posted November 17, 2008
Robin Smith and others of the Tennessee Republican party need to face the fact that Republican candidates, national party, supporting organizations and members actions during the campaign have been offensive. While the Republican Party claims to represent the Christian faith, their actions have gone against the Bible's teaching.
Christians are commanded to be honest and truthful. Your national ticket and other candidates including Saxby Chambliss have used not just distortions and spin, but lies, shown to be false by numerous non-sectarian sources. The local campaigns are less guilty, but some untrue statements have been made, even after the facts have been openly disclosed. Both local and national Republicans have been lying about the reasons for the mortgage and financial crisis. Many have also lied about global climate change not being due to human activity. Most people don't believe Sen. Ted Stevens, Jack Abramoff, Carl Rove and George Bush, but why should the entire party sink to their standards?
Christians are commanded not to steal. Yet the disappearance of Obama-Biden signs from private property has been wide spread in Hamilton County. I have lost three off my property, one at my residence on a quiet suburban street. The loss of funds in Iraq, with military and civilian Defense Department involvement, is the theft, generally ignored by the administration. The money squandered in many contracts awarded without bids during the last eight years is stealing from American taxpayers.
Christians are not to be involved in divisive "parties and strife," Biblical language for using divisive issues to separate people into hostile groups. We've certainly seen the Republicans use these tactics for four decades. Christians should not react with anger or revenge, but forgiveness. Maybe Sarah Palin has not read the many times the New Testament says that. Apparently, many Republican operatives have not read this either. Perhaps they don't have faith that God will act justly and right wrongs.
I could go on, but I find some people put two issues, abortion and homosexuality, ahead of the whole of the New Testament's teachings. It is not hard as a Christian for me to reject this approach to politics, but especially to their faith.
Roger A. Meyer, PhD
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Roger Meyer is either using some partisan reverse psychology or is the most naïve person living. Both parties engaged in lies. I don’t know if Roger Meyer reads or watches TV, but almost all networks and newspapers were in the tank for Obama. For that matter, the Republicans could write the same diatribe about the Democrats and be just as justified.
Evidently, Roger Meyer'Phd is not in political science so let me help here with a little Politics 101. Both parties lie, cheat and distort to get elected. They want to get elected to gain power. They want this power to help their friends or supporters. They also want that power to push whatever agenda they think is relevant.
Neither party has the right to claim moral authority because they are equally guilty and responsible for the abyss we find ourselves in today. It is childish to think that one is somehow morally superior to the other.
This election, like most others, is an exercise in picking the lesser of two evils. The problem is that both were “evils.” It was the choice between liberal (Obama) and liberal-lite (McCain). As far as some of us are concerned, Bush was also an “evil.“ Not because he was too conservative, but because he spent money like a drunken liberal. There was little real difference between Obama and McCain and it is even more evident now that they are so chummy after the election.
People who disagree with the almighty Democrats and Roger Meyer on subjects like global warming, fiscal and social issues have just as much proof and relevance as anyone else. It is just what you choose to believe. These are not lies, they are disagreements.
Roger Meyer's letter bemoans those evil Republicans being “divisive” and “lying” and uses Bible scripture to justify these accusations. He is mad that the Republicans claim that God is on their side and then declares that God is on the Democrats' side. He then is guilty of doing the same thing he is accusing those dastardly Republicans of doing. Go figure.
According to Roger Meyer, half of the population was evil and the other half was virtuous in voting for the messiah, Mr. Obama. This is so simplistic it is almost laughable. His views are not the solution they are the problem. It seems that Roger Meyer is just like most other Obama supporters. They are just so smart, and their views are so so right, and Obama is just so wonderful…..give me a break.
Tim Price
jat-55@msn.com
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Dear Roger Meyer Ph.D,
Thanks for bashing Christianity by bashing the Republican party. Republicans are not equal to Christian or Democrats for that matter. Christianity is a set of values and beliefs. Once you know what you believe and why you look for party that matches those values. So if you think the Bible teaches a value for human life made in the image of God then you cannot vote for a candidate that is pro-abortion. If you think that God created Adam and Eve to become one in marriage then you cannot vote pro-gay marriage.
Maybe your signs were stolen by the kid on YouTube who was walking around his neighborhood taking signs but got a good shock at his neighbor's house. Maybe it was just some evil axis of evil that exists in your neighborhood that hates signs in the yard, namely neighborhood council.
One problem with you tirade is that you forgot who holds the purse strings and gives out government contracts. It is not the Oval Office. It is Congress. Congress pays the bills and gives out contracts. And who has been in charge of Congress for the last two years while all the money you claim is being stolen in Iraq? Who is that? I can't hear you. Right, Democrats. Democrats control the Senate the House and chair all the committees. Maybe you can rewrite your opinion column and insert Democrats into the object of your offense.
Johnny Franks
seechatt@yahoo.com
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Mr. Meyer,
I have heard many discussions concerning the state of decline within our educational system. Based on your opinions I now feel the pressure to have a complete overhaul. The reason for this is the fact that a "PhD" could make what appear to be biased and completely unintelligent remarks.
To say the Republicans were the only "mean" people during the election is both pitiful and completely false. I read more hateful, useless, and over the line reports on Sarah Palin during the time before the election than I have on Charles Manson in my entire life. And they never even brought up his wardrobe choice. She was labeled stupid, a beauty queen, a religious zealot, a thief, anti-environmental, a gun nut, and worst of all a liar concerning her own child. I have yet to see anything that the Republicans might have said to even come close to these outlandish accusations and attacks.
I find it amusing that the liberal and Democrat game plan never changes. Anyone who dares to believe anything other than the "whatever I wish to do, I should be able to" and "no personal responsibility" mantra is considered uneducated and backwards. There is no such thing as a difference of opinion. If I do not believe in homosexuality then I apparently am simply stupid and racist. Why can I not hold to my Christian values and not wish for my tax dollars to go toward something I do not believe and feel the bible teaches against? I could care less if a man wants to sleep with a man, a woman, or even a block of wood in a gently wafting cocktail dress. I simply do not want my money paying for their choice. That is the beautiful thing about America.
You also make mention of the horrors of global warming and how there have been lies concerning it. Being a PhD I would hope that you would understand the process of science and how it works. You develop a hypothesis and then go forth and prove it. I have read many articles and many papers that have legitimate evidence that global warming is not caused by humans. Others also state that it is not occurring at all. So the proof does not completely support the hypothesis. So again, instead of simply relenting and agreeing with the emotional liberals, I am labeled stupid since I question its validity. If Al Gore says it, it has to be true. (Please excuse the whole "I invented the Internet," and "My home is green" comments).
Another point you bring up concerns the war. I do agree that money was squandered and money is being made by those who should not be making it. But if you wish to bring up wasting money as being solely a Republican issue, why do we not discuss the loss of funds thanks to welfare, HUD, the National Endowment for the Arts and social security? I believe the Democrats had major hands in all of these programs and the money wasted on those wishing to have others do for them what they cannot bring their lazy self to do for themselves is great. And I would take a military protector over a picture of a man with his friend the bullwhip any day.
If you feel your Christian values lead you to vote with the Democrats, then so be it. That is your right and I will defend it while offering a difference of opinion. However, holding true to my Christian values I will also not call you names or label you uneducated and stupid. I will simply continue to educate myself and follow what I feel is the correct course. Maybe you should do the same instead of attacking others who you feel attacked you while being attacked by attackers. See how that gets confusing and useless. Please take your PhD and add learning compassion and tolerance for others opinions to the curriculum.
Dwayne Sellers
Rossville
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Roger A. Meyer says, "Christians are commanded not to steal. Yet the disappearance of Obama-Biden signs from private property has been wide spread in Hamilton County."
With all do respect, Mr. Meyer's logic doesn't sound like it came form person with a PhD.
He might as well have said, "People in Hamilton County put signs on their property. Someone took the signs. They were Obama signs. Therefore, Christians took them."
When Republican signs disappear, should we conclude that "non-Christians" took them?
He also said, "The money squandered in many contracts awarded without bids during the last eight years is stealing from American taxpayers." How does he feel about things like Congressional earmarks requested by Democrats?
Jeremiah Cook
Chattanooga
* * *
While I don't agree with everything Dr. Meyer said in his letter, I do think some of it is valid. I also believe that most of the responses missed the point he was trying to make.
First, he doesn't say that the Democrats can do no wrong, or that he is enlightened and the Republicans are stupid. Nothing in his letter says anything about liberals vs. conservatives, or which one is better. What he is saying, if you re-read his letter, is that while most Republicans say they are Christians, their actions during the campaign season did not match their Christian values. He does not say that Democrats or liberals are without fault.
I don't think that Dr. Meyer is ignorant, or unaware of the media as Mr. Price suggested. Yes Mr. Price, lying is a sad but always present part of politics. Dr. Meyer is saying that for conservatives whose platform is based on Christian values, this should be unacceptable. He doesn't claim that Democrats have moral authority. He is making the point that Republicans often try to get votes because they are anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage because of their Biblical principles. Well, if you're using Christian values as your platform, then slander, lying, and the like should not come into your strategy. I don't think this is an absurd or hard to follow line of reasoning.
I also don't see where he says, or even suggests, that God is on the Democrat’s side. I also don't see where he says anything about Obama or McCain in his letter, other than when he mentions his signs being taken. Where do you get the idea that he thinks he is so smart, or that his political ideas are better?
Mr. Franks, I strongly disagree with the idea that one cannot vote for someone who is pro-choice if they are against abortion. If this was the only issue that would be a reasonable statement. However there are a host of other issues to take into consideration. Add in the fact that Republicans have not, and likely will not change abortion laws, and you should be able to see why one would not vote solely on that issue.
What letter did everyone read? I really don't think it was Dr. Meyer’s because you're attacking him on things he didn't even say. He didn't call anyone uneducated or backwards. If you disagree with his letter then feel free to point out what you think is flawed, but don't attack the man for things he didn't say.
Tyler Fordice
tfordice@live.com
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