Rick Perry explains the cause of the bad economy: it's a lesson from God

[Video Link] Multimillionaire presidential candidate Rick Perry tells an audience of rapt listeners to appreciate the economic crisis that is making life difficult for them. It's just God's way of bringing us back to Biblical principals. (Via Cynical-C)

• [mtdna]

  I can’t figure out when this interview was. Is it recent?

• [Graysmith]

  God is a jerk.

  • [Rob]

    Ah, good to see someone has read the Bible.

  • [Richard Edwards]

    well when you meet him youlet him know that. you might want to rethink your views.

• [IRMO]

  Perhaps the governor should entertain the notion that the Texas drought is a message of God’s wrath about the execution of Todd Willingham and his coverup of the errors made in that case. 

  • [Threedonia]

    he just might think that IRMO… but if you knew anything of Texas law (or cared to argue specific policies) you’d now the Governor has no power to commute death sentences for longer than one 30 day reprieve.

    • [IRMO]

      “he just might think that IRMO… but if you knew anything of Texas law (or cared to argue specific policies) you’d now the Governor has no power to commute death sentences for longer than one 30 day reprieve.”

      Governor Perry killed an investigation into the WIllingham case by replacing the investigators with people he knows will not be investigating too closely.

• [zombienietzsche]

  And Rick Perry is fucking crazy.

• [SerfCity]

  well that explains why all these churches are facing foreclosure:

  https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=church%20faces%20foreclosure&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&source=hp&channel=np

  Apparently they weren’t following the Bible like they should have been.

  • [Threedonia]

    Even though you’re being snide… you’re probably right.  Excessive debt is unbliblical.

• [Mordicai]

  Isn’t he…running for the job of Pharaoh?

  Anyhow, I agree, the Bible has tons to say about economics.  Unfortunately, what it says is mostly a call towards hardcore communism.  Jesus rolls around the Middle East talking about how screwed rich people are, & how only the poor people have it figured out, & for the rich to get into heaven they’ll have to give all their stuff to the poor people.  It really is a pretty stirring call for socialism!

  • [Threedonia]

    Communism… the Bible calls for political determinism and atheism?  Next!  Read it and then we can talk about what it says.

    • [Bruce Heerssen]

      Communism… has nothing to do with atheism. While it’s true that many communist regimes mandated state atheism, it is not true that atheism is a defining feature of Communism. Communism is, in fact, a Utopian system in which there is no class structure, in which everyone has an equal share in the products of society no matter their social standing. 

      Like religion, the trappings of communism are often assumed by authoritarian regimes as a way to lend legitimacy to their abuses. Seen in this light, one understands that state atheism is more a way to supplant peoples’ religions with religious adherence to state policy.

      From Acts II

      42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe [4] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

    • [Mordicai]

      Matthew 19:23-24, Mark 10:24-25, and Luke 18:24-25.  Not a bad starting point.  Luke 16:19-31 is pretty good, too.  1 Timothy 6:10, Luke 6:20, Mark 4:19, Matthew 13:22, Luke 8:14.  Luke 12:33 is a really good one!  Mark 10:17–30, Matthew 19:16–29, Luke 18:18–30.  Those ought to give you a decent jumping off point, if you, you know, actually want to read it.

    • [Richard Edwards]

      have read still read it now lets talk

• [DA]

  “Principles”
   
  @Graysmith: http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2344#comic

• [mccrum]

  I recall something in the bible about rich people, heaven, needles and camels but I can’t for the life of me figure out what that parable means. 

  If only it was in simple language instead of complex moral similes.

  • [xunker]

    The Conservative Bible project has found that “rich people” doesn’t mean “rich people” in their own translation, it means people who have money but aren’t well invested.

    Really, I’m serious: http://www.conservapedia.com/Matthew_10-19_(Translated)#Chapter_19

    • [donovan acree]

      @xunker:disqus I followed your link and it doesn’t say that at all.
      Here is what it says -’ “rich man” had a different connotation then than now. “Idle miser” better captures the original meaning. 
      ‘-

      As an atheist, I really enjoy seeing the religious re-define and translate what they consider the immutable word of god. It’s kind of like train spotting or butterfly collection. Each example is unique and gives me a tiny bit of joy.

  • [Amy Sims]

    Those with things that they hold dear to them (those with money in the parable) find a more difficult time seeing Jesus, His love, and forgiveness (putting a camel through an eye of the needle is just as hard) b/c they are so worried about holding on to their money, things, games, movies, books or whatever it maybe. Those who do not hold these things dear to their heart find it easier to let Jesus near.

    the “eye of a needle” could be referring to a small hole in their city walls in which they would have their pack camels enter in. this was a hard thing to accomplish but not impossible. in the same way it is a hard thing, but not impossible, for some to accept Jesus.

    • [styrofoam]

      Think your snark detector may need to be adjusted- it doesn’t quite seem to be set to a sensitive enough level for these parts.

    • [mccrum]

      So, you’re saying Rick Parry.  Right on.

    • [Mark_Frauenfelder]

      Is this what they teach you in Prosperity Gospel class?

    • [zombiebob]

      “the “eye of a needle” could be referring to a small hole in their city walls in which they would have their pack camels enter in. this was a hard thing to accomplish but not impossible. in the same way it is a hard thing, but not impossible, for some to accept Jesus.”
      Now, I don’t know if the following fits you or not, but why the hell is it that so many christians are somehow able to read some parts of the bible in a literal sense, but to contexualize or cry “METAPHOR” when the passages aren’t as easy on them or their beliefs? This is particularly troubling when it’s a fundie doing it.

      • [Antinous / Moderator]

        The probably correct translation is “rope through the eye of a needle.”

      • [sean greenskie]

        You know how to get a camel through that? He has to bow his head and lower himself. hard to make a camel do that also hard to make a rich man do that cause he thinks he deserves all he has and it’s not a blessing but earned.

  • [bruckelsprout]

    Soon it will all be possible.  Right now, billions of dollars are being poured into scientific research to genetically engineer a camel that is the size of a needle’s eye.

    (Building a gigantic needle would be cheating, and not what God meant at all.)

  • [Richard Edwards]

    it means rich people care more for their money than anything else. we are to care for one another not how much money we have if you trust in God he will supply your every need if not then it is fend for yourself

• [Brainspore]

  Given Jesus’ general attitude toward moneylenders it’s hard to believe that he’d approve of a political campaign largely underwritten by Goldman Sachs.

• [Chuck]

  But can we pray for money?  And if we can pray for money, should we do it at the same time that we pray for rain, or a different time?  Because … ya know, I wouldn’t want my money to get wet.

• [Vladi DLR]

  “Let me give you a little inside information about God. God likes to
  watch. He’s a prankster. Think about it. He gives man instincts. He
  gives you this extraordinary gift, and then what does He do, I swear for
  His own amusement, His own private, cosmic gag reel, He sets the rules
  in opposition. It’s the goof of all time. Look but don’t touch. Touch,
  but don’t taste. Taste, don’t swallow. Ahaha. And while you’re jumpin’
  from one foot to the next, what is He doing? He’s laughin’ His sick,
  fuckin’ ass off. He’s a tight-ass. He’s a sadist. He’s an absentee
  landlord. Worship that? Never.”
  Al Pacino, The devil’s advocate

• [Frank W]

  The dumber half of Americans wouldn’t vote to have someone who is smarter than they are with the finger on the red button. It’s a problem.

  • [Manuel Dahm]

    If only the dumber half of Americans were just the half.

• [William Owen]

  Obviously. God got really sick of trying to send the message via locusts and lepers, so he tried a new weapon. Economics.

  So not only is God playing a whole new game with us, but he is also a huge Chris Nolan fan.

• [Delton]

  Rick Perry is a traitor – literally. He has acted on behalf of a
  foreign power in order to knowingly and deliberately cause harm to this
  nation. When Perry wanted to build a bunch of toll roads in Texas, he
  couldn’t get the money from state resources. So he made a deal with a
  company that is owned and headquartered in Spain. In return for
  providing the money to build the toll roads, the foreign company
  manages the roads and is allowed to keep all the revenues from tolls
  for 75 years. BUT, part of the deal was that Texas has to take measures
  to maximize the company’s revenues. On of those measures is, Texas has
  to take actions to force drivers off the existing paid-for roads, and
  onto the toll roads instead. One of the ways they do this is to reduce
  maintenance on the existing roads. They have to deliberately let the
  existing roads deteriorate so drivers start using the toll roads instead
  because they’re a better riding surface. So, Rick Perry agreed to
  damage American infrastructure in order to protect the profits of a
  foreign interest. Rick Perry agreed to knowingly and deliberately damage public works paid for by American taxpayers at the behest of and for the good of a foreign power.
  Rick Perry has committed treason and he should be impeached and removed from office and then indicted in criminal court.

  • [Chris Tucker GOP Delenda Est!]

    Treason is defined in the Constitution.

    http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_A3Sec3.html

    Article 3 – The Judicial Branch
    Section 3 – Treason
    Treason against the United States, shall
    consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies,
    giving them Aid and Comfort.

    No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two
    Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

    The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during
    the Life of the Person attainted.”

    When did the U.S. declare war on Spain? Or did Spain declare war on the U.S.?

    • [CSBD]

      We did fight a war with Spain… but I think its over now.

    • [Anon_Mahna]

      1898

  • [Manuel Dahm]

    You americans sure are funny.

    • [Antinous / Moderator]

      You americans sure are funny.

      Yeah, laugh when he gets elected and we invade your country support your people’s yearning for freedom and democracy.

  • [Mister44]

    Source that isn’t something like Infowars? From what I have gathered, your rant is a bunch of half-truths mixed with lies and paranoid conspiracies. It looks like this Spanish company, Cintra, makes roads all around the world like this, as well as several other states. 75 years isn’t uncommon, and that is for the length of the lease. Which they pay for.

    Lots of crap to criticize Perry on. I don’t see why you have to make shit up.

  • [Simon Taylor]

    American this, American that……’traitor’! What kind of strange language is this?

    Do you not like foreigners? Whatever the merits of the deal, what’s the nationality of the company got to do with the issue?

    The issue sounds like it needs raising, but why shouldn’t a Spanish company run a toll road?
    If you don’t think that foreigners should run companies abroad then get all the US companies out of everywhere else in the world and watch how quickly your country goes down the pan.

    NIMBY!

  • [Jon Wood]

    “…Texas has to take actions to force drivers off the existing paid-for roads, and onto the toll roads instead. One of the ways they do this is to reduce maintenance on the existing roads. They have to deliberately let the existing roads deteriorate so drivers start using the toll roads instead because they’re a better riding surface. So, Rick Perry agreed to damage American infrastructure in order to protect the profits of a foreign interest.”
    Really? Proof?

    • [donovan acree]

      @Jon Wood – If you are looking for proof that Perry is involved in hiring foreign companies to build and maintain roads in Texas, read here http://www.truckflix.com/news_article.php?newsid=1872
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEe9eL0fJkQ

      You should know that TxDOT is governed by the five-member Texas Transportation Commission and an executive director selected by the commission. Commission members serve overlapping six-year terms and are appointed by the governor.

      If you want proof that Texas highways are in a sorry state, come down here and drive around a bit. Our roads are falling apart. Come to downtown Dallas and take a close look at the 3 highways surrounding one of the most prosperous cities in the the US. Meanwile the toll roads are a dream in comparison.

      Perry has been working to privatize roads (read – add toll booths run by private companies) already built and paid for by Texans and wants new roads to be private.
      http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Perry-reiterates-toll-road-support-1543709.php
      http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006428/posts
      http://biggovernment.com/cdevore/2011/08/17/governor-perry-the-trans-texas-corridor-eminent-domain-do-limited-government-conservatives-need-to-worry-no/

      • [Little John]

        Texas highways are in a sorry state

        Maybe it’s sorry because of the governors it keeps electing?

• [M Carlson]

  Actually, Jesus had a whole lot to say on money, specifically how it wasn’t supposed to be your focus in life (e.g. see the parable of the rich, young ruler). So, with that in mind, since we are in an economic crisis, maybe it’s because we weren’t paying attention to what we were told.

  And if Brainspore is correct, the irony is so great of someone underwritten by Goldman Sachs discussing the causes of our economic crises, I’m surprised he’s not magnetic and having small metal objects stick to him.

• [Tom Karches]

  That certainly simplifies matters. Don’t understand it? You don’t have to! God is responsible!

• [Jason Coleman]

  Why do you use “multimillionaire” as an adjective for Presidential Candidate.   

  I don’t see the usage with other “multimillionaire” candidates.  Even those with a net worth that far exceeds Perry’s.   

  Are there any Presidential candidates that aren’t multimillionaires?   Is Obama the multimillionaire President?    How come Hillary was never a multimillionaire candidate?  

  Come on BB.  I really enjoy the site, but sometimes you try too hard.

  • [sisyphus321]

    … cuz he’s the one who’s trying to make economics a religious issue, maybe? Or maybe because the combination of his personal wealth and bible-thumping posturing makes him look like a hypocrite?

  • [Brainspore]

    I don’t see the usage with other “multimillionaire” candidates.  Even those with a net worth that far exceeds Perry’s.

    Because he’s a multimillionaire candidate who is telling poor people that they should appreciate the economic crisis as a time of “revival” and a lesson to just invest their money better next time.

  • [Lobster]

    Is any other candidate (or sitting politician) really talking about multimillionaires?  And “acknowledging that they exist” doesn’t count.

    That said, I don’t think it’s really a valid point to note how wealthy Perry is.  If he’s right, he’s right.  If he’s wrong, he’s wrong.  What he stands to lose or gain has nothing to do with it.  In this case I think he’s objectively wrong.  He’d be exactly as wrong if he were penniless.

    • [fjsr]

      Determining whether somebody’s statements are right or wrong is an extremely hard thing to do, and to some extent I am dubious that it possible, specially in the context of social phenomena. The best theories in physical and social science explain large number of related phenomena with a relatively small number of premises (which are not always fully testable). At different levels, both scientist and laypeople look for consistence of the structures (theories) that are proposed to them. To contrast the life standard of Perry versus that of his intended audience is a useful rhetorical device to challenge individuals to examine the consistency of his positions, even if does not prove or disprove the consistency or predictive strength of his views. This challenge would be dismissed by his base, but has the potential to peel off support from more critical individuals.

      Just to be clear, to my mind, he is of course a hypocrite of the greatest rank, and a tremendous threat to this country. 

  • [Cornan]

    Because the specific issue we’re talking about is what the right moral lens is to view an economic collapse. What we have here is a multimillionaire telling poor people whose lives are ruined that it’s ok and they shouldn’t worry because it’s God’s will and a test of devotion.

    If you don’t see why noting that he’s a multimillionaire is relevant to the topic I can’t really help you much there.

• [bradmofo]

  I can’t seem to gain an idea of what the general opinion of Perry is in the US. I mean, is he a fairly innocuous joke like Palin or a dangerous joke who may actually get votes?

  • [Cornan]

    That second one there. He’s hugely popular among Evangelicals but he’s also beloved by the “cut spending / no big government” folks. He straddles the line of derp so well that he may actually get enough votes to do something.

    And that’s terrifying.

• [Lobster]

  Serves us right for voting Democrat I guess?  Though if we hadn’t, he wouldn’t stand a chance.  Instead we’d be blaming McCain for everything and desperate to vote in a Democrat.

• [Jack Myers]

  Perry is just the kind of evangelical two faced nut that the right wing loves best. 

• [Boomer]

  Every time I hear Rick Perry speak I get a mental image of a big sign tattooed across his forehead: Vacant lot for sale. Will build to suit tenant.

• [Frank W]

  The old Red-Blue saw looks more and more like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31FFTx6AKmU .

• [CSBD]

  Its annoying when a politician (or anyone else) uses “god did it” or “god is responsible” rather than “I’m ignorant and can’t be bothered to read anything well enough to get a basic understanding of the issue at hand” and nobody in the media calls them on it.

  If rick perry was using “little pink fairys” or “smurfs” interchangeably with “God” he would be committed because of course they are obviously not real because the idea of fairys and smurfs being real is stupid.

• [Jason Coleman]

  According to Marx, atheism IS bound into the fabric of communism.  Engles, Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Pot all agree.  See: Marx’s, German Ideology or Poverty of Philosophy

  • [Trent Hawkins]

    Stalin did not agree and used Religion whenever it agreed with him.

• [jackrabbitslim]

  Christ, what an asshole. 

• [Raymond Swinney II]

  What about his porn investement?  http://www.politicususa.com/en/rick-perry-investment-porn
  By golly…he might just be right.  All of these “righteous” politicians are just silly.

• [Deidzoeb]

  Don’t forget Acts of the Apostles, in which God strikes dead a husband and wife who don’t contribute their fair share to the community and try to hoard some of it. (Or maybe he just kills them for lying about it?) Sounds like God is a Stalinist.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ananias_and_Sapphira

  • [M Carlson]

    Actually, if you read the whole story of Ananias and Sapphira, it’s pretty clear its because they lied. Peter told Ananias that the money was theirs to do with as they wanted – no one was forcing them to give it-  but their intention was to look like Big Givers with the community, and in essence, trying to lie to God.

• [rikomatic]

  I’m no fan of Rick Perry.  But I find nothing offensive about his statement that people in tough economic times should see those as opportunities to turn back to God and to remember what this was like so that they can save when they have the means to do so.

  • [Navin_Johnson]

    Yes, look to “God” for help, instead of at *us* the politicians that collude with the elite business class to extract this country’s wealth from all its less wealthy citizens.  Praise God!  (but don’t look behind the curtain).

• [styrofoam]

  Rick is just defining an entity behind “the invisible hand”, right? 

  And as for the comments about the spanish-american war, there was a tax levied during the Spanish American war that was just rolled back a few years back.   I include the text here because it has a few really odd subtexts going on that are obviously from older times.

  “The Treasury Department said Thursday that it
  will no longer collect a 3% federal excise tax on long-distance calls
  and would refund about $15 billion to taxpayers.

  The tax was imposed in 1898 to help pay for the
  Spanish-American War. It was designed as a tax on wealthy Americans,
  back when phone service was considered a luxury.”

  http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/telecom/2006-05-25-phone-tax_x.htm

  (namely:  A tax increase to fund a war?  A tax increase designed specifically to target the wealthy?  What were they thinking?! )

• [Jason Coleman]

  “(namely:  A tax increase to fund a war?  A tax increase designed specifically to target the wealthy?  What were they thinking?! )”

  And decades after the war was over and paid for the tax was still there.

  Long after the poor had telephones, the tax was still there.  Had the poor become wealthy?  

  They were thinking they could use class warfare to stealthily increase the taxes on everyone going forward from that moment.    

  • [styrofoam]

    They got wealthy enough to pay for telephones. 

    Congress today seems to be bass-ackwards in regards to technology-  and it seems unlikely that they’d have been much sharper about it 100+ years ago.
    I am willing to believe that congress would not have understood the pricing factors involved in electronics and their widespread adaptation at the time.  The likelyhood of the common man enjoying the luxury of international communication was probably seen as remote.

    If congress had passed a 3% tax on flying cars back in the 50′s, they couldn’t have imagined how widespread they’d have been today.
    –
    I’m agree to the notion that it a tax can be earmarked as “instituted for paying for a war”, then it should be withdrawn when the war ends. 
    I’m also willing to entertain the notion that a method of “paying for a war” is beneficial.
    I’m less likely to think that congress was forward-thinking enough to believe that this tax would have severe implications to the underclass 20+ years after it was instituted.

• [Navin_Johnson]

  He was so dreamy on 90210.  What happened to him?

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    Actually, Bill Clinton just called him handsome.

• [pjk]

  and the worst part is he got the story wrong. Pharaoh created a Big Government grain hording initiative during the seven years of plenty so he would have enough to feed his people during the seven years of famine. ie: he taxed the rich to establish a social safety net. if you’re gonna pander, at least get the story right, asshole.

• [ThePresidentialCandidates.us]

  Come on America: Rick Perry is ridiculous. You do realize that, right?

• [arthur kendrick]

   Rick mis-interpreted the bible story. Joseph told pharaoh to save food for 7 years so to have food for the 7 years of famine. Not wait 6 years and save for the last year…. that would be the current political mindset that prevails in both parties.

• [ill lich]

  “I happen to think our greatest days are ahead of us” (the Rapture, for example.)

  “Biblical principles”?  You mean like. . . helping the poor and the sick a la Jesus?  Or killing unbelievers, prostitutes and homosexuals, a la the Old Testament?

• [BBNinja]

  According to Rick Perry logic, the Holocaust was God’s way of telling Jewish people to stop being Jewish.

  Don’t you love it when hypocritical assholes speak for the G-man?

• [SomeGuyNamedMark]

  Whatever you say Rick, “…I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

  • [mccrum]

    Oh, I see, it’s right there.  The needle is a wall and I can bring all the stuff I want!

• [frankieboy]

  How is it that rich crazy people emerge as ‘credible’ options to lead this great land of ours?
  We deserve better.
  What I don’t understand is the lack of anger from the average person, not just over this bozo, but at the whole mess the USA is in, and how the rich keep fucking us over.
  And how we don’t get that it’s a major problem that  we’ve settled on the only options to lead are people rich enough to get themselves elected to the higher levels.
  Election reform would go a long way to allowing sensible people to get in control.
  You need millions just to run for Congress. That’s fucked. Either you’re rich or you’re gonna owe the rich.

  • [Anon_Mahna]

    Its part of the problem of people not wanting to take control of their lives, and letting others sell them on the idea of that people with power/money/more material ‘wealth’, or a token spook, are better than them, and that they should submit & bow down accordingly. 

• [irksome]

  Read my lips: No new Texans.

  Jesus F**king Christ. Just kill me now, please.

• [digi_owl]

  Do not let this guy get anywhere near the button!

• [Roy Trumbull]

  He’s Huey Long with a wardrobe adviser.

• [Neural Kernel]

  The economy sucks and the middle east is in turmoil?! When did this happen?!

• [petraardvark]

  when rapture comes, I plan to survive by eating all the pets left behind!
  p

• [Daniel]

  Jason Coleman:

  Whether or not you believe atheism is necessary for Marxism, Marxism is not necessary for atheism.  And note, there are a lot of Christian Marxists out there — makes sense, since Jesus was clearly preaching a form of proto-Marxism (just think of fishes and loaves — when you share there’s more to go around).  You should also note that the Soviet Union was not particularly Marxist as it was both hierarchical and authoritarian.

  (Most of) The communist authoritarian leaders might have had some rhetoric about how religion is bad or whatever, but they were religious nonetheless.  The only difference in the authoritarian communist countries is that instead of God you worship the Party.  It has all the other trappings of religion and couldn’t be farther from the Bertrand Russell-style free-thinking humanism that atheists in the U.S. practice.

  And of course, millionaires telling poor folks that the economy is “looking up” is much less hypocritical than a millionaire telling poor folks that they should stop whining and appreciate the fact that God is punishing their profligacy.  If you can’t see the difference then you’re probably a lost cause anyway.

  • [Pete!]

    THANK YOU!

    So rarely does one hear the level of understanding you have shown here. Earlier on in the comments we had people trying to make athiesm=Marxism, and you have expertly crushed their arguments sir!

    Also your statement that the Soviet Union was not Marxist, GOLD.

    Isn’t it frustrating that any attempt at discussion of a society that is more fair instantly gets labelled as communist? Ah well.

• [SteveKiwi]

  Why do Republicans stop reading once they’ve finished the Old Testament? They get all the fire and brimstone, but miss out on the love thy neighbor stuff. Better hope there’s not a test to get into heaven.

  • [Stuart Dimond]

    Actually there is a lot of stuff in the Old Testament that they ignore. Things about the remission of debt and repatriation of land and the Jubilee. The principles Jesus was teaching came straight from the Prophets.

• [knoxblox]

  Just so everyone understands, not every Texan is retarded, a bigot, or ultra-conservative. However, it usually feels like those who are do seem to outnumber those who aren’t.

  • [mccrum]

    Kind of like the rest of the US then really.  It’s just that the types you mention seem to be the most vocal, the rest of us are just quietly going about our business and doing our best to clean up their mess.

• [Andrew Singleton]

  Don’t feed the trolls.

  This politico is simply trying to shock people into paying attention to him for more than two minutes.

  • [Brainspore]

    Don’t feed the trolls.

    It’s hard to help it when the media keeps giving so much attention to their election campaigns.

• [tvugly]

  Christians… Always blaming God for things they don’t understand. Same as it ever was.

• [telaquapacky]

  Unlike Rick Perry and “Christian” conservatives, I really do study the Bible, and in fact our economic troubles are the fulfillment of prophecy: James 5:1-6
  “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! 4. Behold the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and put to death the righteous; he does not resist you.” The religious right conservatives forget that God cares about the poor. I am sure God is getting white-hot angry at them pursuing their oppressive policies in His name. There is not one verse in the entire Bible about the poor oppressing the rich, but dozens of them telling about the rich oppressing the poor.

  • [Vladi DLR]

    Funny thing that this passage dont seem to apply to the 1-3% of the really rich.
    In fact none of the economic problems of the middle class are concern of the very rich, or the very poor for that matter, ironic isn’t it?

  • [ill lich]

    Dude, this “James” totally stole these lyrics from a Max Romeo song.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd2Hk1mHabw

• [joemama888]

  Wow!  Radical biblical principles like, “Don’t spend all of your money” or “Save money for a rainy day” or “Don’t look to the government for everything.”  I’d vote for those principles any day.  Between federal, state and local taxes including property taxes, I already pay more than half of my income (I live in California) to the State, so in essence, I’m approaching enslavement. 

  • [Daniel]

    You own land and you’re comparing your situation to slavery?  Srsly?

    What do the guys who mow your lawn think about that?

    • [joemama888]

      Technically, the bank owns it; therefore, I have two masters – the State and the Bank. Three if you count my wife.

      As for the guys who mow my lawn, had to let them go in order to pay taxes.

      • [Daniel]

        Not sure I’m ready to argue with someone who thinks owning a home in California is a hardship on par with plantation life circa 1849. 

      • [eeyore]

        Yes, dear, you are so _horribly_ close to slavery.  Somehow it is the State’s fault that you choose to live ( and own property) in a state with high taxes.  Somehow it is the bank’s fault that you chose to borrow money from them – and apparently on such abusive terms – to buy something you did not actually need, and could not otherwise afford.

        Certainly, there is no mistaking you for a free man, capable of making intelligent and responsible choices about where and who you live. 

  • [Navin_Johnson]

    And yet you haven’t moved to the wonderful neoliberal/anti-intellectual fraud that is Texas.  I guess life is still good enough in Cali regardless, you know, despite *half* your income being taken from you…….and you know, you considering yourself as actually suffering like a “slave”. Come to think of it, if I was in California, I’d think I’d be very happy to have your type leave.

• [zdislaw]

  A co-worker was ridiculing this video moments before the earthquake struck.  …just saying…

• [JonnyForever]

  This guy is just constantly saying stuff that is so insane that it’s hard to believe that an adult said it.. much less a guy who is running for President. 

• [Alan]

  Rick Perry is an opportunistic prick. I know someone who attended the same church as him. He didn’t go unless then Gov. GW Bush was in attendance. And when he did attend, he couldn’t be bothered to throw anything into the offering plate.

  Later in his career, he said that he didn’t think religion was an important thing for him in his position as governor.

  It wasn’t until quite recently, when he realized there wasn’t a credible candidate for the evangelicals to get excited about, did he start acting this way. He’s the one thing Jesus disliked the most: a pompous, self-serving, attention-getting hypocrite.

  • [tdjukic]

    Jesus didn’t actually dislike anything, because, you know, he’s made up.  But, you do make a fair point about the character and what he would have felt about Rick Perry were he around.

    • [Alan]

      Actually, Jesus did exist.  He’s in the historical record, noted by independent writers.  Academic scholars accept he lived in the first century in what is now Israel, preached, developed a following, and was probably executed, most likely by Roman authorities.  Granted, the rest is up to interpretation.

      • [Turner_N_Hooch]

        Independent writers decades later: ”This is one of the problems with the story. We have no writings from the days of Jesus himself. Jesus never wrote anything, nor do we have any contemporary accounts of his life or death. There are no court records, official diaries, or newspaper accounts that might provide firsthand information. Nor are there any eyewitnesses whose reports were preserved unvarnished. Even though they may contain earlier sources or oral traditions, all the Gospels come from later times. Discerning which material is early and which is late becomes an important task. In fact, the earliest writings that survive are the genuine letters of Paul. They were written some twenty to thirty years after the death of Jesus. Yet Paul was not a follower of Jesus during his lifetime; nor does he ever claim to have seen Jesus during his ministry.” White, L. Michael, From Jesus to Christianity.

        • [Alan]

          Like I said, the rest is up to interpretation.  But what I wrote in the earlier post is direct from Prof. White in a class I audited from him just last year.  And he emphatically stated, in no uncertain terms, that Jesus lived, preached, and died.  In fact, in the second paragraph of Chapter 5 of the same book you quote, White states “That Jesus was a real figure of first-century Judean history is no longer much questioned as it once was.”  I never said what Jesus preached or believed or presented himself to be, just that he existed.

          Basically, I’m just tired of people calling Jesus of myth and using that misconception to be high and mighty about their own opinions.  I also feel the same way about the Buddha.  

• [Daniel]

  I understood your analogy fine.  You’re comparing your cushy,
  privileged, middle class American life of consumerist hedonistic
  pleasure to the lot of all the unfortunate human beings throughout
  history that were forced into a life as bipedal livestock.  I simply don’t have enough psilocybin in my system to argue with someone insane enough to make that analogy. 

• [Winski]

  The thing is truly an idiot.

• [tdjukic]

  I think we’re all missing Perry’s point here; obviously, mean old Pharaoh was a socialist, and capitalism loving, democratic Moses, freed the American people from his persecution.  And unbridled spending.

• [Kelson Philo]

  This guy is Dick Dibbs from _Postsingular_.

• [Phil]

  I had a “Biblical principal” once. Then I graduated from Catholic school…

• [Shane Simmons]

  So, Mr. Perry, now that you’re running the state of Texas on Godly principals, what’s up with that epic drought?

  • [irksome]

    Don’t forget the plague of grasshoppers and the lake that turned blood red; now THAT’S Biblical!

• [Noctilucent Studios]

  Oh lovely, look at this. Bank of America wants to help him out.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fRhb0awjAg&feature=youtu.be

  • [Little John]

    I, too, would be delighted to help him out.

    Which way did he come in?

• [lecti]

  My dump this morning was a lesson from god to Rick Perry.

• [anharmyenone]

  At least you didn’t post the Rick Perry corndog photo, but check out the  #rickperryfacts twitter feed for some funny stuff.

• [jtegnell]

  How can this be? I thought America was God’s favorite country!!

• [Lindsay Stirton]

  Who are the Biblical principals? And did they hold Biblical principles?

• [spiderman0521]

  Is there a longer clip where he says that “God” is teaching us a lesson with the current economy? I’m an atheist, liberal, and no fan of Gov. Perry’s substance or style, so I’d be happy to ridicule him if he said something like that in this clip, but I don’t hear it. What I hear (besides his Republican mutterings) is the purpose of these times is to bring us back to Biblical principals. I don’t think I agree with him on that one, especially since Perry and I would disagree strongly about what those principals are in the first place (see @mordicai:disqus much earlier on this page, for a decent take-away from the New Testament).

  There’s got to be a more damning clip than this one.

• [paulrack]

  These aren’t even biblical principles.  He clearly doesn’t have a clue about the Bible.

• [jhertzli]

  I would like to ask Rick Perry the following question: “There is evidence for the existence of a natural nuclear fission reactor on Earth two billion years ago based on the nuclear waste found in rocks of that age. Do you accept such evidence and what do you think of the implications of the fact that the waste did not move with respect to the surrounding rock (in particular, the implications for nuclear waste disposal)?”

  I would also like to ask the people criticizing him the same question.

• [Ashley Gross]

  Well, that means it’s not Obama’s fault then…  And besides, didn’t God make Obama president?

• [Daniel]

  Yeah, I’m sure you have to go way out of your way to find Muslim bashing on the internet.  This site might suit your browsing needs better than boingboing:

  http://www.drudgereport.com

• [Brainspore]

  It’s a thoroughly tasteless analogy and I dare you to make it in the presence of anyone who has any experience whatsoever with real slavery.

  [edit: in response to deleted comment]

• [Brainspore]

  Just because you found one dark-skinned person who shares that wacko view doesn’t mean comparing taxation to slavery isn’t a thoroughly offensive analogy. If you (or he) made that comparison in the presence of a victim of human trafficking, a former labor camp inmate, or the author’s own great-great-grandparents you’d likely get either a look of astonishment or a slap across the face.

  [edit: in response to deleted comment]