posted April 29, 2010 02:17 PM
By Richard Mathis
If Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers then why do more than 70% of the religious right support the war in Iraq and a potential war in Iran?
If Jesus warned that those who live by the sword shall die by the sword then why has Blackwater gotten rich serving a Christian president?
If the Bible prophesied swords shall be beat into plowshares then why does the religious right support huge military spending?
If Jesus taught to pray for your enemies and wish them well then why are we waging war to wipe them out?
If the Bible revealed that Jesus came so that there could be peace on earth then why do religious righters preach that anybody who wants peace on earth is working for the devil?
If Jesus admitted that not even he knew the day and hour of the end of days then why do so many religious righters make a career off predicting Armageddon?
If Jesus instructed that the mercy you show will be the mercy you are shown then why are conservative Christians so much in favor of the death penalty?
If Jesus proclaimed the new law is to turn the other cheek then why is the religious right so much in favor of the old eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth law?
If Jesus pleaded that it was doing unto him by comforting those in prison then why do so many religious righters say lock them up and throw away the key?
If Jesus admonished that let him without sin cast the first stone what animated Ted Haggard, Mark Foley and Larry Craig to cast away with abandon?
If Jesus gave notice that whoever does unto one of these little ones is doing in my name then why don't all American children have health coverage?
If Jesus said blessed are the hungry for they will be feed but woe unto those who feast now for their hunger will be far greater then why do Americans waste $88 billion of food a year while someone in the world dies of starvation every 3.5 seconds?
If Jesus declared that we do not live by bread alone then why is 2/3 of Americans obese?
If Jesus advocated that the worth of one's soul consists of more than mere material possessions than why do we value a person based on their net worth?
If Jesus counseled that when you pray don't be like the heathens and pray for what you want then why are so many prosperity preachers storing up riches here on earth by selling people the belief that they are not richer simply because they do not know how to pray to God to get what they want?
If Jesus established that if you wanted to follow him then sell all you own and give the money to the poor then why are so many ministers living in pearly white mansions while so many homeless are sleeping under bridges?
If Jesus stated you cannot serve God and Mammon then why is greed good and materialism so worshiped in America?
If Jesus blessed the poor then why are the poor so despised in America?
If James, the brother of Jesus, wrote that the poor are God's chosen then why do you have to spend so much money to get elected?
If Jesus cautioned do not exalt yourself for you will be humbled then why do Americans elect candidates who exalt themselves as Christians?
If Jesus warned do not swear by heaven, or God, or add anything to your word because doing so would mean your word is inadequate on its own, then why does the religious right always have to resort to invoking God's name whenever they want somebody to vote their way?
If Paul announced that in Jesus Christ there is neither male nor female, Gentile or Jew, nor master nor servant then why have women, nonwhites and gays been treated as second class citizens or worse for so long?
If Jesus taught to do unto others as you would have them done unto you then do Americans want to be treated as they have treated Native Americans?
If Jesus advised condemn not lest you be condemned then why is the religious right so obsessed with damning gays to hell and back?
If the Bible gave notice that a house divided cannot stand then why is America so divided into feuding red and blue factions?
If Jesus cautioned not even to become angry in your own house because you risk the flames of hell then why are so many conservative Christian commentators always so angry?
If Jesus implored you to fear not and the Bible added that him who fears does not know God then why are most religious righters fear-mongers?
If Jesus instructed to love your neighbors as yourself then why do so many conservatives want desperately poor Mexicans to stay home?
If Jesus ordered to render unto Caesar and God each what is theirs, respectively, then why are there any lingering questions about separation of church and state?
If Jesus held the truth shall set you free then why does the religious right oppose the teaching of evolution?
If Jesus preached don't pray publically like the hypocrites just to be seen but to go by yourself and pray in private then why does the religious right insist on praying loudly in public places like schools?
If Jesus condemned religious hypocrites for wearing special clothes to draw attention to themselves as holier-than-thou then why does the religious right dress in bumperstickers and buttons?
If Jesus let be known that you could identify his followers by them showing love to one another then why do so many conservative Christians have to repeatedly tell you just how saved and Christian they are?
If Jesus advised his followers to move on if nobody wanted to hear his message then why does the religious right persist on making their interpretation of his message the law of the land?
If Jesus advocated living carefree and trusting like wild birds or flowers then why are we paving over paradise to put up a parking lot?
If Jesus's first miracle was to turn water into wine then why are so many religious righters teetotalers?
Authors Bio: B. 1952, GA, USA. D. To Be Determined. Beloved husband of Native American artist Karen Coronado, father, grandfather, and friend of many from bikers to Zen masters; American writer and speaker, known for his criticism of Mammon's unholy trinity of big business, big government and big religion; served the least of them professionally as psychologist and voluntarily as activist for decades; loved to shoot basketball, billiards and the bull; lived free, died game. (memorial sketch by David Hews on Art http://afgen.com/christian_nation.html
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Raymond
Supporting the Neurodiversity Movement
A Different Mind Is Not A Deficient Mind.
http://people.tribe.net/4b0cf8c4-1fc3-4171-92d3-b0915985bf95/blog