What do conservatives have to do with Pharisees?
1. The Sadducees
Sadducees didn't believe in the people rising from the dead, spirits, or angels. They had a hard time with the supernatural. These were the modernists, the left wingers.
2. The Essenes
The monks of that era. The Essenes believed that the world was pretty much completely evil and to live a righteous life you needed to live as far away from the world as possible. This ideology still exists. Proponets probably don't vote or try to influence politics as they are "worldy" insitituions.
3. The Pharisees
Last, but not least, were the law abiding Pharisees, these were the Conservatives. The Pharisees were all about getting back to the right principles.
Conclusion:
Just like the Conservatives today the Pharisees had all the right ideas and principles. Unfortunately just like the Conservatives of this day they went about doing the right thing the wrong way.
Editors note: This may be the only post for the month of January due to the fact that this month has proven to be more than "very busy".
UPDATE:
Please read the comments they are really, really good this time (as opposed to being just really good most of the time)!
Posts
But how does not believing in the supernatural equate with being left-wing and liberal?
ReplyDeleteAthiest can be both pro-life and conservative. See here. While not the most perfect example, it certainly gives the idea.
;D
Nice post!
ReplyDeleteCould it be that the wrong means are our trying to accomplish spiritual goals through political means?
I have been thinking about this a lot lately. There was a big move of God in the 60s and 70s but it seemed to stall in the 80s.
We voted in Reagen and stopped sharing the Gospel.
Paul,
ReplyDeleteThe were the liberals of Israel in that era. They questioned parts of scripture that didn't seem very "logical"; that is exactly what liberals do. The bible says that if men don't work that then they shouldn't eat. Liberals on the other hand say let's give these guy's a break (even the ones that aren't trying to work).
It goes back to whether man is inherently evil or whether he is inherently good.
So yes, I do believe that not believing in the supernatural does equate a lot of the time with being liberal, because if man doesn't believe in God they don't believe in his authority, and if they don't believe in His authority it's pretty much a given (though not all of the time) that His laws aren't going to be implemented and followed.
Yes, Atheist can be, and some are, conservatives, even pro-life. I welcome them with open arms, but I am saying the majority of atheists are going to have a hard time with at least some of the positions conservatives take. There is a greater chance that an atheist would join the Libertarians than the Conservatives, and unfortunately Libertarianism just doesn't work.
Thanks for your great comment (and the link too),
Trent
I think that politics and spirituality are fused. We are to represent God and faith in every area of our lives. Look at our founders. They were deeply religious and fused their faith with their political action as revealed in the DOI. Actually, we are being influenced by the hard left and the attack on Christianity. Actually, I think, the right is being brainwashed by the left. We're not Pharisees. They just say we are - and sometimes lies are so forceful that they become believed. With respect, Trent, I cannot agree. We cannot "enforce our faith" through law - but we must defend our faith through politics and our nation must be righteous and God must be the God of our nation: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord". I just sincerely believe we must split from the left for the rancour to end. The uprising of evil is responsible for the stridency of today - and it is not really, imo, the fault of conservative Christians. We are called to be people of faith. The objection to that comes from those who are faithless and the characterizations of us are false, imo. That's how I see it. We must be strengthened, Trent, in our faith and things, I think, then take on balance. We are to share our faith in the private sector. We are to defend our faith and maintain law and order by righteous principles in the political realm how I see it. Grace to you.
ReplyDeleteGrace Explosion,
ReplyDeleteYou make several excellent points with which I totally agree.
I wasn't advocating conservatives splitting from the Christian beliefs they were founded on. In fact I think there needs to be more of those principles implemented (a little more of loving your neighbor and being less covetous of someone else’s money, would definitely be in order). I believe the more truly Christian conservatives get the more we’re going to be seen as having answers to the problems out there and subsequently win elections.
MAJOR POINT:
I related conservatives to Pharisees because…
The "mainstream" conservative, (note I didn't say Christian Conservative) isn't really loving the Lord with all there heart, soul, and strength. They are just doing the "conservative principle" stuff. Bad mouth liberals, promote capitalism by not taking time to help anyone but yourself, and proclaim far and wide that conservatism is the answer. It isn't, Jesus Christ is.
Not all conservatives are like this, but it's the message being sent. Capitalism is completely selfish and yet mainstream conservatism pushes it above all else. No, we need to push Jesus and his teachings above all else.
I hope this explains, there is a fault to being short and that is leaving out vital info.
Late but not “never”…
-Trent Williams
P.S. - I am all for capitalism, just don’t think capitalism is THE all (meaning I am in no way advocating a different economic system based on socialism, I am a capitalist).