The Southern Baptists and the Evangelical community held a debate last night, and for balance they invited a Mormon. Some highlights:
But you’ve raised the question, so let me answer it. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth.” To me it’s pretty simple, a person either believes that God created this process or believes that it was an accident and that it just happened all on its own.
And the basic question was an unfair question because it simply asks us in a simplistic manner whether or not we believed — in my view — whether there’s a God or not. Well let me be very clear: I believe there is a God. I believe there is a God who was active in the creation process. Now, how did he do it, and when did he do it, and how long did he take? I don’t honestly know, and I don’t think knowing that would make me a better or a worse president.
***I’d be happy to. And it’s interesting that we’re doing this here, at St. Anselm’s, who this — that saint had a philosophy of faith seeking reason. And that’s the issue that’s missing here, if I could highlight that point, is that I believe that we are created in the image of God for a particular purpose. And I believe that with all my heart. And I’m somebody — I’ve had cancer in the past. I’ve had a season to really look at this and study it and think about the end of life. And I am fully convinced there’s a God of the universe that loves us very much and was involved in the process. How he did it, I don’t know.
***The point is that the time before time — there’s no doubt in my mind that the hand of God was in what we are today. And I do believe that we are unique, and I believe that God loves us. But I also believe that all of our children in school can be taught different views on different issues. But I leave the curricula up to the school boards.
***I believe in God, believe in the Bible, believe Jesus Christ is my savior. I believe that God created man in his image. I believe that the freedoms of man derive from inalienable rights that were given to us by God. And I also believe that there are some pundits out there that are hoping that I’ll distance myself from my church so that that’ll help me politically, and that’s not going to happen.
***I’d put it maybe in a slightly different way. We have great gifts in this country that come to us from God. We have a country in which we have freedom of religion, freedom of press, freedom for the individual, the right to elect our own officials. And the reality is that in some of the world, much of the world, that doesn’t exist.
***We have great resources in this country. And watching the strength of America when we believe in the essential ideals that we have, they’re not just American ideals, they come from God. And I think it’s our moral obligation to find the right way to share that with the rest of the world.
***And with that respect — and I have respect for my other colleagues — that’s why I don’t think we can nominate somebody that’s not pro-life in this party because it is at our core. We believe that every life is beautiful, is sacred, is a child of a loving God, from natural — from conception to natural death, and that applies not only here and in the womb, it applies to somebody that’s in poverty, it applies to the child in Darfur.
***So let’s from time to time remember that these are God’s children. They must come into country legally, but they have enriched our culture and our nation as every generation of immigrants before them.
***You know, Wolf, when my son returned from Fallujah, he wrote these words, he said, “Families lift our nation up. They provide us with fidelity, morality, faith in God, and raising the next generation of Americans.”
Oh. My bad. That was the Republican candidates debating, and not a religious revival.
I am damned glad this whole God issue is a sure thing, otherwise we might have to actually make informed choices or talk about issues that matter. I guess I will express my thanks to GOD that we won’t have to endure another one of these debates for a few weeks.
Mr Furious
I bought some wireless headphones to wear to help me start using my treadmill agian. This week I watched “V for Vendetta” and “Children of Men”…
The maniacs in the Republican party ought to scare the shit out otf people. In both of those movies a completely dystopian future results from just the kind of bullshit that is currently creeping in at the margins.
Over-religiousity? Check.
Power based on fear? Double-check.
Immigrants used as scapegoats? Check.
Patriotoc zealotry headed towards facism? Check.
Torture and extreme police powers and surveillance? Check, and check.
In my opinion, Guiliani will take us there the fastest. That guy is like Bush and Cheney rolled into one.
ThymeZone
All I can say is: Good God.
benjoya
christ, i’m gettting sick of this.
demkat620
And he’s askeered of the ferrets.
Sirkowski
God is dead.
He shot himself in the head after that debate.
Rome Again
Actually, several thousand years ago he got sick of trying to teach us right from wrong, and he took off for better pastures, assured that we will cause our own destruction eventually.
Jesus came along after the coast was clear and said “I am he”. People have been believing it ever since. He’s a real character, that one.
Blue Neponset
I wish Wolf had asked if Jesus would nuke Iran.
semper fubar
The Europeans must think we’re insane. Babbling loonies.
Well, I guess they have quite a few reasons to think that….
Tom Hilton
They may or may not have come from ‘God’, but they sure as hell didn’t come from religion.
Maybe somebody ought to tell those clowns. Nahh, it’d just spoil their fun…
Jake
Wait. Are these the same fuqwits who got so excited by the idea of torture they had to change their pants?
Reason I Think Religion is Crrrrap Number 3586(A)(16)(d)(ix)
jrg
God can’t want all of the candidates to win the primary, so at least nine of these politicians are lying (to paraphrase Dire Straits).
You’d think the dumb hicks in the GOP would have figured that out by now.
Badtux
The Iraq war, health care crisis, collapsing immigration system, national debt, global warming, well, those are all trivial things. The important thing for Presidential candidates to debate is whether the Genesis account of Creation is 100% factual or not. Just as the important thing for Byzantine intellectuals to debate in the 8th and 9th century was iconoclasm, not the fact that the Muslims were whipping their butt on the Anatolian frontier.
Remember, what’s important in a Presidential candidate is not how he handles worldly concerns like, say, how to secure our borders. As with the Byzantine emperor in the 9th century, securing the borders isn’t important. Religious arguments… why, that’s the important thing for a politician, y’know?
— Badtux the Snarky Penguin
Dreggas
Actually not really, or so I am beginning to believe. I was at a party recently and talking with a Swiss national. He was a catholic and had his beliefs, of course he was kinda amused by the evangelical/fundie crowd here but in speaking with him about all of this he said even there they have their nut-jobs.
Was a rather interesting conversation.
Dave
God, Religion, Freedom, Terrorism, Patriotism, they are all just buzzwords any more. The wackos in this country have effectively removed any meaning they once had.
Sad: Every time I hear the Freedom from the Decider, I bristle. That idiot doesn’t understand the meaning of the term, just sounds good and patriotic.
Tsulagi
That’s funny, but sadly true.
But the Brownbacks and Huckabees have hope for yet another Null Sack Mitt conversion. They’re pretty sure he keeps Jesus in his closet as he’s declared the Bible his most favorite book. Guess even more than the Book of Mormon apparently. Null Sack is a man of conviction like that.
Rome Again
Believing we’re the only country with crazy fundamental extremist Christians is like believing Italians are the only ones who eat Spaghetti. It’s truly a global reality these days, thre is very little that is really indigenous anymore.
Dulcie
Was it TZ’s yard man?
ThymeZone
Yes, the one who said, “Forgive them father, their dogs know not where they doo-doo.”
LITBMueller
Nah… Giuliani is just Cheney with a sense of humor.
(i.e., instead of threatening other nations while shooting friends in the face, Rudy can threaten nuclear war on Iran while cross dressing.)
Ellison, Ellensburg, Ellers, and Lambchop
How dare the Republican candidates talk about their religious beliefs during a debate in which, errrrrr, they were asked by their CNN questioners specific questions about their religious beliefs. Such as:
I’m still waiting for the same religious/moral questions to be asked at a Democrat debate.
Dreggas
Ok, you got the point today TZ, that one was good.
Dreggas
EEEL,
Nice jackalope, the fact that the question was even asked in ANY presidential debate should be further proof of just how completely fucked up this country is.
Pug
MR. HUCKABEE: It’s interesting that that question would even be asked of somebody running for president. I’m not planning on writing the curriculum for an eighth-grade science book. I’m asking for the opportunity to be president of the United States.
I don’t think Mr. Huckabee is really qualified to do either. He’d get the eighth grade science book all wrong and that is the easy job.
Rome Again
Separation of Church and State? I think Fox News should be fined for trying to embellish those lines of separation. St. Anselm’s for a presidential debate. Uh, huh!
Rome Again
Well, if the dogs are on a leash, that’s not really the dogs’ fault is it? I say off with their masters’ heads!
Otto Man
You mean like the two-hour long special CNN did where they asked the candidates exclusively about religious/moral issues?
TR
So the media isn’t letting Democrats wrap themselves in God talk like they do with the Republicans? Damn that liberal media!
Rome Again
It’s okay Lambchop, you’re going to the slaughter soon enough. Your own party will take you there. Keep pissing on those who might have helped you of that that fix.
Tsulagi
Good to see the Sisters of Perpetual Victimhood return.
jayinbmore
It’s like that old hockey joke only like this: last night I went to a revival meeting and a Republican Presidential Primary broke out.
HyperIon
regarding the swiss religious crazies
but they are not running the show.
Dreggas
Yeah the dems held theirs there too. Sad really since it’s nothing but pandering.
Pb
A) It’s a Democratic debate–learn English before you post again!
B) Of course, that’d be impossible, because this:
…wouldn’t have happened at a Democratic debate. Similarly, the Democrats had quite a discussion amongst themselves about allowing gays in the military and getting rid of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. At the Republican debate, here was the diversity of opinion on that issue:
In other news, Barry Goldwater is still dead, even as Zombie Reagan continues to roam the GOP debates, fruitlessly scouring the stage for more brains…
The Other Steve
It’s only fucked up if you expect your candidate to write an 8th grade science textbook.
jake
And we’re still waiting for E3L to improve his schtick.
T-shirt!
Zifnab
Thank god we’re asking those tough religious questions rather than cluttering up the debate with talk of economic policy, foreign relations strategies with the UN, takes on the G8 summit, or perhaps paying for the Iraq War (an 8000 lb Elephant no GOP nominee wants to talk about).
No no no. First in line at every debate is the pressing question of “Which do you like more? Teenage Jesus, Last Supper Jesus, Crucified Jesus or Sweet Baby Jesus?” Because we can’t let any sneaky little Aethiests crawl into our good, pure, Christian Presidential Debates.
mclaren
A friend emalied to say that the Republication presidential debates reminded him of “The Weakest Link.”
I remarked that it reminded me of the Missing Link.
spoosmith
I guess at this point, all we can hope for is that the Rapture happens soon and takes all the fundies away.
Sigh.
Mr. Heat Miser
Anyone ever heard of the band, The National..? Why not give-up on this political mumbo-jumbo garbage talk and check out a SICK band!!! Seriously, discussing things you can’t change is lame. Start living a little…
Sports Bettor
I’m voting for the Moron… Opps, I meant Mormon…
Yeah, I meant voting for Romney, not Giuliani :O)
Sojourner
I want to hear answers to questions about evolution. Anyone who doesn’t believe in evolution doesn’t have even the most basic understanding of science and, therefore, is not fit to be POTUS. Would you trust these idiots on issues like global warming and stem cell research if they aren’t educated enough to understand evolution?
Nancy Irving
“…from natural — from conception to natural death…”
Oops, almost lost the IVF crowd there, LOL!