Beck's Marriage of Politics and Religion Raising Questions

[MrsSmith]

I'm not being told to go away. I know I'm invited to church with glad hearts and open arms.

I'm being told I'm the problem. If godless behavior is the problem then I am the problem.

Again, I'm not asking for absolution. I'm saying that as those claims increase and grow louder it seems that my place within the conservative will be less appreciated.

I believe a position that not only accomodates religious conviction but also honors it can be made within the conservative movement. I for one recognize and appreciate the contribution of Christians and Jews to our nation's founding. It couldn't have been done without them. It happened because of them.

But the louder they claim sin is the cause of our nation's ills the more people such as me will be held in low regard. Mr. Beck's movement is in its infancy but as it grows my words will prove truer by the day; not because I'm a prophet among the ungodly but a student of history.

I don't want Mr. Beck to stop speaking or holding rallies but I wonder if the heat of the moment is narrowing his focus.

There is a difference between being a sinner (all people are sinners), and insisting that our laws must be rewritten to make sin not just legal, but desirable.  There is a difference between living your life as you choose, and insisting that the entire country must not TOLERATE your choices, but must actively approve of them.   I think you are somewhat misunderstanding the position of Christians.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

There is a difference between being a sinner (all people are sinners), and insisting that our laws must be rewritten to make sin not just legal, but desirable.  There is a difference between living your life as you choose, and insisting that the entire country must not TOLERATE your choices, but must actively approve of them.   I think you are somewhat misunderstanding the position of Christians.

If that was the vibe I was catching from the rally I wouldn't have questions.

Now, conservatives being the fair-minded folk I appreciate I am starting to see when put on the spot and questioned I sense they're willing to cut room at the table.

[TheSarge]

Any mingling of religion and politics raises questions these days.  You'd almost think that our history wasn't being taught in schools anymore.... 

It's not.  It's been replaced with revisionist Athieism and a complete misinterpretation of Seperation.

[vesta111]

On Mr. Beck,

I fear that he will go off the rails as he gains influence and power.

I enjoy listening to him as he digs up historical facts that are little known, as he outs the administration and gives us a different view on what the news reports/or does not report.

However I feel he is going in too many directions at once and will burn out by the pace he keeps.

I would like to see him focus on one subject at a time.  The Mosque in NY, or illegal immigration.  Get behind the scenes and do some real digging to educate us on things that we can put up the battle lines. 

Yes we do have freedoms but we must fight for them, some things we can do nothing about, the loss of Jobs, the tricks coming out of the White House.

Few society's that are as pacifistic as we are becoming has survived in history.  We have become so darn self centered we fear standing up for ourselves as [ something bad could happen to us, make things worse for us]


I just don't understand Beck, as a Mormon he must know the history of his faith, the bloody battles that were fought before and after the believers moved to Salt Lake Utah.

We talk the talk but hide from walking the walk.

Our children no longer pledge allegiance to America, College Campuses refuse to allow recruiters on their grounds.

Mean while people are settling in next door to us who are raising THEIR children to kill us and die  for Allah.

Is Mr. Beck just a flash in the pan, will he become an * in some unread book 100 years from now .?

[Eupher]

I watched the rally on the internet on Saturday.

Yes, there were a lot of "Christians" there as speakers. And yes, they were asking, in some cases TELLING, people to walk with Jesus. Some were saying to walk with God.

But I think what I took from it more than anything...was that the Founding Fathers built this country on FAITH...HONOR....AND CHARITY....on all of them ...not just one thing.

Here's what I got out of it...

FAITH....in God, yes...but also in oneself, in one's family and neighbors, in our Country and in our leaders. It didn't necessarily have to be a "Christian" God, but in a Higher Power than ourselves. That there is an Entity above all, that has control. And that we have to have the FAITH in that Higher Power to get us through whatever adversity there is. But even more so, we had to have faith in ourselves to make the right decisions in life. We had to have faith in our families and friends to be there ...to provide aid, comfort, care when we needed it. We had to have faith in our country AND our elected leaders to do what is right for all, not just a few, to protect us from our enemies within and without.

HONOR...to honor God, yes....but also to be honorable ourselves. To honor our families and friends, to honor our Country. Honor is truth and integrity and respect and responsibility. To know what is true, to not lie or twist facts to fit the situation, to stand up for what is just and right. Integrity to not only talk it, but walk it. To not cheat, lie or steal to attain power. To respect ourselves, our family, our teachers, our leaders, our military...OUR COUNTRY. Responsible for our actions...not blame it on someone else. But look at the examples we see everyday! Politicians saying "it ain't my fault!" Teachers who have sex with their student...."it ain't my fault!" Murderers ..."it ain't my fault!" Why should we expect any different....when we daily see our President "it ain't my fault!" and to be fair...Obama isn't the first to do this....just the most obvious.  

CHARITY....not just tithe to a church...but to help someone who needs it. Not just monetarily, either. The elderly couple down the street who have trouble keeping their lawn mowed, snow shovelled, or a ride to the grocery store. The kid from the "wrong side of the tracks" who doesn't have a father worth two cents, and a mother who works all the time....to mentor the kid, teach them right from wrong, teach them that an education is important in order to aspire to be something other than a drug dealer or pimp on the corner. To give not just money, but oneself's time to an organization that needs help, a school, the local pound, a hospital or nursing home, the library.

All of these things ....we, as individuals, a neighborhood, a city, a state, a country, used to do.

When someone's house burned down, neighbors built it back up or built a barn for a neighboring farmer.

When the snow was rooftop high, or a storm had blown buildings down, people got out of their houses and helped each other shovel out, cut down trees, repaired roofs.

Fathers coached Little League, Moms were Girl Scout leaders, bake sales were held for the church choir to get choir robes, for the school to get playground equipment, for someone's sick kid.

We had faith that our elected leaders would do the right thing, not because XYZ company gave more to their campaign or political party than LMNOP. That they were people who truly wanted the job to do the right thing, not because they had more money than they knew what to do with and they wanted even more POWER.

We honored others views, their religion, their right to raise their children properly. We honored our elected leaders because they were worthy. WE HONORED OUR MILITARY, BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES WHO WERE WILLING TO DIE TO KEEP US SAFE.

We HAD respect. Not only for ourselves and our country....but we had respect, maybe based in fear, or jealousy or admiration, from other countries.

We took responsibility for our actions, if we didn't ...then there was a parent, a teacher or principal, an employer, judge and jury...who took action to see that we did.

Yes there are individuals who still have all these traits....those of us here. Many of us in the country still do. But we have let those who do not, HAVE CONTROL OVER THOSE OF US WHO DO.

We...as a country....need to go back to regain what has been lost....before it's impossible to get back.


That's what I got out of Saturday's rally.

Excellent post, deb, even inspirational - which was, I believe, the whole point of Beck's rally.

And somehow, I just don't think that Dr. King would have a problem with that message either. Some of the jerks that purport to represent his ideals and viewpoints (Jackson - the lying charlatan, and Sharpton - the crook, being examples that come to mind) might have it another way, but to hell with them.

Again, great job, deb. 

[slbradish]

I'm new here. Glenn Beck's rally was really something, wasn't it? I'd have given a lot to be there. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see much of it, except in clips. But what I saw and have heard is inspiring, to say the least.

What this country needs is to return to the Constitution (the REAL one, and not the liberal re-written version) and behave accordingly. To quote one of the Founders (badly) "This country was designed to govern a moral and religious people. It is wholly unsuitable for any other kind." Boy, isn't that the truth!

No honor system will work with dishonesty in charge. When politicians are crooked, the whole country slides downward. If we hope to regain our national footing, we must first remove the hindrances (by voting, of course) and replace them with people we can trust. We must also learn to stand on our own again, folks.

For every difficulty people encounter there are solutions. Those solutions don't necessarily come from the government or in the form of a check (or program). We were once too proud to accept charity (while being able to give charity to others). But now people line up for their freebies and expect the almighty government to take care of them. Able-bodied folks who could find work (or create their own jobs) are collecting welfare and unemployment hand over fist. Do we really expect the USA to regain it's independence and stature as long as the citizens are sitting around on their lazy backsides, waiting for money?

I believe the focus of Mr. Beck's rally and his program is to teach us what we have collectively forgotten and to inspire us all to take care of ourselves, our families and others willingly and not via punitive taxes. There are no real "victims" in our society, folks. Some people have gotten a dirty deal, true. But making a career of "poor little me" is not the answer. We must stand up for ourselves and our country as the Founding Fathers intended, obeying the laws, working hard and being free.

[DumbAss Tanker]

I have to say I very much like what he's done with raising consciousness about real historical context and contradictions, which are completely glossed-over even in collegiate courses, let alone primary public education.

[PatriotGame]

Heretics hate America, liberals hate America, liberals hate the Constitution.
Democrats...well..nuff said...