Standing With the Good Samaritan
It's been a crazy week, a big week, with the appeals court throwing out the referendum, a lovely victory celebration, and then the shower-nuts insanely trying to get more signatures. Some Sundays I ramble here, figuring not too many people will read it, but today I've got things to do, and I'll let somebody else make a point for me. This was written by Ian Welsh and posted at FireDog Lake. Rather than just linking, I'm going to copy and paste the entire piece here, because I like it:
Standing With the Good Samaritan Against So Many “Christians”
I was brought up Christian—baptized Anglican and enrolled in Roman Catholic Sunday School. That was my mother's bargain: dad could chose the baptism, but mum got to choose the Sunday school. Smart woman.
I can't say I'm Christian anymore, though I still have a ton of respect for Jesus from those early days. Like most schools for beginners, my Roman Catholic Sunday School concentrated on the basics. The basics I received were:
- God is Love
- Jesus wants you to take care of those less fortunate than you
- Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself.
- Do Unto Others As You Would Others Do Unto You
- Better to be a Good Samaritan than a Pharisee (i.e., better to not believe and do good deeds, than to believe and not do good deeds)
Now, I'm no theologian, and unlike with some other disciplines I know I haven't read enough to have a really informed position. But I do know a few things, a few simple things. I know that when Jesus talked about judgment, he said this:35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Whenever I read these words I think that Jesus is a man I could love and respect. And whenever I read these words I am saddened by how few of his followers today are worthy of the word "Christian."
Marx once said "I am not a Marxist". I wonder if today, Jesus would say "I am not Christian".
Oh, certainly there are many good Christians, like the priest who taught me so many years ago, or the priest who regularly visited me when I was in hospital even though I wasn't one of his flock. Many, many Christians feed the hungry and visit the prisoners and the sick.
But so many seem to suffer from the sickness descended from Calvin, this diseased thinking that to be Christian all you have to do is believe in Christ, that belief and not works matter more. Once "saved", once "reborn", well, after that you can do whatever you want: be a Pharisee and still call yourself a Christian.
I stand with the Good Samaritan. I'll take my chance with God, and Jesus, for that matter, with all my doubts, but at least understanding that it's my deeds in life that mattered and that what I did to help the least of Jesus's brothers is what I'll be judged on, not whether or not I "believed" the correct piece of doctrine about who Jesus was, or what the after life is like, or whether being gay is bad.
Because I'm not a Christian. But I hope I'm a good Samaritan.
And if Jesus is God's son, I hope he'll recognize me as such when that time comes when I have to account for the life I lived.
posted by JimK at 12:53 PM
35 Comments:
And for the Jews out there, similar lessons from Pirke Avot (Teachings of the Fathers):
Shimon ben Gamliel said, "I have grown up among the sages, and I have found nothing better than silence. Study of Torah is not the important thing, the doing of Torah is. All who talk too much bring sin."
Shammai said, "Say little, do much, and greet everyone with a cheerful countenance."
Hillel said, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" and "In a place where there are no men [read: "decent people"], strive to be a man."
Glad to see you've got better things to do then sit in front of the computer all day, Jim.
This is an authentic summer day.
Can't believe you're endorsing Catholism over Evangelism.
More on this later tonight.
Well, to the chagrin of our know-it-all to the north, the McCain lead stands today on its one week anniversary.
Both Gallup and Ramussen, Preya's polls of choice, have the exact same lead for McCain as yesterday on a rolling three day average.
Unless Obama does something to shake things up soon, this lead will harden.
Truth is, Sarah Palin has struck something deep in the hearts of Americans and there is no turning back. The enthusiasm will build to a crescendo on the first week in November.
Did everyone see SNL last night? If not, look it up on youtube. The opening skit was priceless. Sarah and Hillary give a non-partisan plea to remove sexism from the race. Here's my favorite part:
Sarah: I'm so glad that we've reached a point where anyone can dream of being President. You just have to want it. Right, Hillary?
Hillary: Oh, yes. If I could change anything, it would be to want it more. (smoke coming out of her ears)
not interrupting your trolling, anonymous but other polls have the two tied while some polls have obmama slightly ahead. The general consensus is that McCain is slightly ahead on the popular vote (not counting new registered voters) But I have yet to see any poll that has McCain leading Obama in electoral college votes.
And we have yet to see any debates.
I went to the CRG website, where I hadn't gone for a while. Good god!
This has become for them about anti-trans rant.
rrjr
"And we have yet to see any debates."
Actually, Alvin, I was saying this a couple of weeks ago and everybody said I was in denial.
The debates are when the gig is really up for Dems. Obama doesn't have what it takes and he knows it. McCain offered to debate Obama all summer to help voters understand their choice. Our royal highness declined.
You think he chickened out because he was confident of his debating skills?
Come on.
Obama is the least experienced nominee for President in modern times by a long shot. To make his defeat doubly secure, he is also the most liberal.
He has no accomplishments and his only decision so far is widely seen as a disaster- the selection of the mediocre and unimpressive Joe Biden as a running mate.
Here's the question that will sink him at the debate:
Senator, a year and a half ago you opposed the surge of troops to Iraq.
What do you think would have happened if you, as President, had been able to make your view a reality?
"other polls have the two tied while some polls have obmama slightly ahead"
Realpolitics, the site that makes a composite of all polls, has had McCain ahead since a week ago.
Furthermore, all the polls that went through yesterday had him ahead.
True, different polls usually have different results, but that was true a couple of weeks ago when Preya decided to say only the Gallup and Ramussen mattered. I just followed the lead of our erudite expert from the land of the ice and snow.
Well I have no idea what preya said and since i am not preya, it really doesn't matter. the fact is that this is a close race, which it should be. Based upon the criticisms McCain has been receiving for his ads, debating Obama will probably be the last thing he wants to do. He is creating a situation in which he will have to be defensive in a debate.
And that question about the surge. here is the answer:
"We should not have been there in the first place. We should have been pursuing those who attacked us on 9-11 rather than chasing nonexistent weapons of mass destruction."
"Well I have no idea what preya said and since i am not preya, it really doesn't matter. the fact is that this is a close race,"
Yeah, you're right.
You're not Preya.
You're also right that it's a close election.
Lot of interesting turns so far.
I expect more.
It's going to be fun.
"We should not have been there in the first place. We should have been pursuing those who attacked us on 9-11 rather than chasing nonexistent weapons of mass destruction."
Alvin, Iraq invaded its neighbor.
We reversed the invasion.
We allowed its dictator to stay in power if he abided by the terms of surrender.
He agreed to the terms but didn't comply.
He was slowly eroding any effect of his agreement so he could freely begin producing WMD again like the ones he had used against the Kurds.
After ten years of longsuffering, we threw him out.
Al quaeda tried to take advantage of the situation to attack us.
This complicated things but we have now prevailed.
If we had not employed the surge, as Obama wanted, Iraq would be an al quaeda base now.
If we had not invaded at all, Hussein would be developing WMD and scheming to find ways to invade his neighbors again- not to mention suppressing Iraqis.
Get on the side of justice rather the path of least resistance.
Nerd alert: big picture of head MC transgender, Dana Beyer, in the Metro section of the Post at the big party I was misinformed about.
Yet another Fact not truthfully told.
Well anonymous,
if this was the case, why make the lying arguments that Iraq was behind 9-11 or it had weapons of mass destruction. Sorry but changing the reasoning for invasion after the fact is scurrilous. Especially in light of the fact that there were possible intentional lies told to make us want to invade.
And btw, congratulations again to TFF on their amazing victory. ;p
McCain offered to debate Obama all summer to help voters understand their choice.
No he didn't. He offered to set up town hall meetings because he does well with softball questions. A debate is a structured event with an informed moderator who questions each candidate on their positions on issues while following formal procedures to present arguments and rebuttals.
You think he chickened out because he was confident of his debating skills?
Nope, I don't think he chickened out. I think the magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and the first black editor of its Law Review has excellent debating skills and decided to wait for the formal debates once Labor Day and both conventions were over when the electorate would be paying attention. I also think Obama was sparing McCain the embarrassment of having to debate himself, that is McCain the candidate vs. McCain the Senator, hoping, apparently in vain that McCain might return to his senses. It will be interesting to watch McCain explain his flip flops on privatizing Social Security, the Bush tax cuts, defense spending, a balanced budget pledge, FISA, investigations into the government's failures in Katrina, etc. when the formal debates begin. McCain will finally have to explain his flip flops on too many issues and I look forward to hearing all about each and every one of them. I do hope the moderators will be able to get to all of them, it's a long list!
the big party I was misinformed about
Oh poor baby. Tell it to the judge.
"if this was the case, why make the lying arguments that Iraq was behind 9-11 or it had weapons of mass destruction"
I agree with you, Alvin.
The Bush administration make the wrong case.
Still, the facts were clear and the invasion was the right course of action.
"the facts were clear and the invasion was the right course of action" for the big oil.
Too bad for big oil the Iraq's wised up and cancelled the no-bid contracts.
Anonymous complained:
“Nerd alert: big picture of head MC transgender, Dana Beyer, in the Metro section of the Post at the big party I was misinformed about.
Yet another Fact not truthfully told.”
Anon, you’ve been complaining for months that the government shouldn’t “force” you to “associate” with transgenders and other people you don’t like. Don’t tell me now that 23-07 has passed you are looking for opportunities to do just that!
You were given a convenient excuse not to have to “associate” with us by not being told where the party was. Savor the moment.
Peace,
Cynthia
Cynthia, I don't know how many times I need to reiterate this: I'm not saying I would never associate with GLBTs.
I just said it shouldn't be illegal not to.
BTW, I'm just kidding about the party.
"Nope, I don't think he chickened out. I think the magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and the first black editor of its Law Review has excellent debating skills and decided to wait for the formal debates once Labor Day and both conventions were over when the electorate would be paying attention."
Oh, I see. Little Lord Fauntleroy Obama couldn't trouble himself with debate unless it was properly formal.
A Cambridge man simply can't tolerate going to dreary town halls and associating with commoners.
He can only entertain inquiries from the upper crust.
And he must be surrounded by a Greek temple and have his water from a Waterford goblet.
And Obama wonders why everyone thinks he's an elitist.
"I also think Obama was sparing McCain the embarrassment of having to debate himself, that is McCain the candidate vs. McCain the Senator, hoping, apparently in vain that McCain might return to his senses."
How touching!
Not only is he the one the masses have waited for to heal the planet, he is also filled with compassion for those less gifted than he, hoping to spare them any embarassment.
What a saint!
"It will be interesting to watch McCain explain his flip flops on privatizing Social Security, the Bush tax cuts, defense spending, a balanced budget pledge, FISA, investigations into the government's failures in Katrina, etc. when the formal debates begin. McCain will finally have to explain his flip flops on too many issues and I look forward to hearing all about each and every one of them. I do hope the moderators will be able to get to all of them, it's a long list!"
McCain is regularly available to the press who throw all kinds of questions at him.
Meanwhile, for the first time in history, a news channel, MSNBC, had to reassign its election crew for being too biased in favor of a candidate. They had to because they were losing viewers who stopped watching the pro-Obama adulation in disgust.
Wait until Mac gets a hold of him at the debating table.
BTW, Bea, inform yourself.
The second debate in Nashville is going to be in the town hall format.
Maybe Obama will get stuck in traffic.
Or perhaps a member of his court could handle it for him.
That's a lot of highfalutin spin you posted there Anon. As usual, there's a dearth of fact in it. Obama's been holding town hall meetings all over these United States, from Culpeper Virginia to Watertown South Dakota and points between and beyond. And every time he does, more people register as Democrats, millions of newly registered Democrats are with us now.
Nice try at casting McCain as just plain folk by comparision, but just plain folk don't have trophy wives who wear diamond earrings valued the same as a Scottsdale split-level danging from their ears.
But by all means, you go right ahead and stand by your Keating Five man. I'll stand by the Harvard trained community activist who never forgot his humble beginnings or how many houses he owns.
Tell us, since you're such an insider, does McBush have a handler to take him home at night so he doesn't go to the wrong house?
Bea,
You're the one who said Obama chickened out of the town hall meetings with McCain because they weren't "formal" enough.
We all knew you were lying. Obama already has plenty of chances to wear his tux. I was just demonstrating how preposterous your assertion was.
Truth is, Obama chickened out because he knew McCain would have him for lunch.
Remember McCain challenged Obama. Obama declined.
It's clear who fears the debate the most.
Those debates are where McCain has the advantage because it fits his style. So what is McCain saying? "It's Obama's fault that I am telling lies because he wouldnt' agree to MY debate format." Whatever.
And you talk about MSNBC but what about the almost universal condemnation of McCain's ads. Even Karl Rove and some on Fox News are attacking his lies.
Given the fact that he simply can't leave this blog, it's apparent Anon has the hots for trans women.
Before you brush that off, consider that pre-op trans women are the third most profitable subgroup in the porn industry. There are plenty of guys who simply cannot get enough.
Putting words in my mouth again, Anon? You call that straight talk? What I said was Nope, I don't think he chickened out. I think the magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and the first black editor of its Law Review has excellent debating skills. Obama holds town meetings all the time and doesn't have to lie about attendance records at his events, like McBush does:
McCain aide Kimmie Lipscomb told reporters on Sept. 10 that an outdoor rally in Fairfax City, Virginia, drew 23,000 people, attributing the crowd estimate to a fire marshal.
Fairfax City Fire Marshal Andrew Wilson said his office did not supply that number to the campaign and could not confirm it. Wilson, in an interview, said the fire department does not monitor attendance at outdoor events.
In recent days, journalists attending the rallies have been raising questions about the crowd estimates with the campaign. In a story on Sept. 11 about Palin's attraction for some Virginia women voters, Washington Post reporter Marc Fisher estimated the crowd to be 8,000, not the 23,000 cited by the campaign.
McBush used to be a straight talker. Now he has handlers and needs to rely on scripted notes to get the new campaign "story" straight. The day two more financial giants were announced to be tanking and the Dow Jones dropped 500 points, Mc-I-don't-understand-economics once again told Americans the "fundamentals" of our economy are sound. And then a few hours later he had to read from scripted notes that what he meant by "fundamentals" are American workers, whose votes he desperately needs.
But the American voters know that McBush has voted 19 times against raising the minimum wage for them, the "fundamentals" or our economy.
The Palin bounce is over. Here comes the economic reality-check, while the former straight talker is reduced to dissembling.
"Putting words in my mouth again, Anon? You call that straight talk? What I said was Nope, I don't think he chickened out. I think the magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School and the first black editor of its Law Review has excellent debating skills."
Bea conveniently omits the next few words in her original sentence:
"and decided to wait for the formal debates"
Her point being that he is above anything other than "formal" debates.
"Obama holds town meetings all the time"
I'm sure he does. I was arguing with your ludicrous assertion that Obama chickened out of the town hall debates with McCain because he only wanted to do "formal" debates.
We all know you lied. Obama chickened out because he was afraid he would lose the debates to a man of superior knowledge and experience.
As lies go, it was clever but you were found out.
Move on.
"Given the fact that he simply can't leave this blog, it's apparent Anon has the hots for trans women."
You can always tell TTF thinks it's getting the worst of an argument when it pulls out this last-ditch gimmick.
After this, there's only one trick left: the excretory metaphors.
Oh for heavens sake, AH, you're the liar. I said Nope, I don't think he chickened out.
Watching you spin that comment while you ignore the fact that all McBush has are lies and scripts, is hysterical. Thanks for the morning entertainment.
And the war comment you posted is a nice but futile and transparent attempt to change the story.
It's the economy, stupid.
Well, no you didn't say "chickened" but you do agree he declined because he wanted more "formal" debates, right?
He chickened out. Face the music.
The economy? Yes, that's correct.
Now, what expertise or experience does Obama claim to deal with the problem other than a lot of platitudes to exploit the fears of the common worker? He has opposed NAFTA which has brought growth to all countries in North America. He has opposed oil drilling which has the potential to dramatically reduce our trade deficit and strengthen the dollar. And he has proposed tax increases with marigal rates of 60% which economists worldwide agree discourages economic growth.
Does he have any ideas that won't be worse than the problems we already have?
For anonymous, the TTF blog is either an addiction or his job. For me, it's a habit, honest.
rrjr
Keep spinning AH. When you can't focus, you can see anything any way you want to see it.
IMHO, Obama will do much like our last Democratic President did on the economy; he will turn Bush deficits into Democratic surpluses.
You forget that Clinton had to deal with a Republican Congress.
He made the zero deficit growth and welfare reform deals under pressure from Gingrich Republicans.
The other contributions to deficit reduction were:
1. slashing military budgets, which was foolhardy and led to 9/11
2. increased tax revenue from the internet boom which Al Gore not Clinton invented (wink-wink)
So, your HO is wrong. Obama will have a Democratic Congress which will leave him unrestrained and will destroy our economy.
The other contributions to deficit reduction were all approved by the GOP controlled House and Senate.
And let's not forget the GOP controlled House and Senate until 2006 and all they did was deregulate, allowing the culture of elite greed to flourish. The GOP has done NOTHING BUT DEREGULATE and now we all see the results, a broken US economy.
Headlines from today's Washington Post:
Markets in Disarray as Lending Locks Up
Lawmakers Left On the Sidelines As Fed, Treasury Take Swift Action
Scrambling to Clean Up After A Category 4 Financial Storm
And the Washington Times:
Fed pumps $55 billion into financial system
Fed, central banks move to boost global confidence
Euro stocks up, Asia's down as central banks act
CBTS
Banks were deregulated in the 80s. our country has been in a pretty much non-stop expansion since.
If Democrats really thought that was the problem, they've had plenty of chance to change it, including the last two years as they've controlled the Congress.
They haven't done a thing other than raise the minimum wage.
Obama had no clue that this financial crisis was about to hit.
He has absolutley no economic education and no experience and no ideas about what to do.
Obama had no clue that this financial crisis was about to hit.
Wrong again, AH. In the U.S. Senate, Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties for mortgage fraud and provide more protections for low-income homebuyers, well before the current subprime crisis began.
I'm sure Hillary wrote that and he just plagiarized it.
"Obama introduced the STOP FRAUD Act to increase penalties for mortgage fraud"
Yes, and it never was brought up for vote.
Why?
Democrats controlled Congress and he was already considered one of the major contenders for the President.
Could it be that it was so flawed that it embarassed his comrades?
Could it be that he doesn't know how to get things done?
If he can't get a bill even voted on when he's in Congress, how's he going to get anything passed when he's in the White House?
His best break will be if he loses the election and gets to go back to the Senate where he can get educated and then come back and try again in ten years.
That way he won't embarass himself in the Oval Office.
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