Issue:

Jesus' answer:

Republican stand:

Democratic stand:

Should gays be allowed to marry?

Inferred to be generally disapproving but this would have been reflective of the mores of Mediterranean and Jewish culture, lumped together with other types of discouraged behavior, e.g., "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Cor. 6:9-10) If this passage was trying to make a point about homosexuality specifically it was clear that being covetous or a swindler or a "reviler" was just as bad.

Unnatural, a threat to marriage, the family, perhaps even national security (Jerry Falwell famously attributed the Twin Towers attacks to inter alia homosexuals. Bush has expressed support for those who wish to amend the Constitution to prohibit same sex marriage.

Some Republicans, such as Sheri Dew, a Mormon publisher and activist who gave the 2004 Republican National Convention invocation, likened opposition to gay marriage to opposition to Hitler.

Generally more tolerant although few major political candidates support gay marriage; most oppose a Constitutional Prohibition but support a form of partnership.

Should abortion be legal?

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N/A - no safe, effective abortion was available in Biblical times.

Abortion is murder; there is no difference between terminating a 6-week-old pregnancy and murdering a sentient adult human being.

Federal funding should be cut off from any organization that even talks about abortion.

Doctors should be forbidden from discussing abortion as one of several options with their patients.

Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare. No one is "pro abortion" but this decision should be between a woman and her doctor.

Should scientifically-based sexual education be taught in the public schools?

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N/A - no safe, effective birth control was available in Biblical times.

Children and young adults should be prohibited about learning about contraception and effective family planning techniques. This ban should be extended to women in poor countries that receive United States aid. Faith-based programs such as "abstinence-only" programs that promote the religious ideal of chastity before marriage may be allowed, regardless of efficacy.

Yes.

Should the teaching of the theory of evolution be prohibited?

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The theory of evolution was not developed until over 1800 years after Jesus. The Bible is silent on evolution, fossils, geology, and deep time.

In the Georgia public schools, a campaign has been launched to place a sticker on all textbooks warning evolution is only a theory; no other scientific theories will carry such a warning. Religious theories such as "intelligent design" will be taught in their place.

Scientific theories will be taught based on their merit and the weight of evidence supporting them, not idiosyncratic interpretations of ancient texts.

Should we pass massive tax cuts that go mostly to the wealthiest in our society?

There are approximately 7,000 passages dealing with Christ's concerns re the poor and down-trodden. It is unlikely that he would have seen a reduction in the capital gains tax as consistent with his teachings of compassion for the poor.

Yes.

No.

Should we torture detainees?

When Christ said to love your enemies he probably didn't mean to torture (or even kill) them.

White House memos and public comments by senior administration officials make quite clear that torture prohibitions are not viewed as universal, and torture has been widely documented in detention centers in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantánamo Bay.

The Democratic Party has failed to make a consistent, unequivocal condemnation of the Bush administration's torture policy, although some Democrats, such as Senator Kennedy have admitted "we have a torture problem."

Should we launch a "pre-emptive" war?

(Matt. 5:9)

Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto thee, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turned him the other also. (Matt. 5:38 39)

As with torture, when Christ said to love your enemies he probably didn't mean to kill them. Jesus was not known as the Prince of Pre-emptive War. A Christian trying to rationalize pre-emptive war (which in the case of Iraq now appears to have been a war of aggression) might claim Christ was relatively silent on military matters, but endorsement of war seems far-fetched if not sacrilegious.

Yes.

The Democrats were unwilling or unable to make a clear, consistent stand on this issue in the 2004 election, instead quibbling about operational details (the How rather than the Why).

Do you support capital punishment?

As a victim of capital punishment, one might think Jesus could be Exhibit A in why capital punishment a.) can get the wrong guy and b.) is ineffective.

President Bush approved of more executions while government of Texas than any other governor and it is quite clear from his "dead or alive" rhetoric that he supports capital punishment.

More opponents of the death penalty are Democratic than Republican but many conservative Democrats support the death penalty.