# Jesus: Republican or Democrat **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 31, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172 "2004-10-31T17:21:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/1 "2004-10-31T17:21:31Z")
I was having a discussion with a friend (something along the lines of, “I hope to god that Bush loses”) which eventually led me to say, “Well, I think Jesus would be a democrat, so if there is a god, he’s on our side.” What do you think? Would Jesus knock doors for the DNC? He’s pretty much a holy hippie, down to the sandals. He has that whole “turn the other cheek” and “love thy neighbor” thing down. He’s obviously pro-welfare, and I’ve never heard of him supporting any kind of war. I don’t know where he would stand on abortion though, so that may be an important issue. I suspect he would be pro-life. OTOH, he might be pro-stem cell research, so that’s another point for Kerry. OTOH, I think Old Testament God is definitely a Republican. Wrath this and smite that. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/2 "2004-10-31T17:35:27Z")
I thought that Jesus, and subsequently the early Christians, made kind of a point of attempting to transcend earthly political issues. It wasn’t till a few centuries later that Christians thought they had a duty to get involved in questions of temporal governance. Or am I wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/3 "2004-10-31T17:37:56Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I thought that Jesus, and subsequently the early Christians, made kind of a point of attempting to transcend earthly political issues. It wasn’t till a few centuries later that Christians thought they had a duty to get involved in questions of temporal governance. Or am I wrong? Good point, though I suspect that had a lot to do with the fact that getting involved with earthly political issues would mean pissing off the Romans even more, and look what happened when he just flipped a table over… ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/4 "2004-10-31T17:38:44Z")
I’d have to say that since he didn’t really take sides even then…he’d have to be a third party. Sorry **Zagadka** I know that’s probably NOT the answer you wanted to hear. But love thy neighbor and turn the other cheek just ain’t what either side is saying these days. Besides they’d (the dems and the gop) would probably (in fact) consider him to be a terrorist anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/5 "2004-10-31T17:48:17Z")
“Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” = TAX and SPEND liberal democrat!!! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/6 "2004-10-31T18:20:27Z")
Acts describes early Christian communities that lived together communally, sharing all that they owned and having no private ownership of property. Jesus said to pay your taxes, to give all that you own to the poor, and that rich people can’t go to Heaven. He was also a pacifist, a feminist and an egalitarian. He was far too liberal to be a Democrat. He was actually much closer to being a Marxist. ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/7 "2004-10-31T18:23:19Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Acts describes early Christian communities that lived together communally, sharing all that they owned and having no private ownership of property. Jesus said to pay your taxes, to give all that you own to the poor, and that rich people can’t go to Heaven. He was also a pacifist, a feminist and an egalitarian. > > He was far too liberal to be a Democrat. He was actually much closer to being a Marxist. I thihk Jesus and I would get along very well. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/8 "2004-10-31T18:23:46Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > He was far too liberal to be a Democrat. He was actually much closer to being a Marxist. Which is why, growing up, I always found it weird that communists were atheists and capitalists where Christians. I thought it should have been the other way round. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/9 "2004-10-31T19:19:58Z")
Oh, definitely Libertarian. Told me so himself ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/10 "2004-10-31T19:20:17Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Which is why, growing up, I always found it weird that communists were atheists and capitalists where Christians. I thought it should have been the other way round. What I find weird is that devout Christians in the US lean strongly Republican. Other than possibly the issue of abortion (and the Bible is a bit vague on that, given that Jewish law isn’t necessarily against all abortions), if these folks were voting based on Biblical teaching they should be liberal Democrats. While it is unlikely there will ever be a pro-life Democrat presidential nomination, why aren’t these Christians backing pro-life Democrat candidates for the House and Senate? ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/11 "2004-10-31T19:36:12Z")
Well, I imagine personal experience would make him anti-death penalty. And I hear that he was sort of an “anybody but Herod” voter. As for why most christians back Republican candidates, I think it stems from two things. The first is that the Dems have been increasingly identified as the champions of secularism and seperation of church and state. The second reason is that when a lot of people think of religious values in the US, they think of things that are more informed by the values of American Protestants like pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, teaching your own children and a stong belief in private property, rather then religious values that come directly from the bible. This explains, I think, why Catholics tend to brake Democratic. They tend to be have been exposed to less of the “pilgrim image” of American religious life. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/12 "2004-10-31T19:42:05Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > Well, I imagine personal experience would make him anti-death penalty. I once heard a Christian fundamentalist claim that Jesus must have supported the death penalty, or he wouldn’t have allowed it to be used on him. This guy was being completely serious. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/13 "2004-10-31T19:47:08Z")
> [@furt](#): > > Oh, definitely Libertarian. > > Told me so himself You beat me to it! I wonder what \*\*Lib \*\*would have to say about this. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/14 "2004-10-31T19:50:36Z")
I think I beat him to it, too. Of course I think he might _mean_ it more than I did… ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/15 "2004-10-31T19:51:45Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > As for why most christians back Republican candidates, I think it stems from two things. The first is that the Dems have been increasingly identified as the champions of secularism and seperation of church and state. > > The second reason is that when a lot of people think of religious values in the US, they think of things that are more informed by the values of American Protestants like pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, teaching your own children and a stong belief in private property, rather then religious values that come directly from the bible. This explains, I think, why Catholics tend to brake Democratic. They tend to be have been exposed to less of the “pilgrim image” of American religious life. Jesus seemed to have believed in separation of church and state. He didn’t try to set up a theocracy. And that pioneer mentality really is independent of religious values. I would expect the pioneer mentality to be equally as common amongst those who aren’t particularly religious. As for Catholics, they tend to go Democratic because they are a minority in the US, and the Protestants have aligned themselves with the Pubs. If there isn’t strong separation of church and state, then it would be the Protestant version of Christianity that the state would back. Plus the Roman Catholic Church is hierachical. Catholics don’t need no steenkin politicians to tell them how pray, worship, etc. The priests, bishops, cardinals, etc. can handle that just fine without the state getting involved. Note Catholics aren’t particularly keen about the idea of prayer in public schools. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/16 "2004-10-31T20:02:58Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > I once heard a Christian fundamentalist claim that Jesus must have supported the death penalty, or he wouldn’t have allowed it to be used on him. This guy was being completely serious. :smack: That guy may have had a point. Basically, the death of Jesus is an early case of suicide by cop. First Jesus causes a disturbance at the Temple at a time when the Romans were concerned about rebellion, and when Jesus is brought before Pilate he didn’t even try to say anything to save his ass. Jesus not only allowed the death penalty to be used on him, he _actively_ sought out being crucified. I have my doubts about the historical accuracy of the Biblical account of the death of Jesus. In particular, that Pilate actively tried to find an excuse not to crucify Jesus. However, as the person you mention above was a Christian fundamentalist, I presume he assumed what the Bible says was 100% true. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/17 "2004-10-31T20:11:43Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > Jesus seemed to have believed in separation of church and state. He didn’t try to set up a theocracy. And that pioneer mentality really is independent of religious values. I would expect the pioneer mentality to be equally as common amongst those who aren’t particularly religious. You might be right as my evidence is fairly anecdotal, but I have a friend who is part of the Assembly of God (Ashcoft’s church, I belive) and I’ve gone with her a few times and discussed religion with the parishoners. In talking with them, I was struck by the extent they consider their values (with the exception of the pro-life thing) seemed closer to what I considered the “rugged individualist” and less of what I usually associate with traditional sunday school type items. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/18 "2004-10-31T20:25:38Z")
> [@Malodorous](#): > > You might be right as my evidence is fairly anecdotal, but I have a friend who is part of the Assembly of God (Ashcoft’s church, I belive) and I’ve gone with her a few times and discussed religion with the parishoners. In talking with them, I was struck by the extent they consider their values (with the exception of the pro-life thing) seemed closer to what I considered the “rugged individualist” and less of what I usually associate with traditional sunday school type items. [http://www.electoral-vote.com/pred/index.html](http://www.electoral-vote.com/pred/index.html) Look at that, and note that all the Western mountain states, which I associate the most with “rugged individualist”, are all leaning Republican except for NM. With the notable exception of Utah, these aren’t the states most associated with being devoutly religious. And the Bible Belt south is strongly Republican, yet they aren’t all that “rugged individualist”. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/19 "2004-10-31T21:14:50Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > You beat me to it! > > I wonder what \*\*Lib \*\*would have to say about this. Jesus is the consumate libertarian: He never initiates force, but defends fiercely His property when usurpers and trespassers have squated there. He compels no one to believe in Him or to give to charity, and respects the rights of others as a gracious guest in their homes. He is a champion of volunteerism and freewill. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172/20 "2004-10-31T21:22:42Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] J but defends fiercely His property when usurpers and trespassers have squated there.[/QUOTE Is that in reference to his actions against the moneychangers at the temple? If so, how could the temple, in a libertarian sense, be considered his property? If not, can you elaborate? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-republican-or-democrat/272172.md?page=2)