NPR Correspondent Finds Obama's Christianity 'Ironic'

Via MediaMatters comes the news that NPR's Mara Liasson can't quite come to grips with the idea of a "liberal" being "Christian." because everyone knows the story of how Jesus Christ stood and yelled at Lazarus, "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, you dirty appeaser!" just before inviting the moneylenders to set up shop in the temple to fondle Congressional pages. Liasson, on the August 7th iteration of Morning Edition, segued to commentary from religious-right fixture Gary Bauer by saying, "The irony of a liberal Democrat showcasing his faith is not lost on Gary Bauer, a leading conservative religious activist."

Irony, of course, means "the use of words expressing something other than the literal intention." For example: the central tenet of Christianity is Christ's admonition that we shall be judged by what we do for the least among us, making it, wait for it... IRONIC!...for Christians to lobby heavily for massive tax-cuts for plutocrats. Thus, it's difficult to see what's ironic -- indeed, even "alanic"
-- about a "liberal Democrat showcasing [their] faith." I'm actually used to presidential candidates like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton showcasing their faith -- in fact, both did so at great length during CNN's "Compassion Forum."

But hey, if you really want to get into some religious irony, why not put Gary Bauer on the spot? Bauer is on the board of Christians United for Israel, a group that ostensibly "supports" Israel, because Israel's existence figures heavily in their crazy "end-times" scenarios. Supporting Israel so that it can be apocalyptically decimated? Now, that is the use of words expressing something other than their literal intention!

Comments

[MarcoEsquandolas]

What's even more ironic is that George Carlin sent this to me from Heaven....­well, maybe not Heaven, but somewhere out there in the ether....h­ere, his spot-on views on religion and praying to 'his' god, Joe Pesci

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o

[Diogenis]

You're right Marco.....­..from heaven!

[kjdwyer]

Macro,

Thanks for that link. George Carlin was far and away the best stand up comedian ever. So brilliant and funny and not afraid to tell the truth.

The best antidote to this kind of story.

[JGxHitzert]

Do you think that NPR is lashing out because their donor base has been giving more to Obama than their radio network? Or why is it you think so many NPR sellouts lend legitimacy to Fox a company that would like to see them wiped off the face of the dial?

[BlueOnBlue]

On Fox, they count Liasson as part of the "libeal" portion of their balance because she comes from NPR. She's actually a real Fox in sheep's clothing.

[Awakenedcitizen]

Go to the NPR site and send a comment; all of us b**ching here does not do anything. i wrote and told them not to expect my membership renewal.

[ColinSF]

Irony is being pro-life, then voting the cold-blooded slaughter of 200,000 innocent men, women and children of Iraq. On what basis? Being born of brown skin. Some were Muslim, some were Christians, it didn't matter. There was no sympathy or loss of sleep from the pro-lifers. That is Ironic. Since the war enriched many pro-lifers through their investments in instruments of war, all the better, in their view.

[farseer]

Amen! But, there are pro-lifers who are consistent - who are pro-life in all areas - including opposition to war.

[GeoLee]

If one just read Jesus' words and not the words of interpretation by Paul and others, and did not mix up all the Old Testament commandments with what Jesus said, they would truly realize how liberal and revolutionary Jesus was. One time a very wealthy major pizza chain owner left my chuch in a huff when the Gospel readings for the Sunday before the general elections just happened to be, by the calendar set decades ago, the Beautitudes. He chastized the priest for teaching that "Democratic Dogma" right before the election and told him he would never set foot in that church again. That is the day I learned Jesus was a democrat. It is also the year I resolved to never purchase another pizza from that chain. He has never been back to the church, either.

[farseer]

Nothing Paul said diminished the radical nature of Jesus' teaching. Paul walked the walkd, he didn't just talk the talk. And, Jesus did not weaken the Old Testament commandments - rather, he specifically intensified them. Read the Sermon on the Mount. For instance, whereas before the rule was "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," the new rule was "turn the other cheek" and "do not return evil for evil" and "love your enemies".

[Pherdnut]

NPR hired a Republican? The GOP is right. This affirmative action thing is really getting out of hand.

[JBoy]

The fairness doctrine coming back to bite us?

[smike]

I'm inspired to comment, Mr Linkins.

Nicely done, sir.

[rowzeer]

God created religion and then the devil organized it

[Chillinout]

Actually man invented religion. God had nothing to do with it.

Religion was invented in an attempt to control the masses.

[Diogenis]

God would like to talk with you a little! Don't keep Him waiting please.

[neocon666]

Everyone knows that God is a republican. Ignore that crap about "It is easier for a camel to pass throught the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven", and " the strongest among you must be servant to all", and especially "turn the other cheek" spoken by his liberal son before he straightened him out (see the book of Revelation).

[rowzeer]

Doesn't the bible say that to whom much is given, much is expected and that it is harder for a camel to do through the eye of a needle than a rich man to get into heaven. Since Repubs are such good Christians doesn't that mean they'll soon be giving away all their money? Paying more in taxes? Helping the poor? Speaking out against war? Providing universal health care? Thinking of Jesus as a Republican sure seems "ironic"

[crease]

Religion doesn`t know the difference between the left or the right, it is the right that distinguishes between the two and uses it as a wedge issue against the left , where as the left doesn`t use religion for political gain, the left practices religion for the sake of religion.

[Diogenis]

You git it kinda wrong creasy! He said: "Let not the right hand know what the left is doing!"

[Tommygun264]

How do these people sleep at night? From the looks of it, not very well.

[farseer]

They sleep well, thinking that they are going to heaven. But they may be deceived ... Perhaps they ought to pay more attention to the words of Jesus: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"

[Tommygun264]

But your forgetting the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus said, "blessed are the warmongers". Oh, that's right, it was "Blessed are the peacemakers". Or was it the "cheese-makers"? (Reference Monty Python's "Life of Brian").

[crease]

What else would you expect from these religiuos right wing nut jobs, they are all hypocrites who can`t tell the difference between a lie and the truth if it hit them in the head.What the hell is wrong with these people ....... now I understand why alot of conservatives are jumping ship and claiming independant.

[ExRepublican]

".....reli­giuos right wing nut jobs, they are all hypocrites"

Are you serious? You can't be.

Check it:

Question to JE: You've received a lot of criticism from people about the size of your house. In your book, "Home," you quote Rick Warren saying, "What I've noticed is that where people live affects how they live." If that's true, how does your home impact you? What does it say about you? And does it in any way undercut your discussion of the poor?

John Edwards responds: "I think it's a fair question, first of all. And here's how I feel about it. The book that you made reference to that Rick Warren is in, "Home," I think the overwhelming message from that is, whatever the structure, the physical structure--some of the houses in my book were very small, tiny. Some of them were huge. And what matters in the message from that book is [that] the physical structure's not important. What matters is what happens inside that physical structure, and what kind of values and beliefs and faith are taught inside that structure. And so, you know, I come from a very modest place and I've done well and we have a very nice physical structure. It's completely unimportant. What matters is what happens inside that structure.­"

Compare the above delusions with John's actions. What a MISERABLE, far rightish sounding nutjob. Huh?

[olivia]

Dear Mara:

I've heard you all these years and never realized how crazy you are.

Here's what I find ironic: that the man who claims to represent the party that claims it and only it supports Family Values attended a debauched event like the Sturgis rally and treated his wife like a piece of chattal, joking about entering her in a lewd "beauty" contest.

That's irony for ya.

[ExRepublican]

Oh missy hypocrit. You want VALUES? Ok, I'll give you values. Straight from John aka Mr Gone:

Edwards responds: "If you're being asked about how you make decisions, what are the things that affect you when you make decisions, I think it's perfectly reasonable under those circumstances to give honest answers about your faith and how your faith affects your value system and what you believe and what you care about."

How bout dem 'values' Olivia? Tossin cookies? If not, something is wrong. Your TRYING your damndest to make a distinction between far right and SUPPOSED far left. You CAN'T do it. One in the same.