Backlash to Pete Buttigieg's Christmas tweet and the religious divide it exposes

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

This Christmas, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg sought to draw his followers to a sacred story that helps shape the presidential candidate’s worldview and politics. But the pushback he received — mostly from conservative Christians — illuminates how one of the burgeoning culture wars during the 2020 election is the meaning of Christianity.

Buttigieg, an Episcopalian who often discusses his faith on the campaign trail, sought to tie the Nativity story to some of the issues dominating political discourse. He tweeted:

“Today I join millions around the world in celebrating the arrival of divinity on earth, who came into this world not in riches but in poverty, not as a citizen but as a refugee. No matter where or how we celebrate, merry Christmas."

-snip-

During a March CNN town hall, Buttigieg wondered aloud how Vice President Pence, a conservative Christian who built a national profile by supporting legislation critics said would discriminate against gay people, could support Trump, who used to be a staple of New York tabloids for his playboy lifestyle.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/elections-2020/backlash-to-pete-buttigiegs-christmas-tweet-and-the-religious-divide-it-exposes/ar-BBYmEzs?li=BBnb7Kz

[Kurt V.]

1. as a nonbeliever, this subject is fascinating and worthy of deep analysis.

[Merlot]

11. As a nonbeliever, this subject is mildly amusing, then quickly forgotten

[myohmy2]

18. as a believer...

...I'm shocked and dismayed...

[Joinfortmill]

2. Much ado about nothing

We have much bigger things to worry about, like a traitor in the White House.

[BootinUp]

3. Pete is showing one way to skin the cat.

And he’s very good at it.

[Merlot]

12. That's catist!

[BootinUp]

13. Well it's an old saying for sure. nt

[Hav]

4. I was expecting a statement that could be interpreted as controversial

But it seems that people feel the disconnect between what their religion supposedly preaches and their hatred, especially in regards to immigrants and the poor. Instead of trying to reconcile that, they lash out.

[redqueen]

23. +1

[mcar]

5. How in the world could any real Christian object to this?

[Dave in VA]

6. The key word is

"real"

[SMC22307]

7. That's a beautiful tweet... obviously I'm not a conservative Christian.

I'm not even religious, but appreciate this tack Buttigieg is taking. The Religious Left needs to be heard.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. Meh.

Also, according to the story, Christ came into the world as a citizen, counted where Joseph was from, and *then* the family fled into Egypt. Picky, but this lapsed Catholic can't help it.

[PatrickforO]

9. Boy, is that a misleading headline or what?

One thing I'll for sure agree with. If Jesus came to earth again and began preaching the same things he did in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 5-7, Trump supporting evangelicals would ridicule him, then smear him, then threaten him, and then finally...



they would CRUCIFY him.




Because the Republican platform, and our 'free market' capitalist utopia has absolutely no resemblance to anything that you could actually call Christian.

[pangaia]

10. jesus wasn't even born in december.. what a waste of blabbering

[mr_lebowski]

14. There's quite a compelling case to be made that he's an entirely fictitious character ...

which would, of course mean that he was never born at all.

[pangaia]

22. I considered that when I posted, :)

So I figured I was including both possibilities... WRONG birth day, or NO birthday.

[Renew Deal]

16. Is this how you begin birthday cards?

Dear xxxxx,
Today I am attending your party, but today isn't even your real birthday. Happy Birthday anyway. Love, Me

[pangaia]

21. But, but.. it is not a real birthday...

[Runningdawg]

15. My least fav thing about him - stop talking about religion!!!

[lees1975]

17. Where's the problem?

It's that Buttigieg said it. It's the context. If GWB, who was a Methodist not an Evangelical, had said it, they'd point to it as proof he was one of them.

[Capt. America]

19. As a former Christian, now atheist, I still believe it is okay for a candidate to be "guided" by

Christian (Buddhist, etc.) ethics (as I still am) but there is a fine line between personal belief and secular responsibility in the public sphere.
As long as a candidate or elected official does not attempt to make public policy that benefits one specific religion it is okay that the genesis of the policy may also align with a personal faith.

[KPN]

20. Pete's got it all over tRump when it comes to being Christian. That'll show in the GE should

he win the nomination. He'd be tough to beat in my view.