rumitoid wrote:
1) Are oppositional political views a) demonic; b) anti-American; c) Muslim/socialist/Communitistic/homosexual/atheist leanings and intent; d) or even human.
2) Does Christ agree with an austerity budget?
3) How would Christ answer the immigration dilemma?
4) Does Christ care about equality?
5) Is Christ in agreement with Ayn Rand?
As Alvin Toffler (The Third Wave) reminded us, it is far better " ... to ask the right question, than it is to get the right answer to the wrong question."
In pursuit of provocative dialogue, I think you are asking the wrong questions. "He (Jesus) looked beyond race, class, social labels and sectarian divisions. He was as comfortable talking to prostitutes, drunkards and condemned criminals as He was to synagogue officials, high priests and Roman centurions. He looked into mens hearts with a piercing laser beam, not so He could judge their sins but so He could shine the light of His mercy.
And today Jesus calls His followers to love everybody* that way. *NOTE: Everybody includes Democrats, Republicans, bleeding-heart liberals, Tea Party conservatives." (J. Lee Brady, Jesus Looks Beyond Politics)
The way each person chooses to understand and react to her or his or our call to love is personal. I dont suppose that there is one right way to love. People in the pursuit of truth should attempt to ask the right questions and be willing to apply civil discourse marked by intellectual honesty and integrity when inviting responses. We should all try to keep our dialogue free from otiose personal attacks.
By the way, when quoting famous authors, it is intellectually honest to include the complete quote or, in the least, let the reader know that the quote is edited. Everyone is aware that completeness and context can alter meaning very easily. In the final words of his book Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis wrote, The more we get what we now call ourselves out of the way
and let Him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become. I believe the meaning you intended is now altered and we shall see if you drop the quote, correctly offer it, or if you continue to use it dishonestly.