Jesus Rode A Donkey: Why Republicans Don't Have the Corner on Christ

JESUS RODE A DONKEY Why Republicans Don't Have the Corner on Christ

Linda Seger, Th.D.

ADAMS MEDIA AVON, MASSACHUSETTS

Copyright ©2006, Linda Seger, Th.D. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews. Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company 57 Littlefield Street Avon, M A 02322 UIUIUI. adamsmedia .com

ISBN: 1-59337-619-7 Printed in the United States of America. J I H G F E D C B A Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Seger, Linda. Jesus rode a donkey / by Linda Seger. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-59337-619-7 1. Christians—United States—Political activity. 2. Christianity and politics— United States. 3. Democratic Party (U.S.) I. Title. BR526.S44 2006 261.70973—dc22 2006005208

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Dedicated to my uncle, Dr. Norman Graebner, who has taught American history and American diplomacy for more than sixty years. His dedication to democracy, and his dignity and grace, have been a model to me all my life.

To my researcher, Sue Terry, who knows where to find everything—fast. I thank her for her generosity, care, and spirituality. Without her, I could not have written his book.

Contents

Acknowledgments Introduction

xi xiii > I 4> • O • s/JustWar. 11. Robert A. Seeley, Choosing Peace: A Handbook on War, Peace, and Your Conscience (Philadelphia: Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors, 1994), p. 3412. From the 2004 Republican Party Platform. 13. From an interview with Dr. Norman Graebner, June 2005. 14- Seeley, Choosing Peace, 34. 15. Ibid. 16. Ibid. 17. Ibid. 18. Ibid. 19. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 20. Garry Wills, Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992), p. 179. 21. Ibid., 181. 22. From an interview with William Flavin, June 2005. 23. Seeley, Choosing Peace, 35.

NOTES

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24- From an interview with William Flavin, June 2005. 25. This is documented in many articles, among them: Dana Priest, "Jet Is an Open Secret in Terror War," Washington Post, December 27, 2004; Jane Mayer, "The Experiment," The New Yorker, July 11 and July 18, 2005, p. 60. 26. Thorn Shanker and Joel Brinkley, "U.S. Is Set to Sell Jets to Pakistan; India Is Critical," New York Times, March 26, 2005. 27. Barry Schweid, "Bush Was Unready for Postwar Iraq, Panel Concludes," Associated Press, July 27, 2005. Also see Congressman Martin T Meehan, press release, "Meehan: New Report Shows Mismanagement of Iraq War Is Weakening Military," July 22, 2004; Robert Parry, "Iraq War's Two Constants," consortiumnews.com, August 13, 2005; and Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, "Bush Supporters Question Iraq War Tactics," Foxnews.com, September 12, 2005. 28. Griff Witte, "Halliburton's Higher Bill: Rising Costs Reflect Growing Demand for Firm's Services," Washington Post, July 6, 2005. 29. Ibid. 30. John Connly Walsh, "Big Disappointments in Iraq," The Spectator, August 10, 2005. 31. "4 Halliburton Workers Die in Iraq Attack," Associated Press, December 22, 2004. 32. "Estimates Costs of Iraq War: War in Iraq Could Cost up to $9 Billion Monthly, says CBO," August 8, 2005. From Congressional Budget Office.

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33. Dr. Rachel M. MacNair, "History Shows: Winning with Nonviolent Action," Xlibris Corporation, 2004, pp. 10, 17. 34. Romans 12:15-21. 35. Christian Aid, Pocket Prayers for Peace and justice (London: Church House Publishing, 2004).

Chapter 7: Confronting Terrorism and Fear 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14-

Matthew 24:7. Luke 21:11. 1 Peter 3:6. 1 John 4:18. Ibid. Psalm 23. Psalm 91. Ibid. Isaiah 51. Ezekielll. Psalm 128, Proverbs 14, Job 28. Psalms 34, 55. 1 John 4:18. From the "Beyond War" seminars held in the 1980s and 1990s. I attended several of these seminars in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s.

NOTES

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15. Psalm 23. 16. God came to earth as a little child. Other verses relating to this include Matthew 18:1-6, Luke 18:17. 17. Luke 10:29-37. 18. Luke 15:8-10. 19. Matthew 23:37, Luke 13:34. 20. Matthew 5:46-47. 21. Matthew 5:43-44; Luke 6:27, 6:35; Romans 12:20. 22. Koran 5.8, "The Dinner Table." 23. 1 Samuel 17. 24. John 9. 25. Matthew 12. 26. William Durland, God or Nations: Radical Theology for the Religious Peace Movement (Baltimore: Fortkamp Publishing Company, 1989), p. 163. 27. Ibid. 28. John 8. 29. Hosea 8:7, Galatians 6:7. 30. Matthew 6:26. Much of this is discussed in Durland, God and Nations, 165. 31. Durland, God and Nations, 166. 32. This theory is discussed in more detail in my book WebThinking: Connecting Not Competing for Success (Maui, Hawaii: Inner Ocean, 2002). 33. Bill Clinton, M} Life (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004), p. 717. 34. Ibid.

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35. Quoted in God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It by Jim Wallis, HarperSanFrancisco, 2005, p. 88. 36. Ibid., 95.

Chapter 8: Secrets, Lies, and Deceptions 1. Matthew 5:33-37. 2. Walter Hooper, ed., The Business of Heaven: Daily Readings by C. S. Lewis (San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1984), p. 186. 3. From speech by George W. Bush on Monday, October 7, 2002. "President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat," Remarks by the President on Iraq, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Union Terminal, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 7, 2002. 4. "President Links Terrorist Attacks and Iraq during Speech" at Fort Bragg, NC, June 2005. Also from "President Addresses Nation, Discusses Iraq, War on Terror" from the White House News, October 14, 2005. 5. Matthew 23:23.

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Chapter 9: Crossing the Political Divide 1. Some of these verses include Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 13. 2. Raymond Hernandez and Patrick D. Healy, "Oddly Hillary and, Yes, Newt Agree to Agree," New York Times, May 13, 2005; also "A Good Idea from the Odd Couple," from the Editorial Desk, New York Times, May 16, 2005.

Index

A abortion issue, 111-30 abstinence-only programs, 128-29 accountability, 22 agreement: looking for, 273-75 AlQaeda, 187-88, 210, 222, 251-52 animal welfare, 73-74

B Barth, Karl, 38-39 bipartisanship, 275-77 Bosnia, 203-4 budget cuts, 61-62 Bush, George W., xiii, 6, 7; broken promises by, 253-55; deceptions by, 251-53; Dominionists and, 19; hiding of the truth by, 260-61; power of, to declare war, 213-14 Bush administration: economic policies of, 55-62; energy policy of, 91-96; environmental policies of, 87-99; foreign policy of, 232-33, 239; lies told by, 249-51; tax cuts by, 53-54; war policies of, 185-97

C capital punishment, 28 cause and effect, 231-32 Cheney, Dick, 1-2, 91 child-rearing practices, 131-32 Christ. See Jesus Christ Christian ethics, 287-88 Christianity: democracy and, 1, 8-10 Christian morals, 287 Christian mystics, 285-86 Christians: conservative, 283-84; divisions among, xvii-xviii, 2-7; evangelicals, 7, 284; fundamentalist, 283; liberal, 284-85; mainstream, 284; progressive, 285 Christian values: defining, 283-89; democracy and, 1; Democratic Party and, xviii, 278-79 Christian vote, xiii churches: responses of, to homosexuality, 158-60; responsibility of, to help the poor, 39-43 church history, 287 Church of the Brethren, 173 church tradition, 286-87

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civic responsibility, 47-49 civil rights movement, 26 climate change. See global warming Clinton, Bill, 175, 235-36, 238, 255 Clinton, Hillary, 122-24, 275-76 coalition-building, 232-33, 235, 238-41 compassion: for all, 63-65; for other side, 266-67; for those in need, 35-43 conscientious objectors (COs), 174-76 consensus building, 273-75 conservative Christians, 283-84 conservatives, 11-13 conservative values, 22-23 Cooney, Philip A., 91 corruption, 30 court system, 17-18 Creation Theology, 75-78

D deception: in politics, 243-47, 251-53 DeLay, Tom, 5, 22, 61 democracy: Christian values and, 1, 8-10; reason for, 21 Democratic Party: 2004 Platform of, 56-57, 238-40; Christian values and, xviii, 278-79; on environmental protection, 99-101; on homosexuality,

163-65; liberal values of, 26-28; voters in, 7-8 Democrats for Life of America, 125-28 denials, 252-53 dependence theology, 70-72 dialogue, models for, 270-73 diplomacy, 204-7 divorce, 105-9 Dobson, James, 5, 18-19 dominion: meaning of, 68-70, 72-73 Dominionists, 14-22 double standards, 258-60 Dust Bowl, 85-86

E Earth in the Balance (Gore), 84-86 economic policies: of Bush administration, 55-62 economic problems, 55 empathy, 266-67 enemies: dealing with, 220-23; demonizing our, 218; loving our, 220-21; making friends with, 29; understanding your, 223-28 energy policy, 91-96 environmental policies: of Bush administration, 87-99 environmental problems: acknowledgement of, 78-81; defining, 81-84; effects of, 101-3 environmental protection, 22-23; Democratic platform on, 99-101;

INDEX

Genesis and, 67-75; Gore's views on, 84-86 ethical dilemmas, 31; See also abortion issue ethics: Christian, 287-88; last act, 230-32 Evangelicals, 7, 284 extremists, 3-4, 274, 279

F Fall, 43-44, 70 family: defining, 131-32 Family Research Council, 16 fear: changing reaction to, 241-42; consequences of, 213-14; hope as alternative to, 236-38; response to, 216-18; secrecy and, 214-16; terrorism and, 209-13 feminist theology, 52 fight or flight response, 216-18 fiscal responsibility, 23-25 Flavin, William, 202-4 Focus on the Family, 137, 142-43, 151 food shortages, 82, 83 food supply: polluted, 83-84 foreign policy, 232-33, 238-41 Frist, Bill, 5 fundamentalist Christians, 283

G gay marriage, 132-34, 159, 165-70 Genesis, 67-74, 142

329

Geneva Convention, 189-92 Global Gag Rule, 127 global warming, 82-83, 88-89, 93, 96-97 God: love of, 13-14 Golden Rule, 32-33 Gore, Al, 84-86, 99 government responsibility, to help poor, 39-43 Graebner, Norman, 205-7 Graham, Billy, 7

H Halliburton Company, 195-96 hate crimes, 158-59 health care, 59-61 helplessness: consequences of, 213-14; recognizing our, 218-20 Holiness Codes, 146-48 holy wars, 176-78,224 homosexuality, 111, 131-70; Christian response to, 158-61; Democratic Party approach to, 163-65; as identity, 135-39; legality of, 134-35; same-sex marriage issue, 132-34, 159, 165-70; Scripture and, 139-48, 150-58; spiritual approach to, 161-63 hope, 236-38 human condition, 43-45 Hurricane Katrina, 24-25, 97-98 hypocrisy, 258-60

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I individualism, 232-33 individual rights, 109-11 Iraq War: debt from, 24-25; deceptions and lies about, 250-52; fighting stance in, 217; justness of, 185-89; lack of diplomacy and, 206-7; money spent on, 194-98; peacebuilding in, 203-4 issues: models for discussion of, 270-73

J Jefferson, Thomas, 21 Jesus Christ: on cause and effect, 231-32; dining with sinners by, 228-30; ethics of, 31; liberal values of, 25-31; politics of, 1013; as Prince of Peace, 171-72 jihad, 176-78, 224 John Paul II (pope), 87 Johnson, Lyndon B., 53 just war tradition, 178-83

K Kennedy, D. James, 15 Kerry, John, 7

L labeling, 257-58 last act ethics, 230-32 lesbians, 136, 150

Lewis, C.S., 5,21,168, 169, 248-49 liberal Christians, 284-85 liberals, 12-13, 25-26 liberal values, 25—31 liberation theology, 49-52, 286 lies: denials, 252-53; political, 244-51 Light of Christ, 277-78

M mainstream Christians, 284 marriage, 28; divorce and, 105-9; same'sex, 132-34, 159, 165-70 Medicare, 57 Mennonite Church, 173 military service, 171-76 Moral Majority, 15 Muslims, 222-23, 225-26

N name-calling, 258 nature: See also environmental protection; connection between humans and, 72-73, 84-85 neighbors: expanding concept of, 63-65 No Child Left Behind, 58, 256 nonviolence principle, 29-30, 171-74 nonviolent resolutions: to conflicts, 199-202

INDEX

O oil dependency, 93-95, 102 oppression: See also poor; fighting, 45-47; human condition and, 43-45

P Palau, Luis, 19-20 partnership building, 275-77 Patriot Act, 214-15 peace, 171-74, 192-97 Peace Churches, 173 peacemaking/peacekeeping, 199-207 Perkins, Tony, 5 political divide: ways to cross, 265-81 political parties: See also Democratic Party; Republican Party; Christian, 7-8; moving beyond, 8-10 political rhetoric, 268-70 politicians: accountability of, 22; broken promises by, 253-55; lies by, 244-51; manipulation of Christianity by, 5-7; overselling of the truth by, 255-57 politics: scandals and deceptions in, 243-47, 251-53; truth and, 245-47 poor: See also oppression; compassion for the, 35-43; government's response to the, 52-53; liberation theology and the, 49-52

331

prayer: school, 16-17 presidential election: 2004, xiii, 1-2 prisoner mistreatment, 191-92 progressive Christianity, 285 promises, broken, 253-55

Q Quakers, 13-14, 173-74, 237-38, 260

R religions: diversity of, 9; role of, in government, 14 Republican Party: See also Bush administration; 2004 Platform of, 55-56, 210; environmental protection and, 87-99; voters in, 7-8 Republican values, xiii rhetoric, 268-70 rich people, 37, 53-55 Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 52-53

S same-sex marriage, 132-34, 159, 165-70 scandals: political, 243-47 school prayer, 16-17 Second Coming, 80-81 secrecy: fear and, 214-16 sexuality: as power, 148-50 Social Gospel, 35-36, 47-49

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social responsibility, 47-49 social structures: overturning, 30-31 spirituality, 288 state-sponsored prayer, 16-17 study guide, 291-302 subdue: meaning of, 68 subtext, 261-63 Sullivan, Andrew, 123-24 super-rich, 53-55

T tax breaks, 53-55 tax reform, 56-57 terrorism/terrorists: dealing with, 220-23; Democratic Party approach to fighting, 238-41; fear and, 209-13; moving beyond revenge for, 233-36; response to, 216-18; understanding reasons for, 223-30 theologies, 286-89. See also specific theologies tit-for-two-tat, 235-36 truth: bearing witness to, 244-45, 264; hiding the, 260-61; importance of, 247-50; overselling of the, 255-57; politics and, 245-47; speaking out about, 267-68 Turner, Ted, 55

U United States: culture of, 225-26; diversity of religions

in, 9; as divided nation, 2-7; foreign diplomacy by, 204-7; recognizing vulnerability of, 218-20; un-just wars by, 18389; view of, by world, 4, 225-26 unity: ways to achieve, 1-2 U.S. Army War College, 202-4

V Vietnam War, 175, 184-85, 198 vulnerability: recognizing our, 218-20

W war: See also specific wars; casualties of, 197-99; conscientious objectors to, 174-76; holy wars, 176-78, 224; just war tradition, 178-83; laws of, 189-92; unjust, by U.S., 183-89; versus working for peace, 192-94, 199-207 war on terror: See also terrorism/ terrorists; secrecy and, 214-16 water scarcity, 81-82 wealthy, 37, 53-55 Whitman, Christine Todd, 88-92 Williams, Roger, 13-14