Good evening, Kossacks. Here in New Jersey many things are looking up. I am delighted that we elected Cory Booker as the newest senator from NJ. The Government is back open, and the Republicans look like the followed Calgary Cruz and the Tea Party off the cliff. Our long national nightmare is over--at least until January or February. However, while our government was shut down by a bunch of ideologues, the so-called Values voters held a summit last week. Among the speakers were Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and Paul Ryan. Please follow me below the fold while I rant about these "Values Voters".
WYFP is our community's Saturday evening gathering to talk about our problems, empathize with one another, and share advice, pootie pictures, favorite adult beverages, and anything else that we think might help. Everyone and all sorts of troubles are welcome. May we find peace and healing here. Won't you please share the joy of WYFP by recommending?
Here at the Great Orange Satan, we are a diverse bunch as far as religion is concerned. Some of us are non-believers, and others come from a variety of different faith traditions. I, however, was raised as a Methodist, and that makes me fairly familiar with the New Testament, and more specifically with the life of Jesus.
The Values Voters summit was held last weekend while the federal government was shut down. The reason that the government was shut down was because a number of Republicans in the House tried to hold the American people hostage so that they could try to defund the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. And what does Obamacare do? It provides the poor and uninsured in this country an opportunity to get health care. One of the things that Jesus did was heal the sick. Here's one example from Matthew 9:35-36:
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Do these values voters, most of whom claim to be Christian, honestly think that Jesus would have opposed healthcare for the poor?
I am particularly appalled when some of these right wingers compare Obama care to Nazism and slavery. Everyone know that providing healthcare to the uninsured is the moral equivalent of killing millions of innocent people and owning people as property. Sheesh.
In shutting down the government, the Teapublicans cut off funding for many "non-essential" government services. Among these programs were Meals-on-Wheels, Food Stamps (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP), and WIC which provides food to pregnant women, newborn infants, and young children. So what else did Jesus do during his ministry. He fed the poor. The most famous example is probably the miracle of the loaves and fishes from John 6:5-12:
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
Somehow I don't think that Jesus would have supported drastic cuts to Food Stamps and WIC.
It's time to take on the "values" voters. Their values are incompatible with all major religious traditions, including Christianity. I am proud to be a bleeding-heart liberal. We are the ones who have traditional values.
--end of rant--
Oh, and PS, Jesus had NOTHING to say about reproductive rights and marriage equity.
So what's your f$%king problem tonight? Patches and I are here to listen.