GOP: “Ouch! Obama Keeps Bonking Us Over The Head With The Bible!”

As a student of culture, I’ve seen politicians complain about a lot of things– especially during the Obama presidency.

Never before have I seen someone get blamed for so many things. Gas prices are too high. Now gas prices are too low. Executive orders which were celebrated under Bush are all of a sudden “illegal” and “unconstitutional.” I’m almost surprised that Obama doesn’t get blamed for the weather– but who knows, maybe that’s happened and I didn’t hear about it.

Now the GOP has a new item on the list: the complaint that Obama keeps “bonking us over the head with the Bible.”

In a recent interview with American Family Radio, Congressman Dave Brat lamented the perilous state of affairs that has left so many members of the GOP with a massive hangover-like headache:

“He’s using the Christian tradition and trying to bring about compassion by bonking Republicans over the head with the Bible,” Brat complained in reference to the crazy idea that we should welcome refugees.

<sarcasm> Ugh. I mean, how dare someone try to use the Bible to bring about compassion for refugees? Simply unheard of I tell you. A total, gross misuse of scripture that compassion and love stuff is.

If left unchecked, before you know it they’ll be distorting the Bible to the point where the main character in the story becomes a Middle Eastern refugee as a child, who then grows up to teach others that we should welcome the immigrant because he is the immigrant.

For real. You just don’t know the lengths some people will go to. </sarcasm>

While I admit, complaining that Obama keeps using the Bible to thump Bible-thumpers is somewhat amusing, what isn’t amusing is the claim Brat went onto make:

“Our side, the conservative side, needs to reeducate its people that we own the entire tradition.” (Emphasis mine)

Conservatives own the entire Christian tradition?

This is what is so dangerous about some forms of American Christianity: instead of putting God first and following Jesus regardless of what label some folks slap on us, there are too many in our culture who actually believe they own God– and that our Holy Scriptures are a slave to their perverted political ideology.

Let me be clear: No one owns Jesus. No one owns the Christian tradition.

And it certainly isn’t owned by some secular, American political ideology.

The Christian tradition, and the founder who started it, is beyond American politics; beyond national boundaries, beyond party affiliation, and is certainly beyond the liberal/conservative divide.

No party has a monopoly on who is allowed to use the Bible to spur others onto love and compassion. Not Republicans, not Democrats, not anyone.

But my best advice for those who are tired of the President bonking them over the head with the Bible?

Try reading it. It’s a great book– even Donald Trump says so.

You can listen to Brat’s comments, here:

H/T: HuffPo