A Jew and a Catholic walk into a primary…
Jesus in politics. It does seem kinda’ weird. His mission here on earth was not at all political, but personal. He came to change and to save people, not a system of government.
But since some presidential candidates claim him for their own, I’ve been asking what Jesus would do if he were president. And as the Democratic primary race has narrowed down to Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden – a Jew and a Catholic – I can’t help but wonder what Jesus would have to say to each of them.
I picture Bernie coming to Jesus by night, as Nicodemus did…
Now there was a man of the Senate named Bernard, a cultural, non-religious Jew. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, I know that you are a popular teacher. I especially like what you said about doing unto others what you want them to do to you.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Bernie said to him, “You know, we have some born-again folks who think that God has told them that Muslims shouldn’t come into this country or that their religion says that women can’t have access to reproduction — reproductive rights, and they’re not going to fund that or they’re not going to serve a gay couple a wedding cake.”
Jesus answered, “What God has said, Bernard, is that you are to love and obey him. Do you? And God has told you that Israel is his chosen possession and from them would come one who would be savior of the world. I know that you are descended from Abraham. But unless you believe that I am your Messiah, you will die in your sins.”
Joe Biden might come to him as a favored brother since the Catholic Church sees Jesus’ mother Mary as their mother too, and claims to be the only true church Jesus founded.
While he was still speaking to Bernie the Jew, behold, Joe the Catholic asked to speak to him. “Tell him I know his mother,” he said to the man. “Look…I even wear this rosary everywhere.”
But Jesus replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Joe was offended at this rebuff, and poking his finger on the man’s chest, said to him, “Listen, Bub…you tell Jesus I go to Mass every Sunday, plus I know his guy at the Vatican. That should count for something. And tell him the Democratic Party has a proud tradition of defending all kinds of rights.”
Then Jesus called Joe over and said, “Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘You shall not murder,’ and, ‘You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.’ Yet you condone the murder of unborn children and celebrate same-sex marriages. So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.”
I’m sure Jesus would have a few things to say to Donald Trump as well. But both Biden and Bernie cloak themselves in righteousness yet are promoting unrighteousness in their quest for power. I know God still loves them, but I honestly don’t think he wants either of them to be president.
Ouch!
(And I like gour trailer.😁)
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I agree these two candidates are far from righteous. They espouse evil. God has allowed evil rulers in the past, though, and used them as judgement or to bring people to seek Him. As a country we so badly need to seek God, and we deserve judgement, but I pray He continues to be patient with us and doesn’t allow an evil leader to become our president.
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I do not consider Joe Biden to be a real Catholic on account of his being Pro-Choice, or if he is a Catholic, he is a pretty poor one.
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What makes one a “real Catholic”?
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Okay. Technically he is a real Catholic. I do not consider anyone a real Catholic who preaches heresy on the Catholic Church. Joe Biden is like “I believe that life is sacred from conception to natural death, but I’m not going to tell women what to do with their own bodies because of my religion.” I do not know what he has to say about homosexuality. I do think he ought to be excommunicated. Nancy Pelosi most certainly is a total heretic.
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I’m not trying to be difficult here, but it seems to me you’re not being consistent. Biden and Pelosi both support abortion on demand and same-sex marriage, which the RCC opposes. Doesn’t that make them both heretics and therefore not “real” Catholics? Does any opposition to Catholic teaching make one a heretic, or only specific teachings?
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Sorry for the confusion. Any opposition to doctrines makes them heretics. What I mean to say is that Biden says he is pro-life “personally”. I personally believe that he is simply pro-money. At least of what I have heard (and granted, I do not keep up with politics much) he has not said anything in opposition to the Catholic Church’s teaching and he simply has not followed its teaching. You could make an argument that Biden is guilty of heresy by saying it is okay to be “personally” pro-life and “politically” pro-choice. I have not heard what he has to say about how he justifies his stance on same-sex marriage with his alleged Catholic faith. Of course, if he is openly a sinner in the Catholic Church like Joe Biden, I have trouble accepting him as a “real Catholic”, even if technically, as far as I know, he is.
Concerning Pelosi, I know for a fact that she says neither of these things are sinful. She acted in one interview as if that issue was still up for debate in Catholicism. Does this make more sense?
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Yes, I think I understand now how you make the distinction. I guess I was pressing you on it because it seems to me a policy of “heretic-making” is fraught with difficulties. Many Catholics are pro-choice and support same-sex marriage though they may never publicize their views. Are they all heretics? And many demonstrate by their choice not to go to Mass regularly that they don’t really believe it’s necessary. And surely if you asked a group of Catholics if they believed the church’s teachings on transubstantiation, purgatory, Mary as mediatrix and co-redemptrix, etc., a good number would say they do reject certain Catholic teachings. If “any opposition to doctrines makes them heretics,” I’d say it’s likely half of those who the RCC counts as their own are heretics.
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That is true. A lot of Catholics are such. I also forgot to mention the distinction between public heretics and people who believe heresy in their private life. Anyone who doesn’t go to Mass every Sunday (at least when global pandemics aren’t going on) I don’t usually consider to be a real part of the Catholic Church even though technically they are. I suppose I haven’t really thought about what I mean when I say “fake Catholic” before. I suppose their are different levels of fake-ness. There are public committers of grave sin without shame who are technically Catholic but I generally consider to be fake. Then there are Catholics who privately believe things contrary to Catholicism. Then there are people publicly professing to believe something opposed to Catholic doctrine. I think the first and third that I mentioned ought to be excommunicated because they are causes of scandal. I mean, 73.7% of the U.S. population identified as Christian in a study in 2016, but if they are not okay with doctrines of sin and hell and generally do not care about evangelization to non-believers, as many of them do, do they really count?
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