A Christian alternative to America’s political duopoly
In his book Render Unto Caesar, Archbishop Charles Chaput notes that neither the Republican nor the Democratic parties are comfortable political homes for American Catholics. His insight is correct and applies to all Christians who take their faith’s public policy implications seriously.
Indeed, today the Republican and Democratic parties are not merely uncomfortable, imperfect, homes for people of faith; they are prisons that artificially divide us and prevent us from coming together as a community to advance the common good.
The Republican Party portrays itself as the political home for people of faith – in its imagery, the Bible and the flag often go hand-in-hand. The GOP is also, ostensibly, America’s “pro-life” party. And given the primacy of the abortion issue for many Christians, it’s not surprising that it has attracted the support of large numbers of evangelicals and conservative Catholic voters.
However, the policies advocated by the Republican Party today, and the ideology animating them, do not comport with Christian teaching on a range of issues. Its support for torture as an interrogation technique, capital punishment as a criminal penal sanction, and the dehumanizing rhetoric it directs towards immigrants, for example, do not reflect a Christian vision of the world.
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Hm…seems to me that the Christian view of the world has been interrupted a bit by the islamic view of the world.
Christians of all stripes had better pay some attention to the world conquering views of radical islam and get their acts together or we are all going to get a big lesson in the crazy portions of applied religion.
-DockyWockyMy opinion is not quite like Docky's opinion. Instead of paying attention to the world conquering views of radical Islam, we must focus on GOD and HIS will for us. We know it will all end eventually and. we know it will be done by GOD not Islam radicals. It will play out perfectly to the end, with GOD taking control, when the time is right. When that time is, HIS WORD says, No man knows, only the FATHER. The Muslim radicals will only have the role allowed them by GOD.
-MyrtlelinderArch Bishop Chaput really should read his Bible more thoroughly. I'm thinking the Arch Bishop should turn in his cassock for a for a tee shirt and baggies and join the OWS crowd. No one could possibly read the Bible and then purport that our Lord God was or is a socialist, or an advocate of social justice. I was raised Catholic, I loved the church, but they just do not study the Bible. If they did, they would actually see where Martin Luther was coming from. Now they are retreating back to the old ways. That won't work either. Priests and Bishops and Nuns do not encourage Bible readership or Bible Study. Wake up Catholics.
-SargeE5You have to consider the source- the Australian Broadcasting Co., which is as leftist as any of the American media, so of course they'll find a guy like this to trumpet. And dittos to all you said in your post. Capital punishment is the only commandment given in all five books of the Torah, and was obviously never rescinded given what Paul said about the government not bearing the sword in vain.
-Scott ToddThe way these people, who say such outrageous things, distort the truth of the Bible so severely, read it, cross out what they don't like, and use the little that is left to teach,to preach and live their lives by. The they do the impossible, make themselves Christians, they think! The worse thing about this traversety, is that they can fool so many people who are too lazy to read adn study the WORD for themselves and swallow these lies and live by them.
-MyrtlelinderWell of course my comment must be approved. FYI, I did not use the word "soc***ism" in my comment.
-SargeE5There are so many people who are wolves walking around in sheep's clothing. We do not seem to realize that we shall be know as "You know a tree by the fruit it bears." We need to realize that most people are fairly good at reading what we see. One great thing we can look at is this commandment, 'LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF." The things we do and say to other people, and about other people, we would never appreciate it if the words or the actions were returned. We go around in our own little worlds and never give a thought of, how to help our neighbor. So often, we do not even the person who lives next door, much less any needs they may have, or how we can assist them in a difficult life. Get huffy? I am talking about your neighbor, too, all of us!!!!!!
-MyrtlelinderOne (including any religious organization) needs to be able to discern between good and evil.
the GOOD, "righteous judgment" of CAPITAL PUNISHMENT which YHWH directed man to carry out against those who commit acts of EVIL, "wicked destruction" upon innocent victims IS JUST that – RIGHTEOUS!
In fact, capital punishment for those who shed innocent blood is the BASIS FOR GOVERNMENT according to GOD's instructions to Noah right after the global flood.
Do those who state that the "death penalty" is UNrighteous realize with whom they are disagreeing and what they are saying about Almighty YaH, who will, ALSO, order and carry out HIS eternal "SECOND DEATH" PENALTY upon their souls at the final JUDGMENT!
grace, peace, WISDOM,
-toothful___paul
P.S.:
-toothfulCalling a criminal a "CRIMINAL" is NOT dehumanizing! What part of "ILLEGAL" don't you grasp?
Those opposing or failing to impose penal consequences for unlawful acts, including capital punishment are the LAWLESS ONES and will DESTROY our Justice System!
___paul
There was an event in Georgia where Obama was supposed to meed with GA officials, He refused to meet with them. What was the occasion? What happened? Why did he refuse to meet with them?? Was the problem ironed out? Why was it not aired?
-MyrtlelinderAnd just how do you KNOW about it if it was not "aired"? Apparently it was "aired" by some source–perhaps by one of the "birther" bloggers or perhaps by Newsmax or some other, equally rabid source of misinformation and propaganda.
In any case, it is evident that you, driven by your deeply-ingrained bias, are trolling for just any kind of information you think you can use to vilify the President. Do let us know if your garbage hook latches onto anything.
-bighossWhat is the Christian view of the world? It is that since the fall into sin evil abounds. Yet God so loved us that He sent his only son to suffer the punishment due us because of our sins.Jesus suffered and died on the cross in our place, suffered the pangs of hell that we deserve in our place. He did this that we might be redeemed. Don't reject his redemption; those that do will be lost. Considering all this what must we make of this evil world. It is a constant fight against evil, both from the devil and from the unbelievers around us. We are in constant warfare. That warfare is rercorded through history. It is recorded in God's record, the Holy Bible. Because of this warfare much has to be done to thwart the evil one (devil). That is why God gave the sword to government, the right to execute murderers, and to determine proper punishment for whatever else is done against humanity. It also gives countries the right to defend its citizens. Sometimes the means used may be abhorant to us, ex. waterboarding, but if one compares waterboarding to what has been used in other countries or in the past it no where reaches the level of real torture.
-aceitunaIt does not command what type of economy we have, but that it is administratyed fairly. Greedy people who have taken over leadership have used govt. to exploit people under them. From what I read the govt. most able to defend against this exploitation is the democratic republic set up by our founding fathers. That is why I support our constitution and what the conservative people in our govt. advocate. The Jewish nation, Israel was set up as a Capitolist society under a monarchy. If the king decided to overtax his people he ran into trouble. Consider what happened to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon when he decided to tax the people more than his father. Throughout the Old testament one can find the constant struggle against overreaching govt., read the monor prophets, fat cows of Bashan (Hosea I believe) Study the parables of Jesus, parable of the Talents etc. Consider the fact that Zebedee was an entromphaner, owned a fishing fleet. The fishermen disciples of Jesus were't ne-erdowells who spent their time on a river bank with a fishing pole. They were in the business of providing fish for the market for the people to eat. Capitolism in Bible times.
-aceitunaI really liked your article. Will read on…
-Phoenix Amey