Michael Gerson on rightwing Evangelicalism

[HockeyBjj]

Don't quote me on this but I've heard marijuana was a common medicine in Jesus' time, and beer was around as well(it killed microbes and such in water).

Don’t know about he marijuana, but wine was directly mentioned in the Bible itself for its medicinal properties in the unclean water by Paul to Timothy

23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

1 Timothy 5:23 | NIV

 

[Deleted member 159002]

On what basis do you believe Jesus rose from the dead if you don't believe the Bible completely?

I find resurrection apologetics compelling. As I already said...

 

[Deleted member 159002]

are you a zionist supporter?

I support the right of Jews to have their own state. I'm not one of those Christians who thinks the Mosaic covenant is still in effect, waiting for the end times though. I'm a preterist. As far as I'm concerned the end times occurred in the first century, and the modern state of Israel has nothing to do with biblical prophecy.

 

[Deleted member 159002]

That's not correct. I've only seen Christians acknowledge Trumps shortcomings. The disconnect is when you non-Christians try to argue we can't support a person in any endeavor if they are a sinner. Thats not Biblical whatsoever. That's also not intelligent.

So no...no tough spot.

Acknowledge his shortcomings? Like supporting his push to make insurance more expensive for people with expensive needs and supporting his pro-fossil fuel energy policy?

 

[TheComebackKid]

I find resurrection apologetics compelling. As I already said...

It sounds like you are telling me that the bedrock of your faith are arguments you find compelling regarding the resurrection. You reject much of the Bible because a portion of mankind disagrees with it. This viewpoint could not hold up under any kind of scrutiny whether religious or secular.

 

[TheComebackKid]

Acknowledge his shortcomings? Like supporting his push to make insurance more expensive for people with expensive needs and supporting his pro-fossil fuel energy policy?

Surely you understand that people do not consider these policies to be "shortcomings" and sins. They also wouldn't agree with your characterizations of them.

 

[Big Nasty Edison]

TS, is your gripe with Christians who support Trump and don't accept scientific "consensus"?

It's probably his gripe is with evangelicals thast are big hypocrites and phonies.

 

[Deleted member 159002]

Surely you understand that people do not consider these policies to be "shortcomings" and sins. They also wouldn't agree with your characterizations of them.

Right. They think making life harder for people who already have it hardest (expensive healthcare needs) is not a shortcoming. They think an energy policy that will lead to more water shortages is not a shortcoming. That's the problem.

 

[MicroBrew]

What if scientific consensus disagrees when the Bible, whose word do you accept.. man's or Gods?

You are using the internet and a computer, clearly science had nothing to do with these inventions/

 

[hillelslovak87]

Right. They think making life harder for people who already have it hardest (expensive healthcare needs) is not a shortcoming. They think an energy policy that will lead to more water shortages is not a shortcoming. That's the problem.

The Cummed on Kid sees Jesus, a guy who says he will heal you without payment unlike the authorities of his faith, and thinks he would be a free market capitalist. Don't try to reason with someone who places no value upon reason.

 

[MicroBrew]

Good listen:

I'm a Christian. I don't consider myself evangelical but I'm a member of an evangelical forum and find it disturbing just how rightwing most of its members are. From supporting the GOP's attempt to make health insurance more expensive for people with expensive needs, to quoting fringe minority "scientists" who claim greenhouse gases have no effect on the climate, to Trump's debt-increasing tax cut for the rich, most of the evangelicals I've encountered online are gungho for Trump. The rightwing, anti-rational ethos of evangelicalism has contributed to my crisis of faith.

And the Evangelical / Christian Right was also anti Civil Rights and pro White Power. These folks are the ideological descendants of the pro slavery 'Christians'.

 

[Deleted member 159002]

It sounds like you are telling me that the bedrock of your faith are arguments you find compelling regarding the resurrection. You reject much of the Bible because a portion of mankind disagrees with it. This viewpoint could not hold up under any kind of scrutiny whether religious or secular.

An earth that's billions of years old hold up under scrutiny. So does the archaeological evidence against the Old Testament genocides. So does the resurrection. On the contrary, YOU'RE the one believing all sorts of things, not because they hold up to scrutiny, but because you think you're obligated to.

 

[Quequeg]

An earth that's billions of years old hold up under scrutiny. So does the archaeological evidence against the Old Testament genocides. So does the resurrection. On the contrary, YOU'RE the one believing all sorts of things, not because they hold up to scrutiny, but because you think you're obligated to.

How about the virgin birth?

 

[ShinkanPo]

I don't know about the marijuana part but the beer part is true. Many cultures drank beer or similar items because water wasn't safe.

So Jesus actually turned Water into beer?


Beer gut Jesus is born!

 

[ShinkanPo]

And the Evangelical / Christian Right was also anti Civil Rights and pro White Power. These folks are the ideological descendants of the pro slavery 'Christians'.

But bub but but Bob and the Democrats are the Party of Slavery.......... bub bub bub but the Jihad,

 

[Soul Crusher]

Man Seinfeld never gets old. But not to derail...I do wish Christians weren't made out to be such horrible people. True Christians are rare as fuck. Many people play the part until they are behind closed doors. I identify as Christian, and I smoke pot and drink beer.

We're all sinners.

I like this book a lot: Ecclesiastes

James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Easier said than done though...


Which is why I need Jesus!

Romans 5
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Awfully nice of him!

 

[LMP]

That's not correct. I've only seen Christians acknowledge Trumps shortcomings. The disconnect is when you non-Christians try to argue we can't support a person in any endeavor if they are a sinner. Thats not Biblical whatsoever. That's also not intelligent.

So no...no tough spot.

There are lots of people in the WR pointing out Trumps short comings.

Personally I think people like Stormy Daniels and Melania are more experienced with those short comings though.

 

[Voodoo_Child906]

How about the virgin birth?

There's a good chance the Hebrew word 'Almah' was mistranslated to 'Virgin'. A lot of Hebrew scholars believe the word simply means maiden or young woman. In fact, I don't believe the mistranslation in the Septuagint gave rise to any pre-Christian Hellenized Jews that believed in the virginal conception of Immanuel.

 

[Ruprecht]

It used to be more an American problem, unfortunately that's no longer the case.

 

[KONG-D'SNT-TAP]

The evangelicals should be rounded up and put into camps on the Moon.