Filibustering Judges is Anti-Christian - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

CShine · 04-14-2005, 07:02 PM

Looks like this is going to be the message of a new GOP media campaign. Oh well, I guess it's time to Christianize the judiciary. Seems that anything and everything the GOP doesn't like automatically becomes a direct attack on the church. How many times can they cry wolf before the general public has heard enough of this swill?

Does anybody anywhere doubt that these people want to inject religion into every possible part of government? Ten or twenty years from now, I'm pretty much expecting to see direct quotes from the Bible in every single ruling the federal courts hand down. If it's anti-Christian to want to keep religion out of the courts then the obvious solution is to turn the courts into churches where all that matters is that judges enforce Biblical law. I look forward to the great day when all this finally becomes a reality and we repeal the First Amendment.

Quote:

As the Senate heads toward a showdown over the rules governing judicial confirmations, Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, has agreed to join a handful of prominent Christian conservatives in a telecast portraying Democrats as "against people of faith" for blocking President Bush's nominees. Fliers for the telecast, organized by the Family Research Council and scheduled to originate at a Kentucky megachurch the evening of April 24, call the day "Justice Sunday" and depict a young man holding a Bible in one hand and a gavel in the other. The flier does not name participants, but under the heading "the filibuster against people of faith," it reads: "The filibuster was once abused to protect racial bias, and it is now being used against people of faith."

Organizers say they hope to reach more than a million people by distributing the telecast to churches around the country, over the Internet and over Christian television and radio networks and stations.

Dr. Frist's spokesman said the senator's speech in the telecast would reflect his previous remarks on judicial appointments. In the past he has consistently balanced a determination "not to yield" on the president's nominees with appeals to the Democrats for compromise. He has distanced himself from the statements of others like the House majority leader, Tom DeLay, who have attacked the courts, saying they are too liberal, "run amok" or are hostile to Christianity.

The telecast, however, will put Dr. Frist in a very different context. Asked about Dr. Frist's participation in an event describing the filibuster "as against people of faith," his spokesman, Bob Stevenson, did not answer the question directly.

"Senator Frist is doing everything he can to ensure judicial nominees are treated fairly and that every senator has the opportunity to give the president their advice and consent through an up or down vote," Mr. Stevenson said, adding, "He has spoken to groups all across the nation to press that point, and as long as a minority of Democrats continue to block a vote, he will continue to do so."

Some of the nation's most influential evangelical Protestants are participating in the teleconference in Louisville, including Dr. James C. Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family; Chuck Colson, the born-again Watergate figure and founder of Prison Fellowship Ministries; and Dr. Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

.......

The telecast also signals an escalation of the campaign for the rule change by Christian conservatives who see the current court battle as the climax of a 30-year culture war, a chance to reverse decades of legal decisions about abortion, religion in public life, gay rights and marriage.

"As the liberal, anti-Christian dogma of the left has been repudiated in almost every recent election, the courts have become the last great bastion for liberalism," Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and organizer of the telecast, wrote in a message on the group's Web site. "For years activist courts, aided by liberal interest groups like the A.C.L.U., have been quietly working under the veil of the judiciary, like thieves in the night, to rob us of our Christian heritage and our religious freedoms."

Democrats accused Dr. Frist of exploiting religious faith for political ends by joining the telecast. "No party has a monopoly on faith, and for Senator Frist to participate in this kind of telecast just throws more oil on the partisan flames," said Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York.

But Mr. Perkins stood by the characterization of Democrats as hostile to faith. "What they have done is, they have targeted people for reasons of their faith or moral position," he said, referring to Democratic criticisms of nominees over their views of cases about abortion rights or public religious expressions.

"The issue of the judiciary is really something that has been veiled by this 'judicial mystique' so our folks don't really understand it, but they are beginning to connect the dots," Mr. Perkins said in an interview, reciting a string of court decisions about prayer or displays of religion.

"They were all brought about by the courts," he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/15/po...rtner=homepage

guy44 · 04-14-2005, 09:13 PM

I've just started to go deaf when it comes to the latest shenanigans from the neanderthal wingnuts. Remember when Pat Robertson began his nightly televised prayers for the death of the liberal members of the Supreme Court?

Oh, and I love this line: "The filibuster was once abused to protect racial bias, and it is now being used against people of faith."

Hmm. Who was it who filibustered to protect racial bias again? Let me think, let me think...ah! Yes! That's right! Good old, thankfully deceased Strom Thurmond, Republican senator as recently as two years ago.

Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

kutulu · 04-15-2005, 09:32 AM

It's really sad that the religious right sees it like this. There simply aren't enough athiests in this country with the power to mount an anti-Christian campaign but according to them the left is a bunch of godless heathens.

pennywise121 · 04-15-2005, 09:35 AM

lol, wow man. scared me for a sec. i thought you were saying that filibuster is anti-christian. whew ::wipes forehead::

no, there is no doubt that religion is part of the bush family plan, and the GOP is more than willing to follow suit.

FoolThemAll · 04-15-2005, 10:15 AM

I'm one of the people out there that's hoping for some more conservative judges, primarily due to the issue of abortion. But this is fairly ridiculous. Attack against people of faith? Huge and wildly inaccurate oversimplification. Especially considering that there are people of faith on both sides of issues such as abortion, gay rights, affirmative action, and civil rights in general.

Cynthetiq · 04-15-2005, 10:17 AM

people said the same thing about Clinton that he's destroying the moral fabric of the country and in a decade all this intern romping will be de riguer.

personally it swings back and forth....

pennywise121 · 04-15-2005, 10:25 AM

the pendulum, it is a-swingin'.
there have been so many claims of the ruin of the fabric of society. not to digress too far from the thread topic, but our society seems to be made of more sturdy stuff than most lobbyists realize.
but, come on...... anti-christian?

JustJess · 04-15-2005, 10:54 AM

anti-faith, anti-christian... i wish they'd just put a sock in it. is it so hard for them to realize that they are NOT the only 'group' in America? what happened to the Jews, the Muslims, the other denominations? did they just fall off the face of the earth? why aren't THEY bitching about prayer in schools and all that shite?? i don't understand why the most vocal and influential nutjobs in this country are christian. what is it about being conservative AND christian AND wanting the whole world to do it your way?? and what about the christians who AREN'T in favor of damning everyone else to hell? where are they, and why aren't they speaking out????

i'm so frustrated at living under the rule of people who hate people like me. i'm NOT conservative, i WANT/DESERVE every last CHOICE i have, i LOVE my gay friends, and i LOVE being able to talk about it and call Bush an asshole whenever i feel like it. it seems like soon they'll be scanning the web and find my post and then i'll be arrested for being anti-american.

martinguerre · 04-15-2005, 12:46 PM

here's one Christian who like his judiciary independant, his senate free to discuss, and who thinks anyone who thinks that what is happening in America amounts to "anti-Christian" repression should take a vacation in China or Saudi Arabia.

i don't think this arguement is going to hold water...they're scraping for a victory for their base that they let down with the Schiavo case. But Reid is going to lead a disciplined and careful response...and i don't think they can win.

jbw97361 · 04-15-2005, 03:48 PM

<slight hijack> In my opinion, the Democratic party wants no religion in government at all, they want a clinically clean system that's about as boring as star trek middle man agement. The Republican party (at least a good portion) wants everyone to be able to express their religion as they see fit, and not to hide in during their political life.
</hijack>

But the idea that the filibustering is anti christian is just silly. The Filibustering seems more whiny than anything. I mean, back in the day, (the 1960's great society era) the R half of the world was mostly complacent when it came to appointing judges and such.

alansmithee · 04-15-2005, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guy44

Hmm. Who was it who filibustered to protect racial bias again? Let me think, let me think...ah! Yes! That's right! Good old, thankfully deceased Strom Thurmond, Republican senator as recently as two years ago.

Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

As opposed to the shining beacon of race relations CURRENT W. Va. Senator Robert Byrd (D.)? He filibustered the 1964 civil rights bill for 14 hours, although I will admit that Thurmond outdid him. This seems like a case of the pots calling the kettles black (or in Byrd's case, calling the kettles niggers).

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustJess

anti-faith, anti-christian... i wish they'd just put a sock in it. is it so hard for them to realize that they are NOT the only 'group' in America? what happened to the Jews, the Muslims, the other denominations? did they just fall off the face of the earth? why aren't THEY bitching about prayer in schools and all that shite?? i don't understand why the most vocal and influential nutjobs in this country are christian. what is it about being conservative AND christian AND wanting the whole world to do it your way?? and what about the christians who AREN'T in favor of damning everyone else to hell? where are they, and why aren't they speaking out????

They aren't the only group in America, but they are the only group it is seen as being acceptable to slander and ridicule. There seems to be growing anti-Christian sentiment growing in America, and many Christians are mobilizing to counter that.

And the reason you don't understand why the most "vocal and influential nutjobs in this country are christian" is because it's untrue. Your anti-Christian bias shines through.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbw97361

In my opinion, the Democratic party wants no religion in government at all, they want a clinically clean system that's about as boring as star trek middle management. The Republican party (at least a good portion) wants everyone to be able to express their religion as they see fit, and not to hide in during their political life.

But the idea that the filibustering is anti christian is just silly. The Filibustering seems more whiny than anything.

I agree with this for the most part. Republicans feel that people should also have choice of religion, and not have to abandon morality when working in politics. But also, the idea that being for or against filibustering has anything to do with religion is fairly silly. I think this is another misstep by Repub leadership (after the Schiavo debacle) and hopefully they get their act together. They don't need to attach religion to every issue, they can actually fight many on more secular grounds. It only lessens their impact when fighting an issue that does seek to attack Christianity and religion when they go to that well over everything.

Mobo123 · 04-15-2005, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansmithee

And the reason you don't understand why the most "vocal and influential nutjobs in this country are christian" is because it's untrue. Your anti-Christian bias shines through..

Just curious. The most virulent, conservative, strident vocal "self proclaimed" leaders in this country claim to represent the Christian faith.

Why do these people demand to impose their will upon everybody else? and if we dont fall into their line, we are dammed to hell; or worse, have more of these morons in public office? Rememer that shrub won by the narrowest of margins. Half the country doesnt want this. This will backfire on them in a big way.

and also: how can these "christian leaders" continue to go 24/7 hawking, pleading and scaring people for vast sums of money to fill their own coffers? Is that what Jesus would have wanted? Name one other religion in this country where that happens.

I encourage you to read worldnetdaily. Joseph farah ranks right up there with your neanderthal thinking.

filtherton · 04-15-2005, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansmithee

They aren't the only group in America, but they are the only group it is seen as being acceptable to slander and ridicule. There seems to be growing anti-Christian sentiment growing in America, and many Christians are mobilizing to counter that.

Yeah, the only group, besides gays, minorities, whites, immigrants, hockey players and green bay packer fans. Awwww does da widdle cwistian wight wanna kiss on its booboo?

I'd like to see some evidence for the "growing" anti-christian sentiment in america. Especially in light of the fact that the vast majority of americans self identify as christians. Do you think more christians are speaking out about their own religion? That seems a tad silly to me. I think that it is much more likely that more people, including many christians, are getting fed up with the particular brand of christianity practiced by the christian conservative wing of the republican party. You know, the kind who errs on the side of life, unless that life is iraqi or a criminal.

Quote:

And the reason you don't understand why the most "vocal and influential nutjobs in this country are christian" is because it's untrue. Your anti-Christian bias shines through.

You don't need to be antiichristian to complain about influential vocal christian nutjobs. My favorite pastor does it all the time. His thing, though, is that he understands that christianity is actually a mishmash of over 1500 different loosely connected denominations and sects.

04-14-2005, 09:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
guy44 Somnabulist Location: corner of No and Where	I've just started to go deaf when it comes to the latest shenanigans from the neanderthal wingnuts. Remember when Pat Robertson began his nightly televised prayers for the death of the liberal members of the Supreme Court? Oh, and I love this line: "The filibuster was once abused to protect racial bias, and it is now being used against people of faith." Hmm. Who was it who filibustered to protect racial bias again? Let me think, let me think...ah! Yes! That's right! Good old, thankfully deceased Strom Thurmond, Republican senator as recently as two years ago. Kind of says it all, doesn't it? __________________ "You have reached Ritual Sacrifice. For goats press one, or say 'goats.'"

04-15-2005, 09:35 AM	#4 (permalink)
pennywise121 Upright Location: Sacramento	lol, wow man. scared me for a sec. i thought you were saying that filibuster is anti-christian. whew ::wipes forehead:: no, there is no doubt that religion is part of the bush family plan, and the GOP is more than willing to follow suit. __________________ Food for thought.

04-15-2005, 10:15 AM	#5 (permalink)
FoolThemAll Walking is Still Honest Location: Seattle, WA	I'm one of the people out there that's hoping for some more conservative judges, primarily due to the issue of abortion. But this is fairly ridiculous. Attack against people of faith? Huge and wildly inaccurate oversimplification. Especially considering that there are people of faith on both sides of issues such as abortion, gay rights, affirmative action, and civil rights in general. __________________ I wonder if we're stuck in Rome.

04-15-2005, 10:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	people said the same thing about Clinton that he's destroying the moral fabric of the country and in a decade all this intern romping will be de riguer. personally it swings back and forth.... __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

04-15-2005, 10:25 AM	#7 (permalink)
pennywise121 Upright Location: Sacramento	the pendulum, it is a-swingin'. there have been so many claims of the ruin of the fabric of society. not to digress too far from the thread topic, but our society seems to be made of more sturdy stuff than most lobbyists realize. but, come on...... anti-christian? __________________ Food for thought.

04-15-2005, 09:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
kutulu Junkie	It's really sad that the religious right sees it like this. There simply aren't enough athiests in this country with the power to mount an anti-Christian campaign but according to them the left is a bunch of godless heathens.

04-15-2005, 10:54 AM	#8 (permalink)
JustJess Unencapsulated Location: Kittyville	anti-faith, anti-christian... i wish they'd just put a sock in it. is it so hard for them to realize that they are NOT the only 'group' in America? what happened to the Jews, the Muslims, the other denominations? did they just fall off the face of the earth? why aren't THEY bitching about prayer in schools and all that shite?? i don't understand why the most vocal and influential nutjobs in this country are christian. what is it about being conservative AND christian AND wanting the whole world to do it your way?? and what about the christians who AREN'T in favor of damning everyone else to hell? where are they, and why aren't they speaking out???? i'm so frustrated at living under the rule of people who hate people like me. i'm NOT conservative, i WANT/DESERVE every last CHOICE i have, i LOVE my gay friends, and i LOVE being able to talk about it and call Bush an asshole whenever i feel like it. it seems like soon they'll be scanning the web and find my post and then i'll be arrested for being anti-american. __________________ My heart knows me better than I know myself, so I'm gonna let it do all the talkin'.

04-15-2005, 12:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
martinguerre whosoever Location: New England	here's one Christian who like his judiciary independant, his senate free to discuss, and who thinks anyone who thinks that what is happening in America amounts to "anti-Christian" repression should take a vacation in China or Saudi Arabia. i don't think this arguement is going to hold water...they're scraping for a victory for their base that they let down with the Schiavo case. But Reid is going to lead a disciplined and careful response...and i don't think they can win. __________________ For God so loved creation, that God sent God's only Son that whosoever believed should not perish, but have everlasting life. -John 3:16

04-15-2005, 03:48 PM	#10 (permalink)
jbw97361 Tilted	<slight hijack> In my opinion, the Democratic party wants no religion in government at all, they want a clinically clean system that's about as boring as star trek middle man agement. The Republican party (at least a good portion) wants everyone to be able to express their religion as they see fit, and not to hide in during their political life. </hijack> But the idea that the filibustering is anti christian is just silly. The Filibustering seems more whiny than anything. I mean, back in the day, (the 1960's great society era) the R half of the world was mostly complacent when it came to appointing judges and such. __________________ JBW