The TNGOP Castigates Cohen For Joke On House Floor
Posted on September 10, 2008 at 2:36 pmRobin Smith is livid over comments made by Rep. Steve Cohen asserting that Jesus was a “community organizer” and Pontius Pilate was a “Governor”:
“Frankly, we’re shocked that Rep. Cohen, a Memphis Democrat who was targeted by vicious anti-Jewish slurs and bigotry during his two successful runs for Congress, would make such idiotic and offensive comments,” said Robin Smith, chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party. “Comparing Gov. Palin to the killer of Christ is simply beyond the pale. Gov. Palin’s strong Christian life and faith are self-evident.”
The Tennessee GOP notes that Cohen’s comparing Obama to Christ by calling Jesus Christ a ‘community organizer’ is yet another example of Obama supporters’ penchant for describing Obama in near-messianic terms. But it is likely to be an affront to Christians who believe Jesus to be the divine Messiah. “As a ‘community organizer,’ Barack Obama was just another foot-soldier in the corrupt Daley political machine in Chicago,” Smith said.
I must say you have to admire the savvy of the Tennessee Republican Party for shining a spotlight on the role Pontius Pilate in the death of Christ. Especially, when their political adversary in this case is a Jew.
There’s nothing like a Passion of the Christ-style debate on the death of the Lord and Savior. Who’s up for it?
Did Steve Cohen really compare Sarah Palin to the “killer” of Christ? Is that an accurate way to describe Pilate’s role in the death of Christ? Were there any others responsible?
Could it be said that it was humanity at large who was responsible for Christ’s death?
What does this say about the Sarah Palin comparison? If Pontius Pilate left the fate of Christ up to the “people” could he not be said to have been a promoter of Democracy in the Middle East? Is that a good thing? Bad thing? Why or why not?
SEE ALSO:
Hitler was a community organizer
Jesus Christ Was NOT a Community Organizer!
Comments
19 Responses to “The TNGOP Castigates Cohen For Joke On House Floor”
Wow, my Roman Catholic friend, looking way to deep on this one.
Either way, its a bad analogy. Either Cohen is comparing Obama to the deity of billions of humans; or he’s comparing Palin to the facilitator of His execution.
Now, we can was poetic about the necessity of that execution in order to jump start the religion known as Catholicism and its bastard brother Protestantism, but all the same…not something Obama needed at this time.
Does anyone care? Is this really something that will move voters? I doubt it.
Was that actually a joke AC? Your headline is misleading. Cohen didn’t look like he was joking. The “Jesus was a community organizer, Pilate was a governor” line has been making the rounds via e-mail and left-wing blogs since Palin’s RNC speech.
Obama is Jesus — that’s clearly the implication. Obama forgoes a job in the corporate world to go and fight for the little guy. The TNGOP press release aside, wouldn’t you agree that’s an inappropriate comparison?
I thought the Jews killed Jesus and everything bad that’s happened to us since then has been our punishment. That’s what Sarah Palin’s pastor said anyway.
I don’t understand what is so hard to understand. Some Jewish zealots served Jesus up on a platter to Pilate who put him to death in order to go along to get along. That they were Jewish doesn’t matter, the problem is with fundamentalism period.
Who cares? *I* care. Anyone who objects to Obama being equated with their Messiah cares.
It was a stupid thing for Cohen to say. He didn’t need to go there and he’s only added to the pile of Democrat misstatements that are getting higher and higher. With friends like Wright, Ayers, Cohen, et al the Republican Party doesn’t have to do much at all except say “Look at that.”
If Pontius Pilate isn’t responsible for Jesus’ death than Bush isn’t responsible for any death row execution in Texas or as President. Can’t have it both ways.
Jesus’ death was an essential part of the redemption plan. It matters little who actually did the deed.
Goddamn mixing religion and politics. I mean . . . gosh darn it.
How about the Repubs stop faking their hysteria and either join the clergy or run for office?
JB is BS’ing. It’s no more the implication than when Southern Baptists argue that husbands are over their wives as Christ is over the church. You can’t selectively apply metaphors, conservatives. If so, then you must concede that a large part of your base–Southern Baptists–advocate the idea that that married males are Christs.
Instead of everyone throwing one-liner demogoguery at each other, can’t we simply agree that Cohen was way out of line and move on. Cohen said this to get his name in the media and to inject himself into the fray. He is likely sitting back now laughing at the media, basking in the limelight and smirking at the blogs. Its typical Cohen.
Now, I’m going back to my regularly scheduled life.
If Pontius Pilate isn’t responsible for Jesus’ death than Bush isn’t responsible for any death row execution in Texas or as President.
Responsible? Maybe not. Took an unseemly amount of pleasure in doing his job? Yes. Presided over a corrupt and broken judicial system? Most definitely.
You’re all missing the bigger, better question: Who’s Barabbas?
The story of Bar-Abba–literally translated “son of the father”– is a parable for our time. Over Passover the masses were allowed to free one prisoner. They were given a choice between two freedom fighters out to achieve the same basic goal– the liberation of Jews from Roman imperialism. One was the peaceful son of God. The other was a murderous son of man. Given a choice between the two the nasses (rather than Pilate) chose the more obvious man of action–Barabbas, the proven fighter. They condemn Christ and all his talk about turning cheeks and beating swords to plow shears (and giving to Caesar what’s Caesar’s).
It’s stupid to build these kinds of analogies but I never claimed not to be stupid.
Goodness, what a kerfuffle. I am a Christian, but I don’t understand the hysteria. It’s an analogy, a metaphor, a joke. Both sides in this election [and most every other election I've ever witnessed] have said things that were funny to them and offensive to the other side.
I don’t think anyone should view themselves as wearing a white hat here.
I guess you [Democrat, Republican, other] CAN go around taking personal offense at these kind of slings, but it seems like a waste of time to me.
None of this hysteria fixes health care or educates children.
Lcreekmo, you’ve nailed it, this is all a commotion to distract everyone from the obvious: Republicans are woefully incompetent at self-government because they hate the idea of self-government. They believe they are morally and intellectually superior to everyone else and they are enraged that we don’t bow to them like good little serfs.
Change is coming, but it won’t be good for THEM.
[...] The TNGOP Castigates Cohen For Joke On House Floor By Kleinheider ?As a ?community organizer,? Barack Obama was just another foot-soldier in the corrupt Daley political machine in Chicago,? Smith said. I must say you have to admire the savvy of the Tennessee Republican Party for shining a spotlight on … Post Politics: Political News… - http://politics.nashvillepost.com [...]
You can put lipstick on Robin Smith but she’s still a …
Sir, I take umbrage; I do not appreciate it when poor sweet animals are insulted like that.
[...] Listening to folks actually sit around and discuss who killed Christ and whether you could actually …, as if it has some bearing on the bumper sticker nature of the original comment? Funniest. [...]
What a hoot. If anybody was a community organizer it was Peter, not Jesus and that’s still a stretch.
To understand the philosophy of the Alinsky model of organizing that Obama did then compare it to the work of Jesus is pretty obtuse. I don’t have a single political opinion that would agree with Cohen’s, but I always kind of liked him. I’m amazed he’d use the Daily Kos, home of hate speach, for a source of “humor.”
By the way if you want to understand more about “community organizing” you could always look up Clinton’s senior thesis at Welleselly. Do you remember the one that was locked up because the Clinton’s didn’t want to be associated with its radical left-wing subject matter? Yep, it was about Alinsky’s community organizing.
subk, that’s a nice try, but your logic is fatally flawed.
Evangelism = community organizing.
There are many different models of how to accomplish it, but at it’s core, its the same.