Poll: If Jesus ran for president, would you vote for him?

[BabyRaptor]

Yes.

By the way, Jesus never said gays are bad. Ever. Once. And he often implied that he has an opposite view on them.

Someone in the bible said 'if a man lays with a man both shall be put to death' ... pretty sure it was that Jesus guy. May have been someone else, but same book.

Wasn't Jesus...The only time gay sex is mentioned as wrong is in Leviticus. It's next to all those Old Testament laws that Christians nowadays ignore, like "Don't wear clothing made of more than one fabric," "Keep kosher," "Don't have sex with a menstruating female"...You get my point.

You might be thinking of Peter, but the act he was condemning was pedophilia. Nobody knows for absolute certain what he was talking about, but people who've studied the language say that the original text made mention of children.

On topic, I'm not honestly sure. I like what the guy stands for, but I also like my freedom not to have to believe in his religion.

 

[Pyode]

Considering the WBC are following just details of the book instead of its full meaning (be a good person and bring happiness to others), I wouldnt consider em christians. Jesus states several times that you shouldnt hang up in the details, but follow the greater good.

I'm sorry, but this logic is extremely flawed.

You can't get to the "grater meaning" without reading the "details".[footnote]What you refer to as "details" are actually entire passages and chapters throughout the Bible.[/footnote] You can't have one without the other. As soon as you claim to know the "greater meaning" you then have to rely on "details" to support that claim. In order to do that you would have to do just as much cherry picking as the WBC.

Claiming WBC is christian is like saying muslims, hindus and jews are christians too, since they have a negative view on homosexuality and believe in a god/gods.

Wow. Um... no. The WBC is Christian because they follow the Bible and believe Jesus Christ was the savior. That's kind of the definition of Christianity.

Being a christian isnt about choosing a part of the new testament you like, and then following that. Its following its greater meaning, and using the details to understand what the greater meaning is. WBC isnt doing that. They just find something that fits their view and say "JESUS SAID THAT! Therefore we got God on our side!"

I don't see how that's any different then what Christians do to support the idea that Jesus was a great guy. All you can say is "Jesus said/did that! Therefore he was an awesome person."

If you rape, kill and murder, and hate gays, you can call yourself a christian, but you arent. Youre just following a single line (in the old testament btw).

I'm sorry, but we are talking about much much much more than a "single line" and it's not all confined to the OT.[footnote]Not that that matters because in the NT, Jesus specifically says that everything in the OT is still binding.[/footnote]

I dont like being affiliated with the WBC

I understand that it's tempting to fight tooth and nail to disassociate yourself from a psychotic group like the WBC but the fact is that their view is fully supported by the Bible. If it makes you feel any better, the fact that you choose to disregard the bad stuff in the Bible and solely follow the good stuff makes you a much better person then they are. However it doesn't make your subjective interpretation any more accurate.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I'd vote for him. However, I can see this thread already becoming yet another familiar set of arguments.

 

[GotMalkAvian]

If we're going entirely based on the Jesus portrayed in the Bible, then I'd definitely vote for him. We're talking about an ultra-liberal revolutionary Jew who believed that there was good in everyone and even the lowliest people have great value.

To anyone that thinks Yeshua would come back to earth preaching fire and brimstone needs to pay a little bit more attention to what the Bible actually credits him for saying instead of what fire and brimstone preachers credit him for saying.

 

[Pyode]

I personally believe that the reason it was translated as "slave" in some editions is that it was politically convenient at the time to have religious backing for slavery. This is well documented in American history, so I don't know why it wouldn't be in Europe.

When you say "politically convenient" I assume you mean convenient for basically everyone of wealth and power all the way up to the 18th and 19th centuries.

Really, I think we'd need an expert in translation to know for certain, but you cannot seriously assert that it WASN'T politically beneficial for the local lords to be able to restrain their slaves by telling them it was god's will.

If, by "local lords", you are referring to the people that wrote the Bible in the first place I completely agree.

Those points aside, arguing the semantics of this one line is unnecessary. The Bible's view on slavery is quite clear. It gives detailed instructions on how you can acquire slaves, who you can have as slaves, how much you should pay for them, how badly you can beat them, and more. Now, before you pull the "but that's the Old Testament" argument, you should know that Jesus quite clearly stated that every word of the OT is still completely true and binding. Therefore, he supports slavery.

 

[BabyRaptor]

Snip

And the same Christians I was making that point about use that verse you quoted to point out exactly why they don't have to follow the OT. (Except for the part about gays.) They claim Jesus fulfilled the law by dying on the Cross...By being the end-all perfect sacrifice.

Anyway, I'm not a Christian, so it doesn't matter to me either way how ya'll argue your Scriptures. Just don't force everyone else to live by your morals and we'll be alright.

 

[Soviet Steve]

If he did it on a christian platform, including the old testament with all the "KILL THE INFIDELS AND DESTROY THEIR VILLAGES" doohickey coupled with his hippie economics I'd just get a gun and a safehouse in the wilderness as fast as I could.

 

[rickthetrick]

I have this image of Christ turning the floodwaters after Katrina into Boone's farm during his visit.

 

[Aurgelmir]

I don't know. What's his economic plan like?

Give a man a fish and he has food for one day.
Teach a man to fish and he has food for the rest of his life.

 

[Dularn]

inb4 the religious masses trying to tell me my opinion is 'wrong', I am 'going to hell', etc. I don't care what people believe, it is your own choice and I won't tell you what is right or wrong. This is my opinion, deal with it.

Why would we say that? As long as youre a good person, I couldnt care less about what deity (or void) you worshipped

All religous people arent nuts, and its kinda hurtfull when where treated like that.

I could have phrased that a little better, I know plenty of religious people that don't try and preach and respect other people's views.

But there is always a group of people that feel so strongly (religious and atheist alike) that they will attack any opinion that doesn't match their own.

It is that which I was referring too. The people who would say I am wrong simply because they disagree.

I have no problem with people expressing their opinion or debating something. I only have a problem with those that will try and force their opinion onto you because they believe they alone are right and do not respect the fact that others feel differently.

'masses' was a poor term to use but from experience there are always a few who will try and tell me I am wrong just because they disagree with what I said.

 

[bader0]

Also, the Bible doesn't teach that gays are bad; it teaches that gay acts are bad.

What 2 consensual adults do in the comfort of their own bedroom should be none of the bible's goddamn business.

I disagree. It's not just some book; it's something given to us by an omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient being.

I'm sick of hearing people saying things such as: "God doesn't belong in..." He's God. He's everywhere. If you don't think so, fine. But I definitely disagree with you.

A sin's a sin.

someone does not choose their own sexuality therefore what you're saying is that people with a natural interest for something other than what they are "supposed" to be interested in according to a wise benevolent "god" is automatically a sinner and deserves to be punished....... yeah im pretty sure if thats true i dont want to go to a heaven ruled by a prick like that anyway

 

[Eadd]

A delusional carpenter, no thanks

 

[New Troll]

A President who's willing to die horribly for me? Hell yeah!

 

[Shycte]

And guess what?

..the law only applies to Jews, which we are not? You're quite right!

Did the bible verse that i Just. Fucking. Posted. Not have Jesus say that the law still applies?

...to Jews, who were the only ones bound by the law in the first place. Are you a Jew? You're not bound by the law.

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19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

How in the fuck can you interpret this as anything other than Jesus saying that he wants everyone to follow the law.

The Jews won't get into heaven anyway (on the count of them not repenting their sins) so why would it matter how great they were in the Kingdom of heaven?

Why would you want to go there? I hated that movie. Fucking Orlando Bloom.

Anyway, I think you should chill up before someone calls the moderators on you. They are kinda harsh about... everything. Just like the Bible!

Anyway, I just wanted to ask if you have anything against Christianity, or against christians, because that it a important diffrence.

 

[John the Gamer]

We don't know what he was really like. Half the origional new-testiment texts are left out (13 out of 30 are in the bible. So he might be a first-century bin-laden for all we know.

 

[iblis666]

As Jesus is considered God or at least the Catholics think he would have no problem getting around the whole being born 2000 years ago and not being a citizen by just getting reborn as a citizen and of appropriate age.

As for getting elected as long as he keeps the miracles coming even if he was the most hard core socialist who ever lived he would still get elected. The democrats would vote for him based on his views and the vast majority of republicans would vote for him since truth be known only something like 5% of the republican party actually think for themselves. The rest are sheep and no matter how much the 5% would love to keep the rest slaves the sheep have been indoctrinated from a young age to follow Jesus.

 

[Jonabob87]

This is a poll I've been curious about; knowing that a good amount of the American population that'll vote for someone because of their religion or how often they say god bless America.

So, Jesus Christ returns and runs for president.
If you need to know anymore, his stances are based on biblical teachings. Love thy neighbor (ie Mexico), gays are bad, etc.

..I kind of take offense to your 'gays are bad' part of your Topic. The bible doesn't speak of anything against gays, within all the verses I know due to being a Christian myself reading the bible daily. But, I won't bash on you fellow Escapist because I know we're more mature and civil then that. Besides, it's your belief if you think we feel that gays are bad and I know most Christians are not ok with gays (sadly).

Yes, he'd make an amazing president in my opinion due to how inspiring and amazing he was overall. I'd want him to run the country for as long as humanity lived. Just my opinion, but in truth making this Thread is risky because many aren't Christians (which I am fine with, I don't discriminate anyone) and may not like the idea of Jesus running the country.

If you can, please change the 'gays are bad' part because we Christians aren't like the WBC (westboro baptist church) that puts down everyone and alters the word of God to be hateful. A simple request and I won't force you to, but just asking in favor please. Also, i'm not perfect and know people wouldn't feel ok with Jesus running here so I hope this doesn't become a flame war or people putting down anyone's beliefs..

Dude in the old testament the law of Moses says that if a man "lies with a man as a man lies with a woman" then he's to be stoned. Paul also states in Romans that the men burned with lust for other men and women did the same for women and that it was wrong.

That's pretty strongly anti-homosexuality.

That said, Jesus took said punishment upon himself at the cross, so no one needs to be punished anymore as there's always the way of grace!

It's a ridiculous question but if in some insane paralell universe Jesus was running for present I'd definitely vote for him. Although it's said that the anti-christ will be awful Jesus-like in his comings and goings at first so I might be voting for Satan by accident...