Christ Would Be A Conservative Today by Marty RicKard

Home » Categories » Society » Christianity » Christ Would Be A Conservative Today » Printer Friendly

	Christ Would Be A Conservative Today
	No Reader Ratings Available ?	Rate It / View Comments / View All Articles submitted by Marty RicKard
	Submitted Thursday, October 02, 2008
	Marty RicKard ^(2,881) Marty RicKard Log in to become a member of Marty RicKard's Fan Club!

This began as a comment on the featured article by mogama on the October 2, 2008 , Search Warp home page. However, I could not confine my thoughts to the comment box. Hence this article.

In the kindest Christian love, mogama, let me disagree with the premise of your article regarding whether Christ today would be a conservative or a liberal.

First, I believe you have a pure Christian heart. I hope you believe the same of me. Secondly, I believe the truest test of our Christian belief and of our Americanism is whether we can disagree, state our differences and still love one another. I believe we can and should.

I don't require my friends to agree with me as a condition of our friendship. I hope you feel the same.

Your article indicates that you have a clear undestanding of the Bible and Christian history. I don't fault you on that part of your writing. I believe your article failed not because you don't understand the Bible and your Christian history. Your article failed because you obviously do not understand conservative beliefs.

Perhaps you have bought into the liberal line that erroneously defines conservatives as heartless and cruel, interested only in starving school children by limiting their lunch budget, oppressing the poor and waging war.

With the liberal, main-stream press pushing that agenda daily, it is easy to understand why many people believe that. However, that is not the truth. Conservative people are not monsters; we are nice human beings.

You can rest assured that Jesus would be a conservative in 2008, just as he was in his time. Your article got Jesus right, but it got conservatives wrong.

Your article says: "....on moral issues, Jesus was clearly Conservative yet on social issues, Jesus remained Liberal. He saw part of his mission as liberating the oppressed of society."

Your statement implies that conservatives do not want to liberate the oppressed. First, I assume by oppressed that you mean the poor. Conservatives want to help those who truly need help or are mentally or physically incapacitated. I don't know of any conservative who would vote NOT to care for those who can't care for themselves. And they would do so indefinitely.

Conservatives are not as generous with those who are able-bodied and mentally competent, but lazy. Conservatives want to give even the lazy ones opportunity, education, training, jobs.

Liberals view the lazy as victims and laziness as a disease, a perpetually oozing sore, to be treated indefinitely by salving money on the wound, money taken from those who are willing to work and handing it to those who aren't. This is class warfare, socialism and distribution of wealth.

This makes liberals feel good, but destroys incentive and strengthens laziness. Why work if you can eat free? Conservatives want to help the unable not the unwilling. Conservatives want to teach a person to fish, liberals want to give them fish forever in exchange for their vote.

Liberals believe the government should care for us a mother suckles an infant. It should keep us warm, feed us, prevent illness and death make us healthy and happy. The government is the liberal church, which takes from those who work and dispenses to those who don't. If a person becomes wealthy and owns a corporation, he is probably crooked, according to liberals, especially if he is a republican. It's OK for celebrities to become filthy rich because they are special prophets in liberalism, and they mostly are democrats.

Conservatives believe government should protect us from foreign invasion, criminals and provide basic infrastructure, but we should all work to care for our own basic needs. Conservatives believe that if a person works hard he or she might even become wealthy. And that's OK. He should be able to keep the money and not pay it all to the church....er, I'm sorry the government.

Conservatives believe babies are for being born. Liberals believe babies are like a poker hand of five card draw. If they aren't good, discard them and draw more later. But let's not get into that in this discussion.

You mention war, implying that conservatives favor it. Not so! Conservatives advocate war only in defense of our nation.

Some say Bush has initiated a new doctrine called pre-emption, where we strike first to prevent being hit. I say the enemy has already hit us first. For us, 9-11 was the modern Pearl Harbor and anything after that is a response to the terrorists' declaration of war, and is not pre-emption.

Christ condoned self-defense and violence when necessary to protect one's self and one's principles.

In Luke 22:36 Christ admonished his disciples to buy swords for protection. He said to them: " But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one."

And Christ was not bashful about using a whip and force when he drove the merchants and money-lenders from the temple and over-turned their tables. He did this to protect the sanctity of his house and his beliefs. Imagine what our churches would look like today if he had not done this. United Church of Wal-Mart, anyone? When necessary, Christ fought. When necessary, conservatives will fight.

I agree with you that this is a difficult discussion because Christ was not a politician, he had a specific mission and to make our discussion even more difficult, he was honest and pure, something we don't see in today's political arena.

One way in which Christ and conservatives are alike is that neither beat their own breasts or blows their own horns or defends themselves much. I wish conservatives would carry on a daily campaign to extol their own virtues and educate people about conservatism. This might help negate the daily demonization conducted by the liberal, main-stream press.

I believe Christ would be the perfect conservative today, but perhaps the important question is not whether He would be more like us, but whether we will ever be more like Him.

In Christian love, I remain your conservative friend.

Marty RicKard Bio

Marty RicKard attended William Penn College , Iowa State University and University of Southern Mississippi , from which he holds a BS degree in journalism and photojournalism. He also has a Masters Degree in photography, in addition to the Craftsman, CPP, and A-ASP degrees. Marty spent two years as a technical writer for White Motor Company, and has worked for the Charles City Press, Mason City Globe-Gazette, and Davenport Times-Democrat. He was co-owner of the weekly New Sharon Star, where he was twice named Iowa Master Columnist for his article, which was syndicated in twenty Iowa newspapers. For more than a decade Marty's regular column appeared in the Professional Photographer magazine. He has been published in many other magazines and newspapers, including Writer's Digest, Writer Advice, Golf Digest, Resource Magazine, Picture, Range Finder, and Darkroom. In addition to his writing credits, Marty has won numerous photography awards, has lectured in 48 states, and has traveled internationally as lecturer, and judge. He was one of thirty from the U.S. to participate in the first cultural exchange with China in 1986. He currently is a regular columnist for Lens Magazine, and a full-time writer of fiction and poetry. He is the author of two poetry books and one volume of short stories. He is an entertaining speaker.

►Reprint Rights◄

» left by Jack (47 days 15 hours ago.)

I don't know. The Conservative majority in my state has voted to reduce spending on health care for children with disabilities while reducing taxes for many large businesses. I think this would qualify as conservatives not wanting to help those with physical or mental handicaps.

I also can't recall Jesus rebuking the lazy people who where physically unimpared. Maybe you can speak for Jesus where he remains silent.

Respond to this comment

» left by Marty RicKard from Iowa (41 days 4 hours ago.)

Dear Jack: What is the name of your state? What is he bill to which you refer where conservatives vote to reduce spending on health care for children with disabilities? "Thanks for your comments, but please supply full information if you can. Best, Marty RicKard

Respond to this comment

» left by Jack (41 days ago.)
http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/10_6_3.html

Respond to this comment

» left by Marty RicKard ^(2,881)
Marty RicKard (36 days 4 hours ago.)

Dear Jack from Texas: Thanks for the information. I contacted the Texas program office and they don’t seem to agree that the CHIP program have been diminished by the conservatives in their state. In fact, they pointed out several improvements passed by the conservatives recently. Changes for which they are extremely happy.

For example House Bill 109 passed by the 80^th Legislature and signed by Gov. Perry directed the
following changes:
• Extend the enrollment period to 12 months.
• Eliminate the 90-day waiting period for most children.
• Increase the asset limit from $5,000 to $10,000 per household.
• Increase the vehicle value exclusion amounts. (some of those people drive Infinities and Lexus’s)
• Allow childcare expenses to be deducted from the household income when determining whether children are eligible for the program.
In addition, most children in the midst of a 90-day waiting period will have the remainder of that waiting period eliminated and will be enrolled in CHIP for a 12-month coverage period. Late filers (mid-July or later) found to be eligible for CHIP coverage:
• Will have their six-month coverage automatically extended to 12 months on Sept. 1.
• Will not be subject to the 90-day waiting period unless they had private health insurance within three months of submitting their application.
• Will have their case re-evaluated to allow verified childcare expense deductions, which may affect the co-pay amount the family is required to pay.
They further told me that enrollment fees will not change, Jack, and the payment will cover 12 months of coverage instead of six. There is no enrollment fee for the lowest-income families, and higher-income families pay up to $50 per enrollment period.

So, Jack, it seems that conservatives are doing much to improve the program in an economy that is tight. You fail to give conservatives credit for implementing the program in the first place. Be fair in your comments and in your analysis and tell the whole story. Your glass is almost three-quarter full. I am one conservative that cares about people, and one who will take the time to inform the public that we do care. Best to you, Jack. Marty RicKard.

Respond to this comment

» left by Mogama ^(13,392)
Mogama (45 days 17 hours ago.)

Marty, you are having a knee-jerk reaction to my article, and you end up giving me what I've heard from Rush Limbaugh for 18 years. My point in that article is that millions of Christians in America have politicized Jesus too much, and by doing so, they have begun to identify the Christ with one political party or the other. Conservatives say Jesus was conservative, and liberals contend Jesus was liberal. My contention, based on the WHOLE of the New Testament Gospels, is that Jesus remained above politics. He called the Pharisees (conservatives) hypocrites, and He drove the Saducees (liberals) out of the temple. If anything, it seems like Jesus was more independent, if we want to tag Him with a political persuasion. To say that Jesus was for war, because of His "buy a sword" comment you quoted is baffling to say the least. You need to remember His Sermon on the Mount, where He teaches unconditional love for one's enemies, as in turn the other cheek. Also, remember that Peter probably misunderstood Jesus' words about buying a sword. Why do I say that? Because when Peter pulled out his sword and actually used it to cut off Malchus' ear, Jesus rebuked Peter for his militancy, then went on to heal the guy's ear, saying to Peter those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Then Jesus said, if He wanted a fight, He would have called on angels, not His disciples, to declare war on His behalf. Truth is, Marty, the life and teachings of Christ just cannot be made to fit a political template or a particular ideology in American politics. Jesus Christ represented the Kingdom of God, not conservatives or liberals. And that has never changed, no matter what partisan Americans think. Let's not create Jesus in our political image; we are the ones who need to be made in His spiritual image. To drag the Sovereign Lord into the mud of partisan politics borders on sacrilege; it is to cast the Lord's pearl before this world's swine. ~mogama~

Respond to this comment

» left by Marty RicKard ^(2,881)
Marty RicKard (36 days 3 hours ago.)

dear mogama: I hope you would read my article more carefully. I believe we agree more than we disagree. I also believe we come to nearly the same conclusion, but you apparently did not read my summary. Or perhaps my writing is so poor that I failed to make my intent clear. If that is the case, I apologize. In Christian love, Marty RicKard.

PS: Thank you for joining my fan club. I am your fan also.

Respond to this comment

» left by Jack (36 days 2 hours ago.)

So you can copy and paste from the CHIPs web site. Not very impressive. What did you expect the CHIP web site to say, that they are proud of the 180,000 children who lost coverage when the Republicans changed the rules which made it difficult to re-enroll? This list is what the Republicans did to try to put put CHIP back to the way it was before they gutted it, because many in Texas were outraged at what they had done.

Respond to this comment

» left by Marty RicKard ^(2,881)
Marty RicKard (35 days 16 hours ago.)

Dear Jack:

Chip told me there has been an increase in the enrollment. You need to check your facts. But I sense that you will never give conservatives credit for the program and keeping it going in this tough economic environment. Best, Marty RicKard.

Respond to this comment

Was this article helpful to you? Leave a Public Comment or Question:


	This Article has been viewed 41 times. Article added to SearchWarp.com on Thursday, October 02, 2008 View other articles written by Marty RicKard ^(2,881) Marty RicKard

If you found this article interesting, you may want to check out:

Hearing God's Voice in Times of Trouble
Time For a Green Bible?
Dealing With Regret
a Four Door Faith: Door One: the Mind
Just another Election or a Fight for the Soul of a Nation
a Four Door Faith: Door Two: the Heart
Election Day Countdown for Christians

Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional or organization.