1549 said:
I hold by my words from the previous thread: Christians who own guns, vote republican, and watch Pat Robertson are pissing on their own religion. That is not what Christianity is about. You wanted proof...here it is:
First, the most important reason:
Luke 7:27-30--"But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the personwho takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic".
-->Gun owners: Toss the gun and get a dog. If someone gets in your home just lock yourself in a room, call the cops...Break-ins are rarely ever for the purpose of homicide. You actually are at greater risk if you walk up to a robber with a gun, as he may have one too. Conservatives are mostly pro-war. In the case of the last war, they did not even exhaust diplomacy. Pat Robertson...well he once advocated the assasination of Hugo Chavez, how does a guy like that get a Christian TV show?
Before I begin, welcome to the board.
First, as to guns. Many times, merely the threat of a gun is enough to scare off would-be robbers, rapists, etc. In such a case, there is no violence done, which seems to be your big concern. And even if there were, it would be justified to protect your belongings, your family, and your own well being. Nowhere did Jesus say to roll over and allow people to take advantage of you.
Second, what does conservative diplomacy, or the supposed lack thereof, have to do with Christian ethics?
Third, who the hell cares about Pat Robertson? No one watches his show anyway.
Second, also regarding treatment of others:
Matthew 22:37-40--"He said to him, 'you shall love the lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
-->Guns are not the tool of love, that is all there is to say about that. Conservatives support the death penalty, is that loving your neighbor? Many christians may disagree with me on this, but I also believe in the right to abortion. No one fully knows a person's individual circumstances that lead them to abortion, and therefore the right should be granted. I am not necessarily for abortion, I just think the right should be extended. Pat Robertson said hindus should not be allowed in the United States. This shows his ignorance, he obviously has never talked to a hindu. Again, nothing Christian about his statement. Besides, the U.S. should be a secular nation, independent of religion. Whatever you are, you have as much right to be here as Pat Robertson.
If protecting one's family is a sign of love, then guns can very well be a tool of love. Showing love to one's neighbor does not negate the state's God-given authority (see Romans 12) to dispense justice. Abortion falls under the "Thou shalt not murder" category - and there are many ways that we can come alongside a scared soon-to-be mother to help her. And I repeat my comment about Pat Robertson.
Finally, regarding wealth
Luke 18:25--"For it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven"
-->The conservative politics (republican and democrat) that dominate America are very critical of socialist ideas such as major reallocation of wealth and strict luxury taxes. Yet, we have no problem criticizing state welfare which is not enough to help poor families. It is near impossible for a poor person to make wealth in a society that already punishes the lower classes. The opportunities simply are not there. Yet most politicians are richer than sin...who do you think they are looking out for? Pat Robertson...well, he made a killing off of FM radio. Gun companies: the Government spends more money on tools of war than anything else.
The conservative stance is that the federal government, as per the U.S. Constitution, has no business being in the wealth redistribution game. If private charities want to help out the poor, that's great, but it's simply not the government's job. We have a free-market economy here, which allows both gun companies and Pat Robertson to become as wealthy as they want to be, if people buy their products. As far as what they should do with that money... that's another post, I suppose.
The only difference between Pat Robertson and Muslim extremists is that Robertson only verbally supports killing. Conservative politicians so often call themselves Christians, but they deviate extremely far from the passages above. And there is nothing Christian about a gun.
I'll only address conservatism here. Conservatives believe that the government which governs least governs best. Therefore, we allow wealth to be amassed, we allow guns to be purchased and used in self-defense, we allow wars to occur when necessary. It's quite clear that you are a politically liberal Christian, but for you to say that one cannot be a Christian and also be conservative is quite shortsighted of you.
you
