove with a lot of Unitarians and false Christians who want to force everyone to have gay abortions.
Sister Toldjah: Liberal Christians in sheep's clothing are trying to tell evangelicals that they can pick and choose which Christian values matter. McCain's adultery matters, but not as much as John Edwards. McCain's was 30 years ago! He admitted it was his fault! For all we know, he has asked God for forgiveness! Edwards, we can be sure, has not! Q.E.D.
And while Obama has never committed adultery (THAT WE KNOW OF), he is a bad man who doesn't believe it is the duty of Christians everywhere to impose their uncompromising beliefs that even a fertilized cell has rights on atheists like Teh Nutroots (who finds this irrational to the point of insanity). In fact, I could go on and on listing all the ways in which he is bad. BRING IT ON.
Because if there's one thing Jesus didn't mean, it was this:
Judge not, that you be not judged. (Matt. 7:1)
NOTE. The next part isn't about the above-cited right-wingers. (What got me started was the verse from Matthew.) This does apply in general to a large number of self-styled Christian right-wingers I've come across around the blogosphere. The above-cited, and anyone reading this, don't have to strap on the sandal o' fake piety unless they feel it fits them.
What I love about the members of the Church of Christ without Interference from Christ is the way they persistently ignore all that wimpy, wussy, gay nonsense about turning the other cheek and not judging and the meek inheriting the earth. .Hypocrisy and self-righteousness (which I know from Damozel's unceasing left-wing Christian lectures Jesus talked about a lot)? Pfft.
The thing is, if you really believed all the things that Jesus said you'd be a better person than I am. Instead of yelling about right and wrong, you'd follow his instructions (which, I am informed, requires people to follow his example). Yeah, that's a lot harder than yelling, pointing fingers at your fellow Christians (including anyone who calls themselves that), and trying to force your views down other people's throats.
You'd realize that Jesus requires you to love the born as much---or maybe even more than---the unborn. You'd love the drunk, lazy, unemployed, hopeless feckless adults (including the illegal immigrants) as much as the little embryos. You'd worry about how the moms are going to get food, shelter, and other stuff as much as you worry about the unborn safe in their wombs. And after the unborn are born, you'd worry about them.
You'd dial back the bug-eyed fury when things don't go your way and the bug-eyed glee when they do. You'd hate the sin, not the sinner (John Edwards).
You wouldn't try to make him look worse---you'd give him the benefit of the doubt. You'd feel kind of bad for him. Pity for Elizabeth would make you hold off on the endless, gleeful dissection of the facts (and the "facts")---see Fox News.
You'd stop trying to perform God's function of separating the sheep from the goats.
You'd stop fomenting hate and stop calling people out. You wouldn't behave like me, in other words (goat).
You wouldn't fight back.
A few right-wingers might behave in a Christ-like or even Christ-ish manner. But you can't hear them over all the ones who don't.
But what do I know? I'm just an atheist. I like the "Tainted" ad way better than the saccharine "family values" one. But somebody's gotta stand up for Jesus. People keep trying to give him a bad name.
[this last bit has been heavily borrowed without attribution from Damozel's stuff at A Marginal Christian's Handbook]
Memeorandum has all the buzzy bloggerliciousness here.
OTHER POSTINGS
Colbert Twofer: John McCain Steals from Wikipedia /Blame Monica Goodling
Hope for a New Species or Giant Hoax? Men Claim to Have Recovered the Body of Sasquatch
CNN Inquires: "[IS] OBAMA THE ANTICHRIST?"
The Faulty Reasoning Almanack: Shuster Is Polite To PUMAs....but....
A Right-Wing Christian Asks: If Obama Really is the Antichrist, Shouldn't We Vote for Him?
A Right Wing Man's Plea: Right Wing Women, Please Stop Blogging
[Republican] Women, Know Your Limits!
A Right Wing Lady's Plea to the Media: Please, No More Dog "Whistles"
All those pastors in the first ad... I'm sure they are all very nice, dull people but isn't there something about them that makes you just want to slap them in the face?
Posted by: Ramsay | August 16, 2008 at 06:35 AM
Well, not me. I thought it was excellent.
Posted by: Damozel | August 16, 2008 at 06:48 AM