Pocket Full of Mumbles

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Sunday, March 25, 2007

Heard on the Radio

"God-like for the godless"

--Rush Limbaugh
Describing liberal fascination with, and the meteoric rise of, Sen Barack Obama, presidential hopeful

19 Comments:

Eric said...: I wonder how many of you-- all five of you-- will get it.; March 25, 2007 7:32 PM
Erudite Redneck said...: What I don't get is why you or anyone else takes Rush Limbaugh seriously. And I don't understand how you or anyone else can so ridicule a brother in Christ.

Barack's testimony is plain and simple: He was reared outside of church; he heard the Gospel; he responded to Jesus.

"Obama writes that his religious convictions formed during his twenties, when, as a community organizer working with local churches, he came to understand 'the power of the African American religious tradition to spur social change':

" 'It was because of these newfound understandings -- that religious commitment did not require me to suspend critical thinking, disengage from the battle for economic and social justice, or otherwise retreat from the world that I knew and loved --that I was finally able to walk down the aisle of Trinity United Church of Christ one day and be baptized. It came about as a choice and not an epiphany; the questions I had did not magically disappear. But kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt God's spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth."

That's not "God-like." It's Christian faith.; March 26, 2007 3:54 AM
Erudite Redneck said...: And if that's a vague Lenin reference, Limbaugh is more despicable than ever.; March 26, 2007 9:03 AM
Eric said...: What I don't get is how you can construe the phrase 'Godlike for the godless' as a slam on Obama, when in fact it's a slam against his worshippers.

Rush didn't slam Obama's 'religion'. And I'm not either.

As for the other, Bill Mahar's latest Bush rant is far worse than anything Rush said in four simple words. Maher is a truly dispicable character... That, and a complete ignoramus. Now THERE'S a man who is truly godless.; March 26, 2007 11:43 AM
Dan Trabue said...: I listened to the Maher thing. Except for the curse words, it sounded about like Rush. How is what he said worse than what Rush says?

And what about what he said is "godless"? He was speaking of restoring honor and integrity to the white house. Hardly sounds un-Christian to me.

He did use some stronger curse words than Rush can use on his radio show - is that what makes his position godless?

This is not a defense of Maher or an attack on Rush. They're both middling comics. Neither are policy makers or pretend to be, I don't think.

I find Maher slightly (only slightly) more humorous than Rush - probably because I agree with his humor more - and I find neither extremely funny.

They're both a bit too harsh for my tastes.

So, by "God-like for the godless" is Rush simultaneously praising Obama for his godliness and berating a vast swath of our brothers and sisters - many of whom are God-fearing church-going Christians and other faithful members of faith traditions - are we all "godless"? Or is this just a lame joke like Maher's slightly-less lame jokes?; March 26, 2007 5:17 PM
Dan Trabue said...: Also, if you're not slamming Obama's faith, why do you say you're not slamming his - in quotes - "religion," as if you doubt there's anything godly or faithful in his faith?; March 26, 2007 5:18 PM
Anonymous said...: Er does not understand why anyone takes Rush Limbaugh seriously, while he supports Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Al Gore, John Murtha, and John Kerry.

That's just TOO funny!; March 26, 2007 6:23 PM
Eric said...: Looks like Dan didn't get it either... not particularly surprising.; March 26, 2007 9:09 PM
Erudite Redneck said...: EL, in your rush to attack your political foes, you were unclear.

Hey, Anon, get yer facts straight.

I do not support Hillary for president; my candidate is Bill Richardson, the Obama.

Harry Reid is the leader of my party in the Senate. Nancy Pelosi is the leader of my party in the House. Their actual supporters are in Nevada and San Francisco.

Al Gore, I do support. He is a prophet. He got robbed. And if rean for prez, I'd support him.

John Murtha is another prophetic voice, but I don't live in Pennsylvania, so I don't support him either.

And I most definitely do NOT support John Kerry, for anything, although I did use his candidacy to vote against the sitting president.

Now, Rush Limbaugh, as a wise man and future U.S. senator, observed, is a big fat idiot.; March 26, 2007 9:43 PM
Erudite Redneck said...: Oh, and yeah, the quote marks around Obama's religion give you away, EL.; March 26, 2007 9:44 PM
Eric said...: The quotes around 'Religion' simply means I can't know he is my brother in Christ. That he has religion is not in question... whether he has Christ is.; March 26, 2007 10:52 PM
Erudite Redneck said...: I don't buy it. You use those doubtful quotes only with liberals. You can't know ANYONE's relationship with Christ -- and I dare say not even your own. Professing faith is one thing, but declaring one's own salvation is hubris in the face of the Almighty.; March 27, 2007 7:18 AM
Eric said...: I find it sad, that you have no assurance of salvation. The bible says we can KNOW we have eternal life... we can KNOW we are a child of Gold. We cannot know with certainty that others are saved, but the bible does say we can know them by their fruit. Further, every child of God walking in the spirit has the spirit of discernment, to the degree that they know within their spirit when someone, or something done or said is not right; i.e., 'not of God'.

Any man, therefore, who believes and promotes abortion, to my understanding, has a serious question mark resting over them. I don't doubt they have religion-- all men do, but I do doubt they have Christ.

It is not hubris to call ones self a child of God, that the blood of Jesus has cleansed them, and they have passed from death unto life. Anyone who has truly been saved should know this instinctively-- deep in their heart. Doubt in the believer is understandable, but it points to issues still not dealt with.

That you 'dare say' no one can know they are saved, is not only unscriptural, but it's an impediment to spiritual growth. It is a block that needs removing.; March 27, 2007 10:59 AM
Dan Trabue said...: But, as I'm sure you know, the Bible shows Jesus talking about people who will say to God on the Day of Judgement, "Lord? Why not me? Why am I cast out?! Look at who I was!"

These are people who were genuinely convinced they were saved, had no doubts, and who were wrong.

Our God is not a tame God. It does behoove us to try to put God in a box.; March 27, 2007 11:07 AM
Eric said...: And you raise a very critical point, Dan. There is a war going on for the souls of men, surely you believe this.

CS Lewis' The Screwtape Letters is an excellent illustration of the tactics our enemy uses to deceive us. Not just in keeping us from making a life changing trip to the altar, but to convince those who have been to the altar that their conversion was sure, or for those who don't bend their knee to Christ in face of their own sin, that they are good enough to get into heaven on their own.

That the people in Matthew 7:22-23 sincerely believed they were saved speaks volumes as to the ability our enemy has to deceive. But that's not to say, you cannot know beyond any shadow of doubt that you are saved. For context then, consider the preceding verses 15-21. What then is the will of the Father? It's obviously more than prophesying and casting out devils. It's more... "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." --Luke 14:23 (Also Mat 22:9-10). Compel them to come... everyone... anyone... including harlots and publicans... thieves, and murderers... anyone willing to accept Christ as savior and the remission of their sins by His blood shed for them.

It's not enough to do great and mighty works (from a purely human perspective) like prophesying and casting out devils. Matthew 7 says "ye shall know them by their fruits..." "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit..." and what is fruit, in biblical terminology, if not the souls of men. We are to be soul winners... 'Fishers of Men'.

"...if any would not work, neither should he eat." 2 Thessalonians 3:10

By that same token, any man unwilling to work in field of souls will not partake of the bounty of God's table. That is the simple will of God. Spurgeon said, and I paraphrase, "Do you who call yourselves Christian have no desire to see souls saved? Then you, sir, are not saved yourself... be assured of that!"

Thanks, Dan, for raising such a great point.; March 27, 2007 11:55 AM
Dan Trabue said...: ""Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit..." and what is fruit, in biblical terminology, if not the souls of men. We are to be soul winners... 'Fishers of Men'."

We ARE to bear good fruit, and the fruit we are to bear, according to the Bible, are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control.

God saves us or not. We are merely to bear fruit. We can't win souls, that's God's work.; March 27, 2007 1:08 PM
Eric said...: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" --Proverbs 11:30

Why would Jesus say "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men", when fishing implies the winning of a prize... namely, the fish.

There is more to the fruit of Christians than the fruit of the spirit. We are to be laborers in the fields, that are already 'white unto harvest' --John 4:35; March 27, 2007 1:23 PM
Estase said...: Does anyone else find it odd that the major news sources are obsessed with the Hilary/Obams question, and never mention Romney or Guliani? It's like the old story of the liberals who couldn't believe Nixon won because everyone they knew voted for McGovern.; April 01, 2007 4:10 PM
Eric said...: LOL! I remember those days! Nixon was the stealth candidate.; April 01, 2007 4:54 PM