Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: How Some Republicans Unscrupulously Use the Bible to Exploit Members to Vote Against Their Interest
As a former evangelical for many years and an avid student of the Bible who read it from cover to cover more than a dozen times, please allow me to make the following observations of how many politicians, who call themselves Christians, misrepresent the Bible to such an astounding degree, that their motive and sincerity must be seriously questioned.
While many followers of these leaders are just misinformed, it is amazing how the fraudulent use of religion and the Bible to advance their political ideology actually works. Achieving power and money at all costs, regardless of the lies, slander, and fraud that is required, is everything, even though they surely know, AND CERTAINLY DON”T CARE, that millions of innocent people will die or greatly suffer for it to be gained.
They have no shame, and the irony of all ironies, is with a straight face, they claim to have the “ moral high ground.” And millions without hesitation, become their supporters fully believing their lies, slander, and fear mongering, without one bit of fact-checking.
Obviously, there are many Christians who strongly disagree with that tactic; but with almost no rebuke by those who claim to disagree, it is not easy to excuse their complicity. After all, even their Jesus is said to have overturned tables and called hypocrites a den of vipers. He also promised the rich man in Luke 16:19–31 an endless hell of torment, for not showing mercy to the poor.
Examples of their sinister plots:
Immigration:
We hear all the time that the southern border is broken. While it certainly is, we hear even today that Trump is demanding that his congressional followers block a consequential and bipartisan compromise reached that would improve the problem significantly. The reason he gave is that it would provide a victory to Biden and remove a major platform issue from his campaign.
But let us quickly view facts that completely contradict the arguments that most of those coming over the boarder are bringing illegal drugs, diseases and even plagues, and commit most of the crimes when they enter.
Any interested and responsible person will be able to quickly document the following: The vast majority of illegal drugs from the southern border enters the country through legal ports of entry. 84% of those arrested for drugs are U.S. citizens. And a higher percentage of crimes committed in border cities are by citizens of this country and not by non-citizens. Immigrants are vitally needed to fill many important jobs. Thousands of acres of farm harvest are wasted in areas where the fear of arrest become so great that they either leave or stay hidden.
Abortion:
It is fair to have different opinions about this issue. However, using the Bible is just not honest. We hear the religious extremists, and their politicians declare quite loudly how much they care about the “unborn.” They spend millions of dollars brainwashing and manipulating well-intended people into voting for that singular issue. Yet, if they sincerely cared about the “unborn,” why do they fight so hard trying to take away lifesaving health care to tens of millions, as well as food, safe housing, equal education, and fair and equal justice for those who are already born? If their objective is really to stop abortions, why on God’s green earth do they also fight against birth control, contraceptives, and sex education in schools; all of which are proven to reduce unwanted pregnancies.
Is it life they care about or votes by turning issues into emotional and religious ones, knowing that half the public do little or no fact-checking?
Does the Bible really condemn abortions?
The Bible gives over 30 specific acts that require the violator to be put to death; not one of them deals with abortion.
The Bible records 613 laws and ordinances that must not be violated; not one of them mentions abortion.
If the Bible truly supports a “pro-life” theology, why does its God allow approximately 50 percent of all pregnancies to end in miscarriage, often without any knowledge of the mother? After all, He alone could prevent them in a heartbeat, if He desired to. See https://www.webmd.com/baby/pregnancy-miscarriage
Then, of course, we see the God of the Bible killing many babies in Noah’s flood, which would have had to include many pregnant women; the same with the killing of all the Egyptian first-born and the many genocides their hero Joshua was commanded by God to commit.
There are many other Scriptures and reasons proving that the Bible does not support their pro-life position, including the Bible’s commands to rip open the belly of pregnant women, and believe it or not, it even designed as a punishment, the eating of their very own infants. https://medium.com/@patim888/pro-life
LGBTQ+ Community:
Can you hear the vehement evangelicals and their friendly politicians who incredibly misuse the Bible as justification to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community. Their favorite passage is Leviticus 18:22. While that passage does seem to refer to gay men, these leaders very conveniently ignore the many other passages in the very same book of Leviticus that condemn having tattoos, wearing clothes that are made with mixed fabric (cotton, linens, polyester, etc.,) adultery, eating pork, cursing your parents, planting more than one kind of seed in a field, and the trimming of sideburns and beards (See Leviticus chapters 19–20.)
Either God inspired all of those Biblical violations, or none of them. Cherry-picking is just not being honest.
Can you imagine the Bible quoting Republicans trying to outlaw adultery, lying, gluttony, or having love for money? Or worse yet, think of the backlash if they tried passing a law that would require immigrants to be treated with love, respect, and compassion.
Other things forbidden elsewhere in the Bible that the leaders never talk about are lying, Exodus 23:19, eating lobster or shrimp, Deuteronomy 14:9–10, not being circumcised, Genesis 17:14, and among MANY others, performing work on the sabbath, Exodus 20:10, which got one child stoned to death for picking up sticks on the sabbath. Yet, it is only the condemnation of gays that you ever hear about.
One does not have to like or agree with homosexuality. Different perspectives are fine and fair. But to try to use the Bible is just plain wrong, unless you speak just as loudly against the many other acts which the Bible refers to as abominations, such as a lying tongue, justifying the wicked, cheating, adultery, slander, injustice, love of money, oppression of others (particularly of the poor and vulnerable), violence, a proud heart, and a sower of discord to name just a few.
Again I ask, can you imagine the Bible quoting Republicans trying to outlaw adultery, lying, gluttony, or having love for money? Or worse yet, think of the backlash if they tried passing a law that would require immigrants to be treated with love, respect, and compassion.
They attack and deny against PROVEN scientific and historical facts:
It is sad how easily they can manipulate millions of sincere and often less educated followers to deny and even mock the overwhelming evidence of the PROVEN dangers of global warming; the lifesaving benefits of Covid vaccines; and among many other things, the absurd claim that the earth is less than 10,000 years old.
They have created a powerful movement to prevent our children from learning that slavery was horrible and that it still has many long lasting dire consequences. Among the many lies they teach, is that the founding fathers created the country to be a Christian nation. These fanatics very aggressively, through intimidation and the passing of laws, have banned the reading of books that are scientifically and historically correct that would run the risk of children learning the many lies they are being taught.
The result is nothing other than brainwashing and child abuse, and it explains why they disdain teachers and public education. They literally are seeking to imprison well trained and competent teachers for the mere act of teaching the truth, which by the way, is their job.
Victor John Stenger once commented that “science flies you to the moon, while religion flies you into buildings.” When I talk with some of these young victims, it is frightening to hear what they believe are facts, and who express no desire to fact-check or to even explore or examine the other side. Some are literally taught to do so, would be a sin, as it would be a sign of demons working to deceive them. Completely brainwashed and with a future that is problematic, at best.
A vivid example was a conversation I recently had with four high schoolers who were being home schooled: three boys and a girl. They were very polite and courteous when I asked them if I could ask them a question. I first indicated that my generation, the Baby Boomers, did a lot of damage to the world and that their generation was maybe the last to fix things. My question was what were the two or three most important risks that they saw going forward. All four were in full agreement that the main problems were the people who supported gender change and the government taking money from the rich and just giving it to the poor. That is indoctrination at the core.
The amazing way they trick voters to vote against their own interest:
While this section is not religiously based, the Republicans use it to manipulate the same group of voters as they do with the ones above. It shows conclusively that their motivation is not religious or morality, but pure and simple, conservative policies for money and power.
How is it possible to turn a program that provides life-saving health care for tens of millions of people into a profane cuss word, Obamacare?
Is a program that would reduce suffering and pain to millions of human beings and prevent an incredible number of painful diseases something moral to fight against? Is health care the so called “death panel,” or is the “death panel” those that would deny the benefits of better health, prevention of diseases, and a better quality of life?
Realizing it would be a great victory for Democrats, almost every single Republican congressional legislator attempted to block it, and yes, amazingly convinced millions of voters who desperately need health care for themselves and their families, into voting against it.
Another amazing example is that even though unions are rightly credited with providing higher wages, benefits including a shorter work week, funded retirement, family leave rights, predictable hours, a safer work place, and among other things job security; these same legislators (ALL REPUBLICANS) also convinced the same millions of people who needed them the most, that unions were bad, corrupt, and that they were better off trusting management to do the right things. Can you spell gullible?
Regulating businesses that would help give us cleaner air, safer water, require safeguards for safer products and food are frequently demonized as being job killers. They claim the public should have the freedom to decide for themselves what was good or bad. Again, can you spell gullible?
Christian or Wolf in sheep’s clothing:
If I may give a few words to the sincere Christian followers of these leaders, let me quote from a former pastor of mine who was fond of asking: “if you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Is there not something wrong with supporting a habitual liar who brags about sexually assaulting women and his adulterous affairs; and who maliciously slanders anyone who disagrees with him?
And does supporting a platform that would strip away basic health insurance from tens of millions of poorer and elderly human beings; that would intentionally add to the real and present hardship and suffering of immigrants; that does a reverse Robin Hood by transferring money from needed safety-nets to the pockets of the super-rich; that prevents proven science and historical facts from being properly taught by trained and professional teachers; and among many other things, denies fellow citizens of their constitutional right to vote and to receive equal justice sound like the moral things to do?
Do you or do you not believe in the “golden rule” that requires honesty, love, mercy, and compassion? Or do you support the anger, lies, and hatred being espoused every day by the congressional extremists who through deception and fear try to con you into giving them your vote? Every person should think for themselves, and FACT CHECK EVERYTHING.
If you do not, by definition, you are just a gullible pawn in their hands. Peace!
Originally published by the author at https://timzeak.substack.com.
