Delay's plan for the "U.S. of Christ Jesus".....caught on tape..

www.au.org

This section hasn't been widely released, but it contains the meat of his plan for the Cristofascists...

"One way they stopped churches from getting into politics was Lyndon Johnson, who passed a law that said you couldn't get in politics or you're going to lose your tax-exempt status, because they were all opposed to him when he was running for President. That law we're trying to repeal. It's very difficult to do that, but the point is, when they can knock out a leader, then no other leader will step forward for a while, because they don't want to go through the same thing. If they go after and get a pastor, then other pastors shrink from what they should be doing. It forces Christians back into the church. That's what's going on in America. 'The world is too bad and I'm going to get inside this building and I'm not going to play in the world.' That's not what Christ asked us to do."

Republican Congressman Chris Shays had it right when he said his own party is pursuing a theocracy. While Shays' dismay and openness are laudable, the media's cowardice in exposing DeLay is shameful. The third most powerful man in America is openly talking about usurping the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state. Because Christ asked him to.

Just asking.

the first article. It's not even an amendment. It was thought so important by the founders that it was written into the constitution prior to any amendments.

it's the first article of amendment.

The actual 1st article establishes the Congress.

I haven't had my coffee yet, but I'm pretty sure that's the first amendment. I don't recall anything about religion in the first article which talks about the structure of the government, elections, rules and procedures, compensation, powers and restrictions on Congress.

Like I said, I haven't had my coffee yet so if I'm being a dumbass I apologize. I did try to look it up but my eyes will be bleary until that first cup of coffee.
http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/index.php/Constitution

(1) The Constitution makes no mention of any god. Its specification of government purpose, organization, and functioning is completely secular.

(2) Wherever it requires an officeholder to make a promised committment, it allows either oath or secular affirmation.

(3) It forbids religious test for government office.

(4) It promises freedom of speech and religion, and forbids law respecting establishment of religion.

(5) While the previous originally applied only to the federal government, allowing individual states to ban blasphemy, declare state churches, etc., the fourteenth amendment requires states to grant all citizens "equal protection of the law" and to not abridge the "privileges or immunities" of US citizenship. The courts have looked to the original Bill of Rights to interpret this protection, and extended first amendment liberties to the states.

There might be more, but that seems enough for now. We have a Constitution born of Englightenment principles. Let's be glad it was penned prior at a time when religion was at an ebb in America. Two decades later saw a religious revival that would have prevented it.

I'm playing devil's advocate, but I get this challenge from conservative acquaintances pretty often.

Where in the Contitution are (2) and (3)? I should go and read it again, but those two don't ring a bell.

in the Constitution that declares a separation of church and state. (Much like picking a scriptural quote out of context, as they are fond of doing.) In fact, it's a combination of things in the Constitution that point to the principle.

The fact that God is mentioned nowhere in the document does not dissuade them.

not "a religion". They often like to say that we can't set up a state religion because of that.

The phrase "oath or affirmation" occurs several places in the Constitution. This phrasing was chosen because of those who did not believe in taking religious oaths. Note, well, that it applies to the president's oath of office, and that the addendum "so help me god" is not prescribed by the Constitution itself, but merely a flourish that presidents choose to add. There is a handy website to keep in mind:

http://www.usconstitution.net/

To find all the places it is referenced, do a text search for "oath" or "affirmation" on this page:

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html

You'll find that either search returns the same clauses. :)

The real question is: Why do the Republicans hate our Constitution? The answer, of course, is that it prescribes a secular government, rather than a theocracy. Let's see if we can keep it that way.

:thumbsup:

But by continuing to be a member of that party, he's giving his consent to it.

Maybe he wants to take the Republican Party back from the Christo-Fascists and return it to one of fiscal responsibility.

all the moderates in the pug party who tolerate this behavior by staying in the party and taking the perks of power are enablers. he is as guilty as delay et al.

the so-called moderates could end this crap today. all they have to do is leave the party and either become independents or democrats. but they won't do that because they are afraid they will lose their perks and privileges.

they are traitors to this country if they truly believe what is happening is wrong and yet do nothing about it.

"One way they stopped churches from getting into politics was Lyndon Johnson, who passed a law that said you couldn't get in politics or you're going to lose your tax-exempt status, because they were all opposed to him when he was running for President. That law we're trying to repeal. It's very difficult to do that, but the point is, when they can knock out a leader, then no other leader will step forward for a while, because they don't want to go through the same thing. If they go after and get a pastor, then other pastors shrink from what they should be doing. It forces Christians back into the church. That's what's going on in America. 'The world is too bad and I'm going to get inside this building and I'm not going to play in the world.' That's not what Christ asked us to do."

Thats right Tom. Christ told his followers to sell what they own and give the money to the poor. That its more likely a camel go through the eye of a needle than a rich man get to heaven.

Tom. You've latched onto the hem of the garment of the wrong guy! I dont know who that is, but it aint Jesus you've been following.

This is what Jesus taught:

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:


3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.

6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Tom Delay...a Peacemaker?...I don't think so!

Happy Easter Dudes!

but if he was, it is interesting that DeLay does not mention why the evangelical churches were against LBJ.

It wasn't Vietnam. The evangelical churches were strongly anti-Communist and bought the whole stinking, fetid lies beginning with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and stayed with both Johnson and Nixon until the bitter end when the U.S. embassy was evacuated 11 years later.

No, there is not much doubt in my mind that the Southern Baptists, having only recently recanted their view that slavery was "biblical," were most freaked out at LBJ's Civil Rights Act of 1964 and allied legislation eradicating the Jim Crow laws Baptists had played a major role in keeping in place for the previous 100 years.

The reason there is a "Southern Baptist" church is because the Dixie crowd split off from the rest of the Baptists about 20 years before the Civil War began. The God of Dixie didn't want to hear that slavery was wrong, much less should be abolished.

... for some reason, I always got a giggle out of fundies using "Christ Jesus" as opposed to "Jesus Christ."

yeah, I know the etymology involved and whatnot, but it does come off as a wee bit pretentious.

Wow we certainly wouldn't want that now would we. Especially Jesus. He would want his flock out in public trying to intimidate people into accepting christ as their savior.

How Jesus describes some hypocrites;

DOING WORKS TO BE SEEN OF MEN...
1. When they did their works, they did them to be seen by others
- Mt 23:5a
2. They loved to wear religious clothing that gave appearance of
devotion - Mt 23:5b
3. With time, such hypocrisy will become evident to those who
know us
-- If we desire God's approval, we need to do things to glorify
God, and at times seen only by Him - Mt 5:16; 6:1-18


You are hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he said about you: ‘These people show honor to me with words, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless. The things they teach are nothing but human rules.’
"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5 RSV)

"Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:1-6 RSV)

"This Republican Party of Lincoln has become a party of theocracy." U.S. Representative Christopher Shays, R-CT, (New York Times, March 23, 2005)