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How the Republicans Stole Christmas: The Republican Party's Declared Monopoly on Religion and What Democrats Can Do to Take It Back
In the wake of an election seen by many as a triumphant victory for “moral values,” political commentator and one-time seminarian Bill Press launches a counteroffensive against the so-called religious right.
For decades, Press argues, conservative preachers such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and James Dobson—joined by most Catholic bishops—have defined religion so narrowly that Democrats and liberals have been pushed outside the fold. According to their narrow gospel, God put George Bush in the White House to deal with gays, guns, and abortion—and those who don’t agree are on the sure road to hell.
Bill Press says it’s time to take religion “Who gave this gang the inside track on religion, anyway? The way I read the Gospels, Jesus was as liberal as Paul Wellstone. He sure as hell wouldn’t have been a registered Republican. One other thing’s for if Jesus ever came back to earth, there’s one gang he wouldn’t hang out with; and that’s this phony bunch of pious, puffed-up preachers who wear religion on their sleeves.”
How the Republicans Stole Christmas is also Press’s fervent call to Democrats and liberals to reclaim religion and return it to its basic principles of social justice, charity, and tolerance. Press argues that the Right didn’t just steal religion, the Left let them have it, offering no resistance as conservatives dictated what’s right and what’s wrong. But on today’s social issues, according to Press, religious conservatives have gotten it all wrong. They have turned Jesus from a loving Messiah who championed the poor and dispossessed into a cold-blooded advocate for the rich and powerful. Press does not confine his criticisms to so-called Christian leaders; he uncovers the same wrong-headed tendencies in other faiths and among nonbelievers, who even today cling to the Old Testament as an appropriate code of behavior.
For decades, Press argues, conservative preachers such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and James Dobson—joined by most Catholic bishops—have defined religion so narrowly that Democrats and liberals have been pushed outside the fold. According to their narrow gospel, God put George Bush in the White House to deal with gays, guns, and abortion—and those who don’t agree are on the sure road to hell.
Bill Press says it’s time to take religion “Who gave this gang the inside track on religion, anyway? The way I read the Gospels, Jesus was as liberal as Paul Wellstone. He sure as hell wouldn’t have been a registered Republican. One other thing’s for if Jesus ever came back to earth, there’s one gang he wouldn’t hang out with; and that’s this phony bunch of pious, puffed-up preachers who wear religion on their sleeves.”
How the Republicans Stole Christmas is also Press’s fervent call to Democrats and liberals to reclaim religion and return it to its basic principles of social justice, charity, and tolerance. Press argues that the Right didn’t just steal religion, the Left let them have it, offering no resistance as conservatives dictated what’s right and what’s wrong. But on today’s social issues, according to Press, religious conservatives have gotten it all wrong. They have turned Jesus from a loving Messiah who championed the poor and dispossessed into a cold-blooded advocate for the rich and powerful. Press does not confine his criticisms to so-called Christian leaders; he uncovers the same wrong-headed tendencies in other faiths and among nonbelievers, who even today cling to the Old Testament as an appropriate code of behavior.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
2 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Bill Press
16 books13 followersBill Press began his career as a political insider and media commentator on KABC-TV and KCOP-TV, both in Los Angeles. Over the years, he has received numerous awards for his work, including four Emmys and a Golden Mike Award.
The former co-host of MSNBC's Buchanan and Press, CNN's Crossfire and The Spin Room, Press has built a national reputation on thought-provoking and humorous insights from the left side of the political aisle.
Press is the author of six books: Spin This! (Atria, 2002), Bush Must Go! (Dutton Books, 2004), How The Republicans Stole Christmas (Doubleday, 2005), Trainwreck (Wiley, 2008), Toxic Talk (Thomas Dunne Books, 2010), and his latest, The Obama Hate Machine (Thomas Dunne Books, 2012).
The host of radio’s nationally syndicated Bill Press Show (Monday-Friday from 6-9am ET), Press attends the daily White House press briefing and writes a syndicated newspaper column, distributed weekly by Tribune Media Services.
Press resides in the nation’s capital with his wife Carol.
The former co-host of MSNBC's Buchanan and Press, CNN's Crossfire and The Spin Room, Press has built a national reputation on thought-provoking and humorous insights from the left side of the political aisle.
Press is the author of six books: Spin This! (Atria, 2002), Bush Must Go! (Dutton Books, 2004), How The Republicans Stole Christmas (Doubleday, 2005), Trainwreck (Wiley, 2008), Toxic Talk (Thomas Dunne Books, 2010), and his latest, The Obama Hate Machine (Thomas Dunne Books, 2012).
The host of radio’s nationally syndicated Bill Press Show (Monday-Friday from 6-9am ET), Press attends the daily White House press briefing and writes a syndicated newspaper column, distributed weekly by Tribune Media Services.
Press resides in the nation’s capital with his wife Carol.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 12, 2010
Found this one at the used book sale at the library - wondered what he had to say. It starts with a good discussion of whether America was ever a Christian nation and the advantages to both religion and politics if it is not. He makes a strong case that religion has prospered because of the separation of church and state - not allowing the state to dictate what people are to believe and practice in their religion, nor allowing religion to use the state to impose their beliefs on others who are non-believers or who believe differently.
He then walks through several issues: war, capital punishment, abortion, gay and lesbian marriage, and God in the classroom. He has some good arguments and some not so good. He has to totally dismiss Paul as an authority in order to advance a couple of them. You won't agree with everything he says, but it is a thought-provoking book. I assume it is good to read what others think, even (maybe especially) when they disagree with you. I would recommend it to anyone
He then walks through several issues: war, capital punishment, abortion, gay and lesbian marriage, and God in the classroom. He has some good arguments and some not so good. He has to totally dismiss Paul as an authority in order to advance a couple of them. You won't agree with everything he says, but it is a thought-provoking book. I assume it is good to read what others think, even (maybe especially) when they disagree with you. I would recommend it to anyone
July 8, 2012
I enjoyed the beginning few chapters and the last few chapters of the book. The chapters in the middle were a little over the top. Just as the author accuses the right in propaganda and "out there" ideologies, he seems to do the same thing in the middle chapters of the book. While I agree with the general view of the book, I find some of his conclusions a little off base.
May 9, 2012
Good read for all of those who have heard and heard and heard the religious wight define the world while you, as a liberal and a Christian, have no clue where all of this Biblical NONSENSE came from!
September 1, 2013
This book made me laugh a lot. And, before you start, it's not the liberal agenda being mean. It's satire.
March 13, 2008
Those rascally conservatives are at it again!
April 20, 2017
A very good read on how the extreme right wingers stole the religion of Christianity attempting to make all people believe that if they're Christian they MUST be Republican and Conservative. WRONG. Don't let them hijack your faith. Your faith is yours, your beliefs are yours, your political position is yours.
"Beware, indeed, the politician who professes to know God's position on any issue" (248)
"1. Let one's faith guide and inspire political decisions
2. Religion and politics must still remain two separate realms
3. Politics can't be used to force religion on anybody else" (252)
"You may even be one of those greedy bastards who does nothing but bitch about taxes. And that's your right as an American. But please don't say that's what Jesus wants. Because you're wrong." (227) <-- that made me laugh
It's not saying that you shouldn't use your faith to decide on your political positions, that is solely up to you to decide and think on. However don't just join the Extremists because they "represent" (horribly) your religion. Think for yourself everyone. Have faith.
"Beware, indeed, the politician who professes to know God's position on any issue" (248)
"1. Let one's faith guide and inspire political decisions
2. Religion and politics must still remain two separate realms
3. Politics can't be used to force religion on anybody else" (252)
"You may even be one of those greedy bastards who does nothing but bitch about taxes. And that's your right as an American. But please don't say that's what Jesus wants. Because you're wrong." (227) <-- that made me laugh
It's not saying that you shouldn't use your faith to decide on your political positions, that is solely up to you to decide and think on. However don't just join the Extremists because they "represent" (horribly) your religion. Think for yourself everyone. Have faith.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews