Cantor: We Need A "Judeo-Christian" Foreign Policy In The Middle East

This afternoon, at the annual Christians United For Israel conference, House minority whip and rumored presidential hopeful Eric Cantor discussed his vision for U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Namely, that it needs to be "firmly grounded" in "Judeo-Christian principles."

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told Christian Zionists that U.S. policies in the Middle East must be "firmly grounded" in Judeo-Christian principles.

"Reaching out to the Muslim world may help in creating an environment for peace in the Middle East, but we must insist as Americans that our policies be firmly grounded in the beliefs of the Judeo-Christian tradition upon which this country was founded," said Cantor (R-Va.), the House minority whip and the only Jewish Republican in Congress, in a speech to the Christians United For Israel annual conference in Washington.

(h/t Washington Monthly)

Comments

[John321]

If a betrothed virgin is raped in the city and doesn't cry out loud enough, then "the men of the city shall stone her to death." 22:23-24 If a woman is raped in the country, then only the man shall die (since there was no one to hear her if she cried out.) 22:25 If a man rapes an unbetrothed virgin, he must pay her father 50 shekels of silver and then marry her. 22:28-29 If a man marries, then decides that he hates his wife, he can claim she wasn't a virgin when they were married. If her father can't produce the "tokens of her virginity" (bloody sheets), then the woman is to be stoned to death at her father's doorstep. 22:13-21 "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."--1 Tim. 2:11-14 "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:26)

[JafiJafur]

Here's a little excerpt from Treaty of Tripoli:

"Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

This was written in 1797. So why now do some insist we need to pursue a Judeo-Christian policy?

[jasev01]

Ha, thank you for this. I hadn't seen it before but it does seem to make the point quite clear especially since it was voted on and passed unanimously.

[JafiJafur]

No problem...

What some people don't seem to realize is that establishment of religion is the very foe of religious freedom.

I don't care what people's religious beliefs are - just don't try to impose it on your neighbor.

[Wisdo]

Religion is the enemy of humanity.

[alexa07]

Cantor has appeared on Bill Maher more than once or twice. I had thought he was a Christian evangelical. Oh well. He's an ideologue & therefore, predictable in his opinions; he should use the more inclusive term "Abrahamic" when referring to the Middle East, & he also seems more than perfectly to fit the mold of what our reps in Congress have become. Not good.

[US1st2009]

"the only Jewish Republican in Congress," nonsense, lieberman campaigned relentlessly for McCain, was literally kissed by George W. Bush on multiple occasions. feinstein can hardly be considered a Democrat as she and her husband are war profiteers in the finest republican tradition: "The Center for Public Integrity has reported that US Senator Dianne Feinstein and her husband, Richard Blum, are making millions of dollars from Iraq and Afghanistan contracts through his company, Perini [3]. Feinstein voted for the resolution. Blum did hold over 111,000 shares of stock in URS Corporation, which is now one of the top defense contractors in the United States. URS bought EG&G, a leading provider of technical services and management to the U.S. military, from The Carlyle Group in 2002. Carlyle's advisers, past and present, include former President George H.W. Bush, James Baker, and ex-SEC Commissioner Arthur Levitt, among other prominent neoconservatives and Washington power brokers."

[murphy80]

the guy's a little late, like about sixty years.

[US1st2009]

in the 80s America was only referred to as a WASP, white anglo saxon protestant, nation.

[US1st2009]

"judeo-christian" is just another neocon and i mean CON.

[Darwin256]

What Israel does, day after day:

http://www.theheadlines.org/

[greatscot]

Considering the separation of church & state and all that, Cantor is way off base on this. We're not a Judeo-Christian country, we're an ethical-humanist country, when you scratch the surface. One other complaint - Linking Christians to Jews ala this "Judea-Chr­istian..Bl­ah, Blah, Blah" is only giving cover to Jews in tthe United States who want to pretend that Israeli national interests are American National interests, which is completely opposite of the truth!
Cantor doesn't represent the United States. He doesn't even represent his state. He represents Israeli interests in the U.S. How he got elected is beyond me.

[MissingAmerica]

A Judeo-Christian approach in the Middle East, a primarily Muslim area? Why do these so-called "religious" politicians feel the need to convert people to their way of thinking? Doesn't it dawn on them that their faith suits them just fine? This is sheer ignorance. In fact, the willingness to convert others to your way of thinking is pretty much the reason for the religious wars that have raged in that area between Muslim factions, one feeling the need to convert the other. It is not only ignorant, it is dangerous.

[Freenation]

how about just 'judeo' principles? this would make it more appealing...

[kjstjohn]

Whoops. I missed the fact that Cantor is J#wish. I thought he was a Christian. None of my posts on this site make any sense. Sorry!

[in4success]

a little history lesson for eric in the real world:

"There is nothing which can better deserve our patronage than the promotion of science and literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness." -- George Washington (Father of our Country in an address to Congress, 8 January, 1790)

"Let a wave of intolerance wash over you.... Yes, hate is good.... Our goal is a Christian nation.... We are called by God to conquer this country.... We don't want pluralism." -- Randal Terry, founder of "Operation Rescue" (Mark Sanford's peeps), Aug. 1993. (the original t-bagger) ---this quote, nevertheless, proves two things:

-1.) "our goal is to 'make' this a christian country." implies
......the awareness that it is not been thus far "christian country."

-2.) randy forbes, the c-street cabal (or, as i like to refer to them: "al .....charida" and the rest of their ultra-zealot theocratic kindreds have .....far more in common with the authoritarian monarchy of king george and .....his loyal subjects than america's forefathers who chose the .....revolutionary battle for independence and designed this, once great,
.....democracy:

......"I thank God there are no free schools nor printing; and I hope we ......shall not have [them] these [next] hundred years; for learning has ......brought disobedience, and heresy, and sects into the world, and ......printing has divulged them and libels against the best government. ......God keep us from both!" -- British Royal Governor of the Colony of ......Virginia, 1671

[VirginiaJeff]

As a Christian, I thinks it's funny how Republicans never ever say we need a Judeo-Christian policy toward the poor or toward people who lack health care.

[Paula Ann]

.....actually, not funny at all......s­elf-servin­g and hypocritical

[Paula Ann]

ReThugs, that is