Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said Jesus Christ is the point of Christmas during a sermon in reference to his Christmas ad, which has come under fire for its frank religious tone.
“Sometimes in the middle of Christmas, Jesus is the one person who’s tough to find. You can find Santa at every mall. You can find discount in every store,” Huckabee said at the 25,000-stong Cornerstone Church in San Antonio on Sunday, according to Fox News. “But if you mention the name of Jesus, as I found out recently, it upsets the whole world. Forgive me, but I thought that was the point of the whole day.”
The former Arkansas governor began running a new ad last week in several of the primary states in which he wishes American voters of all faiths a “Merry Christmas.” In the ad, he references the birth of Christ as the Christmas carol “Silent Night” plays in the background and a cross-like image glows behind him, which he explains is just bookshelves.
“I got in a little trouble this last week because I actually had the audacity to say ‘Merry Christmas.’ Isn’t that an odd thing to say at this time of year,” Huckabee said during his 30-minute sermon to a nearly full 5,500-seat auditorium.
The former Arkansas governor was said to receive a 30 second standing ovation and copious applause for his refusal to apologize for referencing Jesus Christ in his Christmas ad, according to Fox News.
Huckabee has surged in state polls in Iowa and South Carolina riding on the support of evangelicals. He has made several stops at churches to deliver sermon while on the campaign trail, but Huckabee clarified that his speaking at Cornerstone was not about politics.
“I have to remind people there’s a time for political things and this is not one of them,” said the ordained Baptist preacher. “Trouble is when you’ve been a Baptist pastor and then you run for office, you become a political person. People get real nervous when you show up for church.”
He said people usually think about two things when they see a pastor and a politician, “you’re going to be here a long time” and that he is “going to ask for money,” Huckabee joked.
His sermon focused on the meaning of the Christmas story.
“The great truth of Christmas is that no matter how good we are, we’re not good enough to know God without the Christ,” Huckabee preached, according to The Associated Press. “And no matter how bad…we are not so bad that he cannot find us.”
“So while some people seem to want us to lose Jesus, I would like for us to do our best to find him,” Huckabee said at the megachurch founded by televangelist John Hagee.
Hagee is nationally known for his staunch support of Israel and is the founder of Christians United for Israel.
“One hundred years from now when all your worries are over, if your faith is in that child in Bethlehem born that day, and you’ve taken yourself off the throne and you’ve decided you’d rather be a shepherd than a Herod, then the good news for you is, when the game is over no matter what It looks like now, you win in the end. That is the message of Christmas so I say to you, Merry Christmas! Jesus is Lord!” Huckabee said.
The Republican presidential hopeful said he will return to his home in Arkansas for Christmas before hitting the campaign trail again ahead of the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses.
Comments
Now Huckabbe says that Pakastani's are the most illegal immagrant after ppl south of the border. hahahaha. Yeah, he is a great person for president. Oh, and he did not publish the negative ad about Romney, he just showed it to all the press so they would know they really had pllanned to. He is a snake no matter how much he professes to be the Christian candidate.
There is no way he will win now. He has made to many dumb comments that show he has no clue about the world.
I don’t care if has a degree in timber cutting if he get the nomination for president and I think he is the best person for the job I will vote for him, then again if I don’t think he the best person for the job I will not vote for him. There is one thing for sure I’m going to vote even if I have to write my name on the ballot, because I live in a country where I can vote for whom ever I please and until they take that right away from me I going to vote.
I know there is a lot of brain dead Americans who will not vote because they are too lazy to vote or are not signed up to vote. Or they will vote like some fool tells them too, because they can’t think for them selves. These are the people I feel sorry for. This is the group who will gripe to high heaven when things go wrong that is when I will tell them to shut you don’t have the right to grip because you didn’t vote.
I will bet you a root beer that not more then 50% of people will vote next November, and I would be happy to loose that bet
Yeah Go Huckabee. I hope he wins.
You study theology while majoring in Religion... not a lie. Just explaining his background. It would be like saying I'm from Des Moines, IA rather than the smaller suburb I actually live that no one has heard of. He has been very forthright in print about exactly what his education consists of. This is a meaningless conversation.
Agreed. The Lord will be looking upon actions, not words. That is what I am looking it. I am not looking for the perfect candidate. I am taking measure of what candidates say, and what they do. What a person says is not nearly as important to me as what a person does. There are many candidates who profess Christiainity, some louder then others. Still, actions speak much louder then words if you get past what someone says, and what they actually do.
The more I read about Mike, the more I like him. He is not afraid to declare that he walks with Jesus Christ and I applaud that highly!!! No one is perfect Clarson00, and you are not going to find the "perfect" candidate, the only candidate that could ever be perfect is Jesus Christ! He is King of kings and Lord of lords! I am voting for Mike Huckabee myself!
I don't care if he has a religion degree or theology degree, this brother knows Jesus Christ and that is good enough for me! JESUS is LORD! God will put into office those HE wants in leadership positions.
God is the Only true Authority and this man holds Jesus us as Savior, Shepherd and Lord, and that is so refreshing!
When the Lord returns He is not going to be asking us about religion or theology, HE is going to be looking at does HE knows us or will HE say, "depart from Me, I never knew you!"
It is good to see men/woman stand up for God in this nation once again!
JESUS is the Only reason for anything in life, including CHRIST MAS! Thank you and God bless you Mike Huckabee!!!
Desi06,
I am not trying to smear anyone or dig up anything. I am researching candidates, and this article is about Huckabee. I would suggest everyone try to "dig up" anything they can on all the candidates and take measure. Wouldn't you agree? I mean we are talking about the President of the US and it would probably be prudent to "dig up" anything you can about anyone you might consider voting for.
Are half truths are ok? If I had 6 years of an M.D. behind me but did not graduate, it would be ok to say I have a degree in medicine or that i was a Doctor? He was in front of the nation testifying his Christianity. I do not believe he mis spoke, I believe he was pandering and it makes me suspicious and I found a pattern of "misspeaking". It is not so easily overlooked for me when we are talking about a leader of the nation and someone who is so strongly professing his Christianity. Maybe I do need to simmer down, but I am offended by it. Not of that statement by iteself but the other items I have subsequently "dug up".
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0pRDxY42BpU
http://www.newsweek.com/id/78241
http://youtube.com/watch?v=LYrGlfkvRV0
There are other items like the treatment of those who disgreed with him when he was governor. You'll have to google that for yourself. There is also the release of Dumond, but we all make mistakes. However, I am not sure we can be making mistakes like that as a country.
Finally, there is his explanation of his fair tax. He says it is 23%, but that is not really true at all. It is another half truth or "depending on how you look at it".
It goes like this... If you are charged $1.00 then .30 cents is added. So .30 divided by .130 is 23%. Come on now. This is incredible. It is a 30% tax period. Really. Yes, it very much concerns me and I will continue to dig on all candidates. I am very disapointed in most of them so far.
Ok, you're right, Clarson00. His degree is not technically a theology degree. But it is a degree in Religion from a theological seminary. So what exactly is the big deal? It's not like he said he had a degree in Biology or something that wasn't even close to theology. And compared to everyone around him on that stage, he would be the best qualified to answer questions of a theological nature. I think you need to simmer down. There is a difference between "a bald face lie" and misspeaking. And if that's the worst thing you can find about him, then that just shows what a good guy he is. He has my vote!
SqueekyWheel that article is from December 14th.
After he was caught in his lie on National TV.
My motives are only truth and trying to find the most principled and honest candidate. I think that is what is best for us as Christians and the country. Honesty is of utmost important for someone who is going to lead.
No SqueekyWheel that is not what he said.
He said I am the only one on this stage with a Theology degree. No context to wade through. A bald faced lie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnNydtwOaWU
at 1:37 seconds he clearly states "As the only one on this stage with a theology degree"
And again, what about him being bought and paid for?
That's fact.
"Facts" need to placed in context and are subject to misinterpretation when motives are suspect.
Just to clarify...here's a quote from Mike Huckabee:
"I have a Bachelor of Arts in religion and a minor in communications in my undergraduate work," Huckabee answered. "And then I have 46 hours on a master's degree at Southwestern Theology Seminary. So, my degree as a theological degree is at the college level and then 46 hours toward a masters – three years of study of New Testament Greek, and then the rest of it, all in seminary was theological studies, but my degree was actually in religion."
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59222
This is not a flame or personal attack. It is fact.
Huckabee stood in front of all America in the debates and LIED proclaiming he was the only one on stage with a theology degree. HE DOES NOT HAVE A THEOLOGY DEGREE. Calling himself an evangelical christian out of one side of his mouth while lying out of the other. He drinks a different kind of Jesus juice alright.
He is bought and paid for - youtube.com/watch?v=0pRDxY42BpU
More honest and well principled Huck. - http:// www.newsweek.com/id/78241
Like when he was governor, if you dont agree. expect to be silenced. Not accepting any negative comments. - youtube.com/watch?v=n-BFEhkIujA
Darwinism and Atheism: Unscientific and Mythical
http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com
Go, Huck! :-)