Revisionist Politics and the Bible

Just when I think I've heard it all, something comes along to remind me that we probably will never find bottom for human willful stupidity.  I lived (somewhat) through Sarah Palin's rewriting of American history--after all, I have some degree of familial interest in the ride of Paul Revere since my grandfather's family were redcoats and probably there--but Republican hopeful Cain leaves me in tears wondering if that party can field a candidate on this side of ignorant.

For those who don't know what I am talking about, Mr. Cain pronounced Jesus Christ a conservative. Has he read the gospels?  Or is he just spouting the Christian brand and hoping that someone salutes without looking too far into things.

Jesus Christ a conservative. Please! I am no religionist. I think all religions are dangerous, none less so that the Christian. However, I do this on the basis of knowledge. I know the enemy. I have actually read the Bible, not just listened to the cherry pickings and pretty sayings (King James version) spouted as homilies on Sundays before a fidgeting congregation already looking at their watches. In particular, I have read (and studied) the gospels, which are the purported history of the Christ.

So what do I learn. Christ does not like bankers. In fact, he hates them and drives them out of the temple. He also doesn't like rich people. They have as much chance of getting into heaven as a camel passing through the eye of a needle. In other words, zippo. A young man came to Christ as asked what he had to do to earn heaven. "Give away all your stuff to the poor," he was told. The young man went away "troubled." I'll bet he did. Why should he give away his ipod, his car, his flatscreen to undeserving illegals here to drain his tax money. Christ's minstry was to the poor, the undertrodden, the disinfranchised, and we're not talking about people earning less than $200,000. Christ would tell us that any of us with anything to our name should give all way and embrace a life of poverty.

Compare this with the Puritan ideas (those nasty little folk that England threw out because they were obnoxious) that wealth means that god approves of you. Not in the New Testament he doesn't. The Old Testament is a different cup of tea. But that's where it says people can own slaves, turn their daughters into prostitutes, and stone people to death. Hello, anyone. If you are following the Old Testament, you are not Christian (logic: you have to follow Christ to be Christian). Christ apparently negotiated a deal for humans; he got god to back off, but notice that hell isn't there in the OT. It shows up in the NT with the Christian era, thus allowing the born-again movement and thunder and brimstone preachers.

The bible and its supporters are neither consistent nor even particularly informed about the document they like to hit us over the head with.

No, Mr. Cain, you claimed Christ as so many have before you--to justify wars, to justify killing those you don't like, to justify persecuting others, to justify slavery in the South. But this man was no con servative. In fact, he would have been the first to tell you that your job was your fellow man, not supporting those who make money off his misery.  Mr. Cain, please accept my wishes for you :  pffffft (the sound of your deflation.)