Is Rick Perry as Christian as he thinks he is?

[Sandy]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc ... is/243616/

Perry's position is quite interesting, in light of the fact that he is a member of a church that belongs to a socially and theologically liberal denomination. Bush always got a pass from the evangelical right wingers on his religious beliefs. There was lots of criticism and finger pointing when President Obama's former pastor was misinterpreted in a now infamous sound byte, but no one raised an eyebrow when Bush announced that he believed Islam was a legitimate path to God just like Christianity and Judaism. Two of Sarah Palin's children have now conceived children out of wedlock, though her son did squeak his wedding in a couple of months before the baby was scheduled to be born. The Bushes attended St. John's Church in Washington, D.C., right on the corner by the White House, and were pictured there frequently in photo-ops. When they lived in Dallas, they joined the most liberal United Methodist congregation in town.

Politics, it would seem, trumps conservative beliefs.

[Gene Scarborough]

When Marx said, "Religion is the opiate of the people," he must have had American in mind over the last 30 years!!!

Frankly, I'm growing tired of the religious pretense. The only presidents in my 64 years of observation who were consistent with their religion and practice were Truman and Carter. Otherwise, I think pretense was the main objective.

It started with the Moral Majority pumping their candidates to churches. In the 70's I got my first packet of bulletin inserts from them. Strangely, the Democrats were depicted with devil suits and pitchforks while all Republicans were sprouting angel wings and halos. Anyone with any sense should know it's just NEVER that simple---except for naive church attenders ready to "straighten out evil America." I quickly filed them in my trashcan for 2 reasons: (1) obvious naive and stupid depictions, and (2) simple separation of church and state. As an ethical Pastor, I believe we should pray that people vote and exercise their American right, but NEVER be advised by their pastor from the pulpit as to whom deserves that vote.

Such an appeal is psychotic to me. It's schizophrenic to the core. The candidates do the photo ops and sound bites, like Sarah Palin, only to let us ultimately find out she has somewhat immoral children.

So where did they get their role model for life?

Jesus or a ditzy governor-mother who calls her husband "The First Dude!" Gimme a BREAK----PLEASE!!!

[Stephen Fox]

I have a friend through Furman's extended network who is pretty good friends with Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

I am proud of all concerned and thank Sandy for bringing this to my attention.

I will email and link it to the head of local tea Party who was raised in Jerry Vines Church in Rome Ga and saw Perry in the flesh when he fundraised in Bama last weekend. She said he was a Man of God.

I guess the conversation continues.

[Stephen Fox]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archi ... %E2%80%9D/

If England's hooliganism, the flash mobs come to America; how will Kathleen Kennedy and Rick Perry navigate it.

How will it be similar and how different from the JFK and Nixon remedies of the 60's?

To put it another way does Gene Scarborough need to be less argumentative and more spiritual?

[Stephen Fox]

How can Kathleen Townsend help folks in Alabama navigate Colin Harris challenge

http://www.ethicsdaily.com/will-we-resp ... -cms-18272

Without gettin written off as a Yankee Do gooder.

Can Kathleen Kennedy talk the same language as Nick Saban and Gene Chizik's wife to effect some real political conversation and insight

Her Brother wrote one of the first political bios of Judge Frank Johnson, a Lincoln Republican in the vein of Atticus Finch.

Samford should have Kathleen Kennedy Townsend on campus with Hugo Black's grandson Stephen and and Bishop Willimon and lets see where this goes.

[Gene Scarborough]

Stephen----

What the heck are you talking about???????

[Sandy]

If we were talking about ecumenical church relationships here instead of conservative politics, most conservative evangelicals, especially conservative Southern Baptists, wouldn't give Perry the time of day. He's a member of a United Methodist congregation, though I've heard he does not attend church in Austin very often. The United Methodists do a lot of things that, according to conservative evangelicals, demonstrate their lack of belief in the Bible as the written word of God, such as calling women as pastors, being welcoming and affirming of gays and lesbians, vesting clerical authority in a connectional church, and there's a large percentage of Methodist leadership that is ready to move forward with the ordination of gays and lesbians. Most Methodist clergy wouldn't agree with or preach the exclusivity of Christ with regard to salvation. His income tax record of charitable contributions exposes him not only as a non-tither, but not really generous with any charity. And I don't think Perry's record as a supporter or active member of his church is even up there with W's, which wasn't exactly stellar, by conservative evangelical standards.

I think there will be a lot of things that will come out related to Perry's record as governor of Texas, which isn't much to speak of. The governor of Texas has little authority or power to begin with, mainly to veto legislation and call the legislature into session. He's bragging about job creation in Texas, and the numbers do look good, except when you note that their unemployment is also higher than 26 other states, including every one of their neighbors. Actually, most of the jobs that are new in Texas aren't newly created, they're just relocated from somewhere else, and over the past four years, most of those came from neighboring Louisiana as a result of Katrina, which explains why there is still a net loss. And the big question is what did Perry do legislatively or politically to cause them to migrate to Texas? Look at the record. Neither he nor the legislature had anything to do with them. In fact, finding anything that Perry has done legislatively is going to be difficult, even though he's been the governor longer than any other individual. He's a hot air balloon that's about to run into a cold front.

[Neil Heath]

According to this article, most of Perry's job creation that he brags about were government jobs paid for by federal stimulus funds:

[Dave Roberts]

By its sheer size, there's more of everything in Texas. And, since they still raise cattle, there has to be more...............

[Gene Scarborough]

Can anyone name anything good which has really come out of Texas???

The got their riches off oil, but no longer produce that much. They prefer to make alliances with the Arabs so they can jerk us around. Our last President, along with LBJ, foisted more bull on us than we can smell on a hot Texas day.

Historical knowledge after the Civil War tells us that scallywags no longer welcome in the South migrated to Texas to continue their antics! Add to this the Gulf pirates who settled all along the northern Gulf Coast give us corruption in every state bordering it. It is the same in some coastal areas of North and South Carolina. I have met some of those decendants and have tales to tell on their corrupt ways!

Between W.A. Criswell and Paige Patterson us Baptists have gotten a serious dose of Texas politics and religion. No deed seems to be too dirty for their use. Texans spouting religious words have produced nothing but corruption in my experience. They jump high, but don't walk too straight when they hit the ground! Some exceptions certainly exist, but are hard to find for me.

[Sandy]

[Gene Scarborough]

So----do politicians tell bald-faced lies to try and win?

Do they turn black into white with a smile depicting honesty on their faces????

A free press and people willing to question anything any politician says, is the only protection we have these days.

[Ed Edwards]

Can anything good come out of Texas?

(personal comment: I was born in the Panhandle of Texas

[Dave Roberts]

[Ed Edwards]

My WIFE is my favorite Texan!

[Stephen Fox]

George Washington Truett is my favorite Texan though he was born in Hayesville, N.C. where I got saved and Baptized in 59

Billy Bob Thornton was an interesting Davey Crockett in movie The Alamo, of course Lucas Black in All the Pretty Horses.

Friday Night Lights, the Movie and TV Series comes out of Texas

And you got to credit 43 W for a few good scenes from the Movie.

Next Would be James Dunn

Aaron Weaver, his biographer.

Matthew McConahey in Dazed and confused and Frailty.

Stewart Newman did some time in Texas and of course Bill Moyers. LBJ had some redeeming qualities and some not.

Bob Morrison, Randy Fields, and David Currie are good Texans, and the late Oeita Bottorf.

And Rice University has some good people, Chandler Davidson and others.

[Gene Scarborough]

There ARE exceptions, I also said!

[Neil Heath]