I'm an atheist, but apparently I can read the Bible better than the Christians in this country who still call themselves Republicans. Let me start with 1 Corinthians 13:6
If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
and follow up with James 1:27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
And if you want to go old school, how about Exodus 20:16
Thou shalt not bear false witness.
I've been listening to the hate-filled rhetoric and the lies coming from the Republicans today, not to mention the past 30 years. Using the Bible as my field guide to identifying Christians, it's pretty clear to me that the Republican party is anti-Christian.
Let me say it clearly. If you're Christian and Republican, you're in the wrong party. You've completely lost your way. You're just like the publican hypocrites that Jesus talked about. They're the Reborn-Publicans. Hell, let's just shorten the party name so you'll see them for what they are. The 'publicans.
Most of the 'publicans think the USA is a Christian nation, but I listen to the hate-filled wing nuts and I don't hear any love. All I hear is hate and sounding Brass. Anyone who is interested in visiting the fatherless and the widows in their affliction wants welfare and health care, but the planks of the 'publicans are
every man for himself
and
God loves me best.
Bless the rich and screw the poor.
I look at support the war hawks got from their "base," these self-identifying Christians, and I gotta go with Matthew 7:15-16
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.
Do you know how you got punked? The "religious right" tied their political fortunes to the fiscal conservatives with Reagan. Another way to say it is they signed a pack with money. Here, I'm going with Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
You turned away from God and stuck with the money. Pity you can't read your own book.
Sure Reagan was a racist, so he appealed to the segment of the population that was both overtly racist and overtly religious, but was he really a Christian? Not by any of his fruits. Reagen wanted to kill Medicare and Medicaid, the government programs that supply care to the fatherless and the widows, not to mention Grandma. Remember this oldy but goody from Exodus 20:12?
Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Sure, honor them, but cut their health benefits.
Reagan and Bush (Sr.) punked the religious right. The 'Publican heroes are Newt Gingrich? Mark Sanford? Larry Craig? Come on Christians. I'm going to pull Exodus 20:14
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
How long are you going to stay with these blowhards?
I want to call every Christians who signed on with the money to repent.
Does it take an atheist to call you to repentence? I don't care where you fall out on the other issues of the day, but if you're not for health care reform, you've signed on with the money, you've lost charity, and you've become a tinkling cymbal. You have no business calling yourself a Christian.
It's go time for Christians. Health care reform is something you should throw your weight behind. This is a bill that fulfills the Christian ethic. Use your time and energy to help the widow and the fatherless, the poor and the meek. Take the time to call up the 'Publicans who are lying about health care and paying hommage to Mammon. Tell the 'Publicans to stop their lies. If you're going to be a Republican, you need to decide if you're a Christian. If you don't want to walk the walk, at least call yourself a 'Publican and for God's sake, please stop calling yourself Christian.