Accidental Wisdom

right, religious, religion, palin, christian, abstinence, sex, teen, mother
Every now and then you see someone achieve wisdom, perhaps without even knowing it. Such is the case in the following rant from the Rapture Ready message boards.

Original post:

Cellophane: Teen abstinance unrealistic say's Bristol Palin
I'm surprised this hasn't been here yet!

Quote:
So says Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, who told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren Monday night that the abstinence her mom preaches is "not realistic at all."

Bristol Palin, who gave birth in late December, described the rigors of being a teen mom, and while she wouldn't go into detail why it isn't realistic for guys and gals her age not to have sex, she did say it isn't smart to get knocked up.

"Everyone should wait 10 years," Palin said. "I hope people learn from my story. It's so much easier if you're married, have a house and career. It's not a situation you want to strive for."

She denied that her mother's anti-abortion views were the reason she went ahead with the pregnancy."It was my choice to have the baby," she said. "It doesn't matter what my mom's views are on it. It was my decision."

I'm not surprised that wasn't on the RR message boards before. Sarah Palin is their hero: fundamentalist, pro life, wife, mother to 5 children, dumb as a rock.

This post has so far generated 3 pages of replies, but it's this exchange started by Felixthecat that I find interesting.

Felixthecat: Well we do't have Palin family values in this household. If Sarah and her husband can't raise their own family properly, I sure don't want her as my President which is also a postion of leadership ... .I like Paul ... and his requirements for positions of leadership ... home life had to be lived as an example and that included the kiddies ... .

This is exactly what liberal critics of the religious right have been saying all along. Don't preach about everybody else when your own actions are exactly the same as those you preach about. (Felixthecat is not a troll. He/She has been posting regularly, in accordance with all the rest, for as long as I've been following the RR message boards.)

HeIsEnough (a SUPER Moderator!): That's really only in reference to leadership in the body of Christ, which is a higher calling than even the President of the United States, imo. So you only need to practice what you preach if you are a minister? Presidents shouldn't be expected to live up to their own morals? I bet that's exactly the tune SuperMod would sing if Obama were caught en flagrante.

Howdy: So easy to judge

felixthecat then achieves wisdom, perhaps accidentally: Oh, so Christians aren't to strive for what are His values? Since when is this true?

So a politician who openly claims to be a politician doesn't have to live what they believe? Where in the Bible are politicians excluded from this? I missed that.When any person takes on a public office they are being judged. We are to make judgement calls. THAT is in my Bible.

How they live and what their values and beliefs are are reflected in their lifestyle choices. How they raise their family shows their values and beliefs in action and how well they manage others.

To be brutally blunt I am so tired of Christianty used as a club to silence people like me when hypocrisy is pointed out. I am so tired of leaders of either stripe claiming to be "Christians" and leading lives that are very unChristian.

This kind of unChristian living hurts Christianity. It makes Christianity laughable. It fuels disbelief and cynicism.

Next you'll hear ... "no one is perfect". Of course that's true but many do a significantly better job than others and are more credible as authority figures and better suited for leadership in a church or politics.

Teen pregnancy is a MAJOR problem. Not all teens get pregnant. And here you have a duaghter proclaiming that it is impossible to have self control when it comes to sex. Now what does this say about "family values"? Or even "family values" from a Christian standpoint? Has abstaining just become a campaign slogan to recruit social conservatives? Is it I say one thing and my family lives another and that's fine?I'm a wierdo.

If someone claims to be a Christian, I want Christian family values promoted and lived by the person claiming to be a Christian. I YEARN for someone, male or female that can LIVE Christian values in the political arena. I'd like to see a Christian run, win and show how Christian family values DO WORK and see it in their family. THAT would be the example I'd like in a leader - secular or "religious".I know the media says otherwise ... but it is really true that Christian PARENTS can make a huge difference in the life of their kids. Parents teach them right from wrong. It is PARENTS that have the most impact. When they aren't around much ... trouble brews.

Getting back to the Bible, Paul also talks about the obligation to the family if a person serves Him directly. Often "saving souls" and "missionary work" is used as an excuse to NEGLECT their own family. I see lots of that going on ... . For what? Fame? Self game? It's not worth it.

wow. I'm used to that sort of stunning indictment- from the left, from atheists, not from fundamentalist christians. felixthecat is absolutely right. Abstinence, prolife, family values, etc are just campaign slogans used to secure votes. I've never seen anyone on the right actually notice before.

note: I am not blaming Sarah Palin for her daughter's behavior, nor am I judging Bristol Palin's decisions. However, the blatant hypocrisy of the right setting themselves up as the ultimate arbiters of "family values" is just plain wrong.