Faithful America is the largest and fastest-growing online Christian community. Michael Sherrard, spokesperson for the organization, sent out an email this morning expressing disgust with Ted Cruz headlines that claim Cruz won the GOP Iowa Caucus because of Christian voters. Sherrard asks: What does that really mean? Cruz touted the endorsement of hate group leaders and even a fringe anti-semitic pastor who says God sent Hitler to hunt Jews. He held rallies where Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson denounced the “perversion” and “depravity” of gay marriage and said we need to “rid the earth” of those who support marriage equality. This isn’t Christianity - it’s bigotry wrapped up in the Bible. And the only way to fight is for Christians to stand up and say: That’s not our faith.
I’ve said it so much I feel like a skipping record: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is as much a Christian as Timothy McVeigh was all about nonviolent conflict resolution. I’ve often wondered what’s become of those Christians who actually try to live their faith and who resent being lumped in with bigoted, hypocritical theocrats like Cruz. I’ve despaired of the lack of pushback from Christians upset that their faith is being hijacked by those who wouldn’t recognize love, acceptance, tolerance, and inclusion if Jesus His Own Self handed out instruction manuals (Oh, wait…isn’t that what the Bible is supposed to be?)
I know these sorts of good, kind, decent, and honest Christians are out there (I know a few), but I’ve despaired of finding groups and individuals willing to call out the moral/theological reprobates currently running for the GOP presidential nomination. It’s refreshing to find a group of honest, Bible-believing Christians “sick of sitting by quietly while Jesus’ message of good news is hijacked by the religious right to serve a hateful political agenda.” Ah, so Christianity really ISN’T the property and playground of hate-filled ideologues who use their faith as a club they employ to bludgeon those who believe differently and enforce their narrow morality? Hallelujah! Or something like that.
Ted Cruz has made countless heinous statements for years that do not reflect the words of Jesus Christ/Christianity. Natalie Maines, a member of the Grammy Award-winning group The Dixie Chicks, targeted one his more recent warmongering Cruz quotes. Maines tweeted she is ashamed that Ted Cruz is from America and cites a Cruz quote in one of her tweets:
“We will carpet bomb them into oblivion. I don’t know if sand can glow in the dark, but we’re going to find out.”
What I truly love is Faithful America’s slogan:
Love thy neighbor. No exceptions. How cool is that, eh? And it’s not even a slogan one need be a Christian to adopt as their own. “Love they neighbor”…seems like I’ve read that somewhere before….
Wait, wait…don’t tell me….
Maybe in the Bible? Nah, it couldn’t be THAT simple…could it??
“No exceptions.” Excellent. Nothing about “…unless they’re gay…or Liberal…or Packers fans…or non-White…or any other artificial qualifier used to elevate one class of humanity over another. It’s almost enough to make me believe in a benevolent God…or really, ANY God. Just think about how much better this world would be if everyone lived by this simple motto:
“Love thy neighbor. No exceptions.”
Somewhere warm and breezy, Jesus sits at a beachfront bar, a Corona in front of Him and a smile on His face. Perhaps there’s hope for humanity after all.
