'On Faith' Contributor Calls Paul Ryan Budget Supporters to Repentance This Holy Week
Are you a Christian who also is supportive of Rep. Paul Ryan's budget plan? Then you'd best repent of your sin and be renew your mind with the social gospel.
That's the pronouncement of liberal theologian Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite in an April 18 post at the Washington Post/Newsweek "On Faith" website.
Brooks Thistlethwaite -- who previously hit Tea Party conservatives as tribalistic -- apparently believes that politically conservative Christians are trying to serve two masters, Jesus and Ayn Rand (emphasis mine):
Story Continues Below Ad ↓Ever since Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) put out his draconian budget proposal that slashes essential programs for the poor and gives big tax breaks to the rich, Ryan’s attachment to the works of Ayn Rand has been in the spotlight. Jonathan Chait, in the pages of Newsweek, calls out Ryan for launching a “War on the Weak” and explains “How the GOP came to view the poor as parasites –and the rich as our rightful rulers.” The success of this idea that the rich have the right to rule and the poor don’t have any right to their help, is due to the popularity of the philosophy of Ayn Rand on the far right. According to Chait, Ryan is “a Rand nut…Ryan once appeared at a gathering to honor her philosophy, where he announced, ‘The reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand.’ He continues to view Rand as a lodestar, requiring his staffers to digest her creepy tracts.”
[...]
Conservative Christians who support the Ryan version of radical conservatism based on the atheist individualist philosophy of Ayn Rand have some serious questions to ask themselves and these questions are long overdue. The political alliance between Christian evangelicals and the tea party has already been analyzed by pollster Robert Jones as a “shotgun marriage.”
It’s worse than that. Today’s radical conservatism is an unholy and unstable hodgepodge of ideas that are fundamentally alien to each other. This marriage is doomed.
[...]
While I do not agree on certain theological doctrines with many evangelicals, I respect many of them for their on-the-ground commitment to the poor and the vulnerable. Evangelical Christians have read Isaiah, they have read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and they know that Jesus was not mistaken about the ethics of loving one’s neighbor. It is the whole law and the whole gospel.
Christian evangelicals who support the Ryan budget that hurts the poor and rewards the rich as the ‘Gospel according to Ayn Rand’ have some soul searching to do and Holy Week is a good time to do that.
There are, of course, a few problems with her argument. For one, you don't have to be a devotee or even influenced by Randian objectivism to support a serious effort at trimming the size and scope of government. Secondly, nowhere in her post does the Chicago Theological Seminary professor explain exactly how, in her view, Jesus advocated let alone mandated a large taxpayer-funded welfare state.
She's right to laud the "on-the-ground commitment to the poor and vulnerable" that evangelicals have displayed, but confuses supporting hefty taxation and government spending with "loving one's neighbor."
But at the end of the day, Brooks Thistlethwaite's is exactly the sort of sermon the editors at "On Faith" love to preach to their devout choir.
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Comments
I'll don't need to repent you
Submitted by ricklail on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:01pm.
I'll don't need to repent you LIBERAL "theologian."
Any reading of the Bible would find:
It is the job of the family to produce society.
It is the job of the Church to provide for society. Spiritual needs of believers as well unbelievers and physical needs of orphans and widows that are widows indeed.
It is the job of government to protect society. Our constitution bears out this fact.
God only asked for 10% not everything we have.
The preaching of the social gospel and not the Gospel is the reason many churches have gone to hell. Read about the church of the Ladoceians in the Revelation. This is the social church.
The Gospel According to Ears
Submitted by Mary Louise Turner on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:37am.
It is obvious that the make believe media believe in only one gospel: the Gospel According to Ears. In this phony gospel, the main themes are: tax, spend and regulate, all for the benefit of the "poor". An underlying theme is to get everyone addicted to the nanny state Big Government and to worship Ears as the Supreme Being...Fortunately, there is a thing called an election coming up. Let's hope the Republicans find someone who can preach the true Gospel.
One of my favorite examples
Submitted by celator on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 6:53pm.
One of my favorite examples of Obama's "creative" use of the Gospel is when he tried to lecture opponents of gay marriage by referring them to the Sermon On The Mount as justification. Not kidding. Sheesh. It's also a good example of his typical "I was against it before I was for it before I was against it before I was........" ;+}
http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=27532
nonsense!
Submitted by jon_torlin on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:41am.
What utter nonsense!
With this idiot, liberalism and theology will cancel each other out, it just doesn't work.
-Jon
I bring you many gifts
Submitted by Tomorama on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:48am.
She needs soap and water...................
I bring you hope, change and nonsense...................
Brooks Thistlethwaite should use Easter-time to repent herself
Submitted by Vivaldi5 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:50am.
Thank you, thank you, Mr. Shepherd, for spotlighting this new example of liberal hypocrisy. It's rather humorous to see an individual like this. who's on the record saying that "Paganism has an important role to play in American religious culture...", being down on a pagan like Rand, or condemning her atheism when there's not that much distance between Brooks Thistlethwaite and atheist George Soros.
Plus, one might ask, what exactly is the "moral" case for keeping the party going on until a full default by the United States happens and there's no money to be handed out in social welfare schemes? Who exactly gets help then? Isn't it more in the line of the moral to be carefully cutting now so that some of the people getting assistance--hopefully the ones who most need it--will continue to receive it? What exactly is the "moral" case for spending the US into financial destitution?
Brooks Thistlewaite should be the one repenting this Easter season, but I'm sure instead she will be too busy doing the opposite of 'comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable' as she acts as an apologist for her fellow liberal lefties and a corrupt administration. For shame.
You're welcome. I love
Submitted by Ken Shepherd on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:51am.
You're welcome. I love exposing this sort of thing. It's the mainstream media's idea of religious outreach, apparently: lecture people about how their conservatism is anti-Christian. It's really annoying.
Rand
Submitted by Justin Crowe on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 5:27pm.
Rand was an atheist, not a pagan. There is a big difference.
Pagan Definition of
Submitted by stratman on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 6:20pm.
Pagan
Definition of PAGAN
1: heathen 1; especially : a follower of a polytheistic religion (as in ancient Rome)
2: one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods : an irreligious or hedonistic person
3: neo-pagan
atheism
athe·ism
noun \ˈā-thē-ˌi-zəm\
Definition of ATHEISM
1 archaic : ungodliness, wickedness
2 a : a disbelief in the existence of deity b : the doctrine that there is no deity
Not one place in these
Submitted by ferv888 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:51am.
Not one place in these passeges does it say the Govt. should do ths, I see ye, meaning person, not the Govt.
I am so tired of liberals preaching the false gospel of govt should do it all. Conservatives give far more to charity evrey year than a liberal would think about. Check out Biden, Gore, and the Clinton's giving. Clinton's took underwear off on theirs. Gore and Biden gave less than 3% of their hundreds of thousands of dollars in income to charity. Charity is the pure love of Christ and he asks that we give in secret, but he will reward openly.
The welfare plan should be to wean those who need help from it, and then be prepared to pay it forward by standing those behind up.
We will be held responsible for the gifts which we have been given, Being rich is not to be ridiculed as these fools of the left do, but to be used for good to help our fellow man. I will go to my grave not worried about that part of my life, looking at these fools on the left, hmmm.
FERV888
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Bible Refs
Submitted by m1xram on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 5:01am.
Ah, some scripture, great. Let's add a few.
So God believes in a flat tax and people should be taxed equally. Obviously a different system would represent stealing.
Well that's pretty clear. In addition to not taking other's property, the government should not steal from its citizens.
How does this relate? I argue that, it will anger God to knowingly bankrupt the future available to our children by mismanagement (bad stewardship) of funds entrusted to our leaders. [This is also rather damming for those who believe in premeditated child murder, aka "abortion," but that is another issue.] Follow that with...
Our leaders have been given much responsibility and they know what problems they are causing. I do not want to see their judgement. I'd be afraid to see it. To knowingly try to extinguish the light of freedom and cause His children, all around the world, to suffer, is horrifying. That's why they need our prayers.
For those who try to extrapolate progressive taxation from Luke 12:47-48, you should note that government is not mentioned as a middle man. The context is a relationship between God and the individual.
The opposite of Left is Freedom.
Borrowing is not recommended
Submitted by richb313 on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:51am.
Actually Paul Ryans budget proposal brings the government more in line with most religous teachings by helping to eliminate government deficits and paying back the debt. Also reducing the rates and eliminating loopholes further goes in that direction.
I'm betting this biach
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 11:56am.
is not pro-life. Guess her being a "sinner" is okay from her pulpit.
GREAT OXYMORON HERE........
Submitted by Herbster on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:16pm.
"Liberal theologian," - the oxymoron of the week. This lady's religion is LIBERALISM, not faith in God. And, I assure you, her "Personal" Ten Commandments are:
Abortion.
Redistribution of wealth.
America is an evil country.
Hate the military.
The environment is our doctrine.
Equal outcome education.
Immigrant "Rights" for illegals.
One world government. (Led by the UN.)
Abolish our Constitution. (Old fashioned/old white guy stuff.)
Ban and confiscate all personal firearms.
If anyone disagrees with the above, be it talk radio, TV, print, they will be subject to censorship ASAP.
I think Susan suffers from a case of a thistle stuck in her whistle.
That most noted scholar
Submitted by ricklail on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 12:41pm.
Sorry wrong thread. Are you sure this ain't Friday?
More "Fake But Accurate"
Submitted by stratman on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 3:31pm.
This has already been debunked. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite sounds like a Media Matters ventriloquist dummy.
Sorry ma'am
Submitted by octavioj on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 8:01pm.
What is sinful is to compel people into compassion. It is sinful to take money away from people without their consent. That is sinful and in need of repentance.
Success Envy
Submitted by HardRightTurn on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 8:43pm.
Which religions produce the most successful, self-reliant people?
To more fully comprehend the Left, one must read “Leftism As Psychopathy” by John Ray, M.A., Ph.D. Caution, it might scare you a little bit.
http://jonjayray.tripod.com/psycho.html
Where do they get these names?
Submitted by Chris Norman on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 10:21pm.
Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite - sounds like a character in a PG Wodehouse book. Maybe she dated Bertie Wooster?
Thistlethwaite......a name that speaks elite liberalism
Submitted by cbeyer on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 10:28pm.
She is clearly a liberal elite. Why she has anything to do with religion is intersting. She is one of those agnostic so called religious liberals who pretend to have some relationship to Christianity.
WAPO concealing something?
Submitted by Mark81150 on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 2:00am.
Her discription at WAPO....
" Professor, Chicago Theological Seminary Susan Brooks Thislethwaite
ALL POSTS '
but meanwhile across town.... back of the old sawmill....
http://www.americanprogress.org/experts/thistlethwaitesusan.html
"Rev. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress. She is also Professor of Theology at Chicago Theological Seminary and its former president between 1998 and 2008."
----------------
Sir.. you are truer than you know..
15 More "Fake But Accurate"
Submitted by stratman on Thu, 04/21/2011 - 3:31pm.
•"He continues to view Rand as a lodestar, requiring his staffers to digest her creepy tracts."
This has already been debunked. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite sounds like a Media Matters ventriloquist dummy.
Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-shepherd/2011/04/21/faith-contributor-c...
--- --------------
She's completely in the Soros Podesta fever swamp with her group being media matters cousin of the incestuious kind. So WAPO without naming her alliegences allows her to front for a athiest socialist on their religion page..
and she lectures us on repentence?
HOW ABOUT THE SIN OF BEARING FALSE WITNESS YOU HACK..
tell me I should repent for holding a political view you hate..
Kiss my conservative *** you XXXXXXXXXXXX... there, not blue but not worthy either. She can still kiss my ***, but in a I hope you learn to not misrepresent yourself when lecturing better people on sin...
I'm sure her langauge at the storm she stirred up wasn't all that upper crust either.
Welcome to the forum,
Submitted by stratman on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 2:41am.
Welcome to the forum, Mark81150. Your bio is compelling and your posts are like carpet bombs that will eventually generate some flack from our resident trolls for being over the target. Look forward to reading more.
Question
Submitted by ForeverOnTheRight on Tue, 04/26/2011 - 3:13pm.
Is The United Church of Christ, a Unitarian church?
and all I was looking for..
Submitted by Mark81150 on Fri, 04/22/2011 - 1:52am.
Was a picture or hundred of her rich limo liberal lifestyle.. the light bulb went ding when the two headers didn't match.
Ametuer yes, of the scooby doo kind,..
but it seems that if the WAPO knew of this connection and left it off knowing full well it'd adversely reflect on her "religious" views. since nobody could believe they were anything but the worst kind of sleazy partisan hack and work for Soros.
and if they didn't know?
Doesn't speak well of their professional bona fides does it? It shows the hysterical left can play them at will.. something most of us figure was unnecessary for them to do. I mean.. come on, did anyone doubt that the editorial board passed this with a serious nod to the "expert" knowledge of the should be defrocked Rev.?
The closest most libs come to faith is making fun of the God bother'ers who inconvience them so much with things like sin and guilt.