What is it about the Tea Party that liberalism finds so irksome? Of a surety the Tea Party leaves no question about what they stand for and what they don’t.
Firstly, the Tea Party believes in smaller government and less taxes. In reality smaller government would require fewer taxes to support it. The Tea Party believes the US government spends money on programs that are not Biblically based. They believe government exists for the primary purpose of maintaining law and order and providing protection for citizens.
“…for he (governing authority) is God’s minister to you for good…an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject…because of this you also pay taxes.” Romans 13:4-6
The Tea Party believes very strongly that the government should operate within its means and not generate deficits which result in debt.
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it – lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’” Luke 14:28-30
If, as in the above, more money is required to complete the project than generated, borrowing is required.
“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments…the LORD your God will set you high above all nations…The LORD will open to you His good treasure… You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail…” Deuteronomy 28:1, 12-13
Thus far the Tea Party’s fiscal philosophy appears to be Biblically based. How about their primary social issues?
The Tea Party opposes abortion.
“And they (Jews) have turned to Me the back… though I taught them…yet they have not listened to receive instruction…And they built the high places of Baal…to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination…” Jeremiah 32:33-35
The Tea Party also supports traditional marriage between a man and a woman.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife…” Genesis 2:24
‘Wife’ in this passage is from the Hebrew Ishshah which means female as opposed to a male. Jesus reaffirmed the above passage in the gospels as did Paul in the epistles.
Therefore, the major issues endorsed by the Tea Party are Biblically based. Due to political pressures from both sides of the aisle, Tea Party members are being encouraged to compromise their ideals in order to enact legislation acceptable to both conservatives and liberals.
Recall the Biblical story where Samuel relayed God’s instructions to Saul to totally destroy the Amalekites and all their animals. Well Saul, in an attempt to be a people pleaser, compromised God’s instructions and while he did destroy the Amalekites, with the exception of their king Agag, he kept the animals which he said were for sacrifices to God. Samuel confronted Saul about his compromise and Saul realized his error.
“Then Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD…because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” I Samuel 15:24
Partial obedience, i.e. compromise and political correctness cost Saul his kingship. The Tea Party today is also aware of the cost to compromise.
Does the Tea Party pose a real or perceived threat to liberalism? For sure, opposition to the Tea Party is definitely increasing as their ideology is made known. Self professed liberal congresswoman Maxine Waters while addressing members of the SEIU recently proclaimed boldly, “The Tea Party can go straight to hell…and I intend to help them get there.” Several days later on national television James Hoffa Jr. gave a warm-up address to an audience gathered to hear President Obama speak. He said relative to the Tea Party, “Let’s take the S.O.B.s out.”
Perhaps the economy is not the major challenge facing America today.