In reference to the Antichrist from the Bible’s Book of Revelations, perhaps today’s anti-Christs are those people who reject the teaching of Christ while asserting they are Christians. In this presidential election cycle, the Republican Party and the majority of its members proclaim themselves to be fundamentalist Christians and are intent on selecting a candidate who espouses their “Christian values.”
Let us assume for one magical moment that Republicans could have their ultimate candidate — Jesus Christ. Let’s further assume that he could run for and be elected president. Within the first 100 days of Jesus Christ’s presidency, what would he — who asked everyone to always “love thy neighbor as thyself” — want to accomplish?
Would he immediately end Obamacare? Probably not, since he was a healer and a champion of the poor.
Would he take the United States into another war? Probably not, since he followed the Ten Commandments, including “thou shall not kill.”
Would he join the National Rifle Association and advocate for “open carry,” even in schools? Probably not, since about 33,000 Americans are killed each year as a result of gun violence. Instead, he would most likely use his newfound presidential powers to limit the use of weapons of profound destruction like assault rifles.
Would he build a fence between the United States and Mexico? Probably not, since he sought to include — and not exclude — all people. The pope recently noted that it is more Christlike to build bridges, not walls.
Would he be concerned about climate change and recognize the scientific basis for it? Most likely yes, since stewardship is emphasized repeatedly in the Bible.
Would he want to rezone voting districts in order to gain advantage for one political party over another and deny fair democratic representation for the population in the process? Probably not.
Would he want to maintain the enormous disparity of income between the billionaire class and the vast majority of Americans? Probably not, since he was clear about the issue of amassing wealth. According to the Bible, “Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me’” (Matthew 19:21) and “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Proverbs 29:7) and “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God’” (Matthew 19:23-24).
By reading the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, you can get a clear sense of Jesus Christ’s life and teachings. Simply put, if you are willing to dedicate your life to living as he did, as best you can, then you are a Christian. If not, then you are not a Christian, and that is OK. However, if you purport to be a Christian, then act like one. If you disagree with the teachings of Christ, please stop saying you are a Christian.
If sinning is a lapse in staying true to Christ’s teachings, we only have to ask for forgiveness and do the right thing the next time. However, some of the Republican Party’s ideas are not simply “lapses” from Christ’s teachings. Instead, they have become institutionalized and the doctrine that flies in the face of true Christianity.
Although many Republicans maintain that they have “lost liberty” under President Obama, they offer no concrete examples. Our collective, true liberty is dependent on ensuring equality and the dignity, health and welfare of all citizens.
One of my favorite bumper stickers states, “Jesus is coming, and boy is he pissed!”
— Bryant Poole
Asheville
39 thoughts on “Letter writer: If Jesus were president, what would he do?”
“If Jesus were president, what would he do?” — irrelevant question. Sorry. Next question?
I agree, The Real World, though I see the point of a letter like this.
First, jesus wasn’t a natural born American citizen, and therefore the birthers would have a field day with him.
Second, jesus was born (gasp!) in the Middle East, and is the kind of person Trump would deport. for having light brown skin and a funny name.
Third. he was a Jew and nobody, I mean nobody has given Sanders grief about that. Especially on the Internets.
Finally, he only lived until aged 33, and 35 is the minimum age required to be POTUS.
I can’t believe I have to explain this- it’s like moderating a ‘who would win a fight, a Wookie or a Klingon?’ discussion.
I predict a completely sane and civil discussion of the points raised by this LTE.
LOL, the only prediction here is how people are falsely using his words in order to make themselves feel righteous in their push for this garbage. Why yes, let’s have open borders because I’m sure this loon is impacted harmfully by illegals who LOWER the wages. Well let me rephrase that. His net gain is positively impacted because his lawn is manicured by low wage slave labor. But we don’t admit to that do we Barry. Why if we actually delved a little deeper here, we’d realize that paying someone low wages because they’re illegal and doing low skilled jobs is actually a from of slavery. And it has the net effect of causing poverty across the board because of the glut of workers coming here illegally. But of course that doesn’t fit the communist narrative of a bunch of morons.
Need I say more?
According to the gospels, Jesus used force to disrupt the property interests of the moneychangers. It’s hard to see his objection to more peaceful means of wealth transfer for the general good.
You mean when he “drove out” currency exchangers from private property due to the activity’s incompatibility with the declared mission of the property owners’?
Wow, you truly are a doctor of spin.
‘Cause it’s all about private property. Everything.
If you had no personal possessions, would you still consider yourself a man?
Were American Indians commies for considering the earth to belong to all who lived there? They didn’t believe in private property.
No answer. That’s good.
LOL, he would be sad at the state of a decaying culture that promotes the following:
Lust
Gluttony
Greed
Sloth
Wrath
Envy
Pride
What’s funny is how the person complete manipulates his word to suit their ideology . A false prophet so to speak. I don’t think Jesus was all about selling himself out to be part of the globalist system while the nation crumbled around him and the elite openly call for the demise of certain demographics because they no longer are part of the future. Or where one side bullies, calls for the death of, and even threatens a candidate and the other either ignores it or mocks it. But that’s part of the new USA where lies are the norm in order to push a leftist agenda.
Congrats Lulz, Libertarian Jesus has just awarded you the Libertarian Jesus SuperStar Pendant for your whole-hearted and fulsome support of all things selfish!
http://bit.ly/1T208da
(All for 23 easy payments of $500. Libertarian Jesus is willing to accept PayPal, for a 5% surcharge.)
“Would he immediately end Obamacare? Probably not, since he was a healer and a champion of the poor.”
Besides the sticky issue of the separation of church and state, I don’t think Jesus as President would advocate forcibly taking one person’s property and giving it to another to whom it does not belong. My recollection of these things is that the Son of God advocated in his teachings voluntary personal charity over collective criminal theft.
That’s my first observation of this 636-word letter. The day is young.
“I don’t think Jesus as President would advocate forcibly taking one person’s property and giving it to another to whom it does not belong. ”
Yes, Jesus never saw a tax he wouldn’t cut. That was part of his gospel, I believe. I think the line was “You got yours, I got mine. Now get outta my way.”
He was such an inspiration, Libertarian Jesus.
You need to work on your hermeneutics.
That’s what Libertarian Jesus said.
It occurs to me that you are implicitly taking the position that a President Jesus would advocate and employ force and theft to achieve collective utilitarian ends. But all I have to go on is your evasion.
Yes, as Libertarian Jesus said, in the Gospel of “Get Your Hands Off Me, You Scum”: “You’ll pry my hard-earned cash from my cold, dead hands. Verily taxation is forcible theft. Now go forth and preach my gospel. Or not. I don’t give a crap.” That’s why they crucified him. For he was a patriot.
Is there a point at the bottom of this hole you’re digging?
As Libertarian Jesus said, in the Gospel of “Everybody Wants Some”, “At the bottom of this hole better be a whole lotta cash. Otherwise why would I be digging?”
I thought not.
Guess not!
Selective deletion FTW!
Thanks for the scintillating progressive input.
“Render Unto Caesar”.
Matthew 22:21
Paul thought you should pay your taxes, too, albeit a little less poetically. Romans 13:1-7. Apparently Mr. Peck is still looking for that limited-government quote. I warned him that “extremism in defense of liberty” wouldn’t be there.
“Render unto Caesar”
“This phrase has become a widely quoted summary of the relationship between Christianity and secular authority. The original message, coming in response to a question of whether it was lawful for Jews to pay taxes to Caesar, gives rise to multiple possible interpretations about the circumstances under which it is desirable for the Christian to submit to earthly authority.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Render_unto_Caesar
Meaning, if Jesus had believed that secular authorities had no right to collect taxes, and Christians were under no obligation to pay them, he would have said so. “Libertarian Jesus” is a fantasy. The real Jesus would believe that if secular government did absolutely nothing else, it should provide health care independent of your ability to pay.
With the subtle wisdom of metaphor being lost, and the definitive Wikipedia reference notwithstanding, even if taxation were justified on a Biblical basis, that taxation should be “rendered” to only pay for the proper functions of a limited government. Universal government healthcare is not one of them. Sorry, President Jesus.
You’ve got nothing to add. Figured.
Libertarian Jesus would have expected no more.
The notion of a Libertarian Jesus is your confection, not mine. The letter writer is attempting to draw a picture of Liberal Jesus as a justification for liberal public policy. It just doesn’t hold water. Or wine.
Now Libertarian Jesus is a fiction! Blasphemer! For that you have to turn in your WalMart store card.
I’ll be sure to tell Libertarian Beelzebub to expect you.
“I predict a completely sane and civil discussion of the points raised by this LTE.”
It appears you couldn’t even get that much right.
It appears you couldn’t even get that much right.
It appears you are unable to recognize sarcasm.
I like your Christ
I do not like your Christians; they are so unlike your Christ.
-Ghandi
Why would the King of Kings stoop to being POTUS?
It’s a bully pulpit.
No. I mean the way the Government regulated commerce.
No. I mean the way the Government regulated commerce in the public interest.
I think that he would make everything better with magic.
Yay! Magic n wishes n sparkles n fairy dust.
Go rainbow Jesus!