It’s Sunday, and perhaps an appropriate time to check out the latest from the Hawaii Christian Coalition.
I’m not sure which aspect is most interesting/disturbing. There’s the description of the Hanneman campaign’s attempt to persuade Christians to cross over and vote for him in the primary, and pushback from the GOP
It has come to my attention that Christians are being courted by Ken Wong of the Mufi Hannemann Campaign for Governor into thinking that Christians should vote in September 18th’s Primary Election on the Democrat ballot for Mufi Hannemann to retard the chances of a Neil Abercrombie win rather than supporting Duke Aiona through both the primary and general elections. I have been anguishing over those who believe that there is PURITY OF INTENT behind this strategy since hearing about it 3-4 weeks ago from a close pastor friend. I have delved in the Word and consulted many of my Christian mentors and counselors. I cannot find righteousness in this approach and certainly it is coming from a campaign that has conducted itself unethically, immorally, and far below reproach as we have seen with its recent comparison mail piece.
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There’s the clear description that Aiona’s campaign is defined primarily in terms of self-defined Christians against the rest of us, seen as “the unrighteous enemy.”
We need to fearlessly, like David did Goliath, run towards the unrighteous enemy. Duke Aiona’s Campaign for Governor is the Body of Christ’s opportunity to operate in the AUTHORITY and to be proactive.
Then there’s the realization that this long missive with its bible quotes, talk of the “Kingdom”, and accusations that union political endorsements constitution an “unholy OATH”, comes from Republican State Chair, Jonah Kaauwai and is simply being redistributed by the Christian Coalition.
With more than 400,000 Christians in the State of Hawaii, WE are responsible no matter what the outcome of Duke’s race because we have been given the POWER and the AUTHORITY in the NAME OF JESUS!!!!
God bless you all! If you have any questions do not hesitate to call me on my personal cellular, 620-5702.
Aloha ke Akua — Jonah
Jonah Ka’auwai, Chairman
Hawaii Republican Party
Separation of Church and State?
That’s obviously not what these folks believe.
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Ian, is this for real? If so, Jonah makes the Tea Party folks look like a bunch of crazy liberals! That is pretty scary stuff for a chairman of a major political party to be spewing. It shocks me and I’m a republican.
Well, it’s posted on the Hawaii Christian Coalition web site, and not pulled out of the blue. It certainly appears to be legit.
In addition to the religious zealot appeal in Jonah’s letter, there is an odd, implicitly pro-sovereignty, “anti-American argument as well.
In his email, Jonah makes the strong claim that Hawaii has not been led by a “righteous” political leader “since Queen Lili`uokalani”!
He is calling Lingle “unrighteous,” which is an odd thing for the GOP state chair to say. But he says ALL governors have been unrighteous since the overthrow.
I admit to some small sympathy for that POV, but what an ODD statement from the GOP chair!
Where are Ken Conklin, Sam Slom and the rest of the GOP “white wing” base? You’d think they’d be up in arms! (a la the Honolulu Rifles, heh).
Obviously God works in mysterious ways.
I am afraid that these people who call themselves Christians are on the wrong path! I learned from a friend that her husband as a Knight of Columbus was ordered to place a certain candidates yard sign for the legislature. Losing their “tax exempt status” would be a good call by the IRS.
Scary & depressing. These people are dreadful.
Not without some humor, though, since it appears that God told Jonah that an exception can be made to His general voting instructions:
“Exception: If you and or your members live in Democrat Gary Okino’s House District 33 (Pearl City), vote on the Democrat Ballot and leave the other Democrat represented offices blank. Otherwise vote for Duke Aiona and your local principled, righteous candidates.”
Are we sure that Duke and Mufi aren’t Muslim?
I actually thought they (Mufi and Duke) were both Mormons! A Mormon friend of mine will be so disappointed to discover that Duke’s actually a Catholic.
If there is an “up side” to this mess, Jonah made “Worst Person in the World” on Keith Olbermann tonight. Hawai’i gets some free publicity…
Right or wrong, we all know the Republican party’s base are all the bible-zombies. No big secret. The fact that theres just so many more bible-zombies in Hawaii now for the likes of Jonah to feed off of, well, isnt that the larger social question to be discussed? Whats going on in Hawaii that New Hope, etc. etc. have grown so much?
My other question is whats with the democratic party and their candidates? Put down that pint full of holy water, please, and be democrats. Or, please, Im sure Jonah would welcome you. Dont let the bible hit you on the okole on your way out.
It’s time for Jonah to be eaten by the whale again.
We must make Hawaii an officially athiest state. That is the only solution.
Definitely not true.
All we need to do is respect the United States Constitution and the underlying separation of Church and State.
Ian Lind // Aug 29, 2010 at 9:50 am said
“All we need to do is respect the United States Constitution and the underlying separation of Church and State.”
You seem glad to espouse that concept when it comes to putting down political activism by the Christian right. Will you also espouse that concept when it comes to the already-existing establishment of religion in Hawaii? I’m talking about the ancient Hawaiian religion, which was repudiated and overthrown by King Kamehameha II, Queen Ka’ahumanu, and High Priest Hewahewa in 1819; but which is now being revived as a political weapon. How many times have we seen: “Don’t move the bones because they are sacred” and “Don’t do military training in Makua because it is sacred” and “Don’t put telescopes on top of Mauna Kea because it is sacred.” These illustrate an attempt to establish religion in government decision-making, which is far more pervasive and dangerous than what the Christian right is doing.
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_Graves_Protection_and_Repatriation_Act
freakshow!
what a freakshow!
they’re a modern stoner fa-mi-ly ?
Please don’t disparage people for their religious beliefs,
or the lack of them. Especially when so many here demand
tolerance, please show you’re not hypocrites by practicing
what you preach.
Ian the Quaker (or Quake Sympathizer) is not disparaging anyone’s religion, or their lack thereof. He is disparaging efforts to enshrine any one religion — “establishment” in constitutional parlance — to the exclusion of another — or no other — religion in violation of the constitution.
When a friend of mine pointed this out, I thought it was hysterically funny – something an editor at The Onion would write.
But wait! This is the real Jonah of the Hawaii GOP? Good grief!!
Mufi’s mailer was a tough, edgy hit – but “unethical, immoral…” Jesus…This guy is a lunatic.
FYI – I’m a Republican voter.
Ian, how is this anywhere close to a violation of church & state? The State is not even remotely involved. Are you saying that voting for a candidate based on their moral compass is wrong?
I mean, you could practically do a search and replace Jesus with your favorite union and the meaning would not be so different.
Jonah is simply making the point to not let normally Aiona voters make the mistake of crossing over to vote for Mufi out of fearing an Abercrombie victory.
Jonah wants Only Democrats to cast their vote for their candidate and Republicans to do the same. He believes the likely outcome will be that the New Democrat Extreme Left will win and then we can have a real race come November:Neil & Brian (haole gay marriage tax and spend liberals) vs Duke & Lynn (Hawaiian/Filipino traditional family values conservatives).
It’s time the voters understand the fork in the road ahead and the choice at hand.
“Duke will win because the Church has been behind him the entire time operating in the POWER and the AUTHORITY of the NAME OF JESUS! ”
That’s not how I read this, Kimo. If that was the real message, he could have said so without including statements like the above example.
No, this stuff sounds to me like Duke, Jonah, et al. want a “Christian” theocracy if Duke wins. They’ve already made this plain by the associations with and support from/for Ed Silvoso, a dominionist who clearly advocates for such.
wlsc IMO you’re making a big leap here. like I said earlier, replace Jesus references with Union names and it comes across sounding pretty common.
to think that somehow the Christians are attempting to setup a theocracy, well, if I was a leftist I’d accuse you some of bizarre phobia.
There’s nothing wrong with activating Christians to vote for a candidate who shares their values and more than it’s wrong to activate leftists to do the same.
Even accepting your susbtitution (which I don’t), there is a little thing called the constituion at work here; there is no constitutional prohibition against a union’s values driving public policy; there is a prohibition against religious views driving public policy.
You’re probably voting for Peter “I don’t like the constitution so I’ll just have it amended for my convenience” Carlisle.
Ohia that’s a ridiculous statement (“there is a prohibition against religious views driving public policy”). Religious views are the fundamental basis underlying the key laws to society itself. Religions provided the first set of moral codes to live by. Government is just a further codification. e.g. “Thou shall not murder”. 10 commandments, etc.
ohiaforrest3400 there is no prohibition against religious views driving policy. Instead there is freedom of religion, and an absence of any state sponsored religion.
Ian I have to agree with Kimo there are no separation of church and state issues here. What people are really upset about is the fact that the churches have organized.
It’s a free country and they’re allowed, if you don’t like it out organize them.
The church and state issues are raised by what this particular religious coalition professes to want to do if able to take civil power through the electoral process.
Don’t be too upset Ian, Jonah is doing your beloved friend Neil Abercrombie a BIG favor here. Mufi will lose without Republicans crossing over to vote in the Democratic Primary.
Jackpot! may Mufi suffer from the Palin syndrome of foolish absolutist politics!!!
What a farce these open primaries have become, when Republicans can decide who the Democratic candidate will be!
It’s time to end such nonsense. Let’s have the parties determine who can vote in their primaries with the state Ofc of Elections providing the administrative support.
That’s an issue that both sides can agree on.
Let’s have really “Open Primaries,” were I can vote for the person I want to represent me no matter what letter follows their name!
Why do you think this would be better in providing a diversity of choices for voters?
I just don’t see how the Body of Christ can balance the budget and provide for all our public services
so maybe it would be better to ask a priest, a rabbi, and a monk what to do with our current mess