I was reading the blogs today about Rick Warren and the proposed anti-gay law in Uganda. As I read I realized many people seem to equate Christians with the right-wing. That is far from true. I know many Christians, myself included, that are Democrats. Let me tell you why.
The Bible is full of references telling us to help those less fortunate than ourselves. In James 1:27 the Bible advises us to "look after orphans and widows in their distress". Hebrews 13:2-3 states "Do not forget to entertain (help, invite in) strangers for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are suffering as if you were mistreated yourselves." Also, Jesus said "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me... I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 26:35-40.
In other words, Christians are to help people who need a helping hand. The Democratic Party seems to support this idea in many ways, from food stamps to Medicare to many New Deal programs: the WPA, Tennessee Valley Authority, Social Security, FDIC, Securities and Exchange Commission and more. Democrats seem to support social programs to help the underpriviledged. Republicans seem to lean more toward giving businesses a break, not the little guy.
This is somewhat of a stereotype of both parties. However, how many Republican and right-wing blogs do you read that believe people freely take advantage of the system and there are no real disadvantaged people that need assistance? Republicans seem to believe helping each other is leading us down some "socialist" path and away from true capitalism and success for those who work hard. I have news for them - there are many who have worked hard all their lives only to have disaster befall them. Some people actually have lost all their money due to illness, injury and any number of unfortunate circumstances.
So, it makes sense to me to be a Democrat. The Democratic platform supports the Christian belief I have to help others. But, you may say, what about abortion? The Democratic Party belief is that abortion is OK.
I do not believe abortion is OK. I learned in 7th grade science class in a public junior high school about conception. Yeah, I already knew, but we studied it in science. I didn't become a Christian until many years later. In science, Mr. Haskins told us that life began when an egg and a sperm united. Amid the giggles, blushes, and guffaws, he said a new life started when those cells join together and began to grow. It would become a real human being, even though it didn't look like one. I still believe him to this day. It doesn't matter that the new life depends on the person carrying it to term, it is still a real human life and as such should not be destroyed.
This is where I differ from the Democratic Party. But I refuse to be a "one issue" voter. It is interesting to note that the abortion issue is usually brought out at voting time by the Republicans. Many Republicans point out that they do not suppport abortion and are pro-life. Really? Are pro-life Republicans against capital punishment, lack of gun control, and active involvement in non-justified war? There are probably some, but the Republican party leaders seem to be pro-life only when it pertains to abortion. Reagan and G.W. Bush were each president for 8 years, yet abortion was not repealed during their presidencies. Wonder why...oh, yeah, it had to be saved for the next election.
Getting back to Rick Warren. On a blog I stated how I didn't understand why Rick Warren didn't denounce proposed Ugandan anti-gay legislation that requires the death penalty for repeat offenders of "aggravated homosexuality". Warren has been connected to a Ugandan minister, who has visited Warren's church, Saddleback. I believe Warren should state unequivocally that this proposed law goes against Christianity's beliefs.
People like Warren, Jim and Tammy Fay Baker, Ted Haggard, to name a few, and right-wing politicians especially, give Christianity a bad name. Right-wingers are the extremists of Christianity. Just as there are Muslim extremists, there are Christian extremists who beat people over the head with their Bibles. God doesn't like that.
Call me a liberal (dictionary definition: favoring proposals for reform, pen to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded; free from bigotry), call me a bleeding heart, call me a tree hugger, call me a Democrat, or call me a Christian, but please don't call me a right-winger. Not all Christians are right-wingers or part of the Republican Party. I'm not.
P.S. Real Christian don't just talk about being anti-abortion or anti-gay. Real Christians work in soup kitchens, help the homeless find shelter, give support to unwed teenage mothers, provide shelter for abused women and more.