Here are some of the week’s most notable quotes culled from news reports from across Texas, and beyond.
David Lane, who is running Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s outreach to evangelical voters for his potential presidential run, calling on Christians to become martyrs in order to stop same-sex marriage.
If America is to be put in its place – put right – Christians must risk martyrdom and force Babel to the crux where it has to decide either to acknowledge Jesus an imperator and the church as God’s imperium or to begin drinking holy blood.
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Texas Gov. Rick Perry, after signing the “Merry Christmas” bill.
Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion.
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U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., whose measure banning abortions after 20 weeks was being considered in the House Judiciary Committee, arguing against a Democratic amendment to make exceptions for rape and incest.
Before, when my friends on the left side of the aisle here tried to make rape and incest the subject — because, you know, the incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low.
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Ralph Hall, a 90-year-old Republican congressman from Texas who is a fierce defender of the Defense of Marriage Act, on mistakenly showing up at a Houston LGBT event.
Many of those in attendance probably were surprised to see me walk in, but were not surprised to see me leave quickly.
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Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, speaking at the 2013 Pastors’ Conference in Houston.
I think we need to recognize it may be time to quit worrying so much about the tax code and start thinking more about the truth of the living God, and if that means we give up our tax-exempt status, I choose freedom more than I choose a deduction. I never gave a dime to God solely because it was a tax decision.
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Pat Robertson, on Tim Tebow being cut by the New York Jets.
I think the treatment of Tim Tebow by the New York Jets is nothing short of shameful. He could have made a tremendous fullback if that’s what they’d used him for . . . it was just a travesty. . . . He’s got an incredible attitude, and, man, has he got muscles! He’s been working out and got this chest and muscles. . . . Anyhow, the Jets, they ought to get the Goat Of The Year award.
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Iowa GOP chairman A.J. Spiker announcing the Iowa Republican Party will showcase Cruz at an annual picnic in Des Moines on July 19.
Senator Ted Cruz embodies bold leadership and Iowa Republicans appreciate leaders who stand up for them and fight big government recklessness. Ted Cruz is, without a doubt, a leader Iowans will want to meet.
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Remington Reimer, 19, a Joshua (Texas) valedictorian who gained national attention after the microphone was turned off during his June 6 graduation speech, in which he admittedly veered from the text to make sectarian religious remarks.
But most importantly, I want to thank God for giving up his only Son for us to an excruciating death on a cross so his blood would cover all our shortcomings and provide for us a way to heaven in accepting his grace.
I congratulate Mr.Huckabee to be far ahead on this in his camp (provided he is honest). Most of his companions worship Mammon far too much to give up tax deductions in favor of their faith. Admittedly, few get it actually taken away despite being blatantly politically partisan on the pulpit.
“If America is to be put in its place – put right – Christians must risk martyrdom and force Babel to the crux where it has to decide either to acknowledge Jesus an imperator and the church as God’s imperium or to begin drinking holy blood.”
Of course, the irony here is that Rand Paul is a Libertarian Republican. As a matter of philosophy, with Russian atheist Ayn Rand as their high priestess, these Libertarians make it clear in their own writings and statements of political belief that they share none of the Biblical moral aspirations of Christian conservatives, yet they are cynically trying to organize them to be soldiers in their cause. Talk about the fox trying to run the hen house!!!! This shows in spades just how corrupt and Jesusly bankrupt the whole Republican cause has become. They ought to quit calling it the GOP and start calling it “Irony Incorporated.”
“I think we need to recognize it may be time to quit worrying so much about the tax code and start thinking more about the truth of the living God, and if that means we give up our tax-exempt status, I choose freedom more than I choose a deduction. I never gave a dime to God solely because it was a tax decision.”
The next logical step after this will be a Religious Civil War in the United States. Both sides of the American political aisle, who both hate each other with a perfect hatred, will then divide up politically along church lines. The Southern Baptists will then all feel compelled by righteous politicoreligious passion to take up their rifles and shotguns and go over to the Episcopal Church to blow everyone away—men, women, children. Get rid of the enemies of God so our nation can be righteous, pure, and holy again—fully deserving of the Lord’s “blessins.”
Mark my word. If what Huckabee wants actually happens, I am moving my family to New Zealand because there will not be safe street corner anywhere in the United States.
Rand Paul is not a Libertarian. He is willing to use the power of government to mess with people’s lives to achieve political ends that match his authoritarian agenda. Paul is a “Republican Libertarian,” quite a different species. With the Republican adjective, Paul can be as hypocritical a libertarian as he wants to be. Paul supports government restrictions on abortion. He does not support legalization of marijuana or the right of gays to marry, both true libertarian positions. On foreign and military policy, he is a neoconservative who supports the war on Islam and Israel’s interests over the rights of Palestinians. Paul is a dogmatic Christian who supports government transgressing of the secular foundation of our Constitution and government. There are many other examples of Paul’s non-libertarian policies.
Ayn Rand was not a Libertarian. She was an Objectivist who had a very dim view of Libertarianism and often criticized it. Ayn Rand was famously an atheist as were many of her closest followers. Objectivists have always supported birth control, abortion rights, and secularism. Rand Paul, and his equally hypocritical and highly religious father Ron Paul, have always opposed these. Their pseudo-libertarian and pseudo-Objectivism (stated admiration for the philosophy of Ayn Rand) stance were in name only and really a form of anti-government populism and opportunism that appealed to selfish individuals who hated the federal government, primarily for its tax policy and restrictions on business. Rand Paul is as nutsy as his father and only support government when they can use it to their advantage. They are as sickening as the ignorant people who voted for them.
“Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion.”
“It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” Thomas Jefferson, 1782.