Anti-gay NY Senator Ruben Diaz Blames Marriage Equality Victory on Christians Who Pray Too Much
Senator Ruben Diaz, the only Democrat in the New York State Senate to vote against the marriage equality bill, blamed the loss on fellow Christians who, he says, "pray too much and act too little," the Christian Post reports:
"Pastors and religious leaders are supposed to remember that we are supposed to be Christians before being Democrats or being Republicans. Our responsibility is with Jesus and not with Democratic Party or Republican Party."
He added that party affiliation is always secondary one's Christian faith in political decisions. Regardless of whether a political candidate is Republican or Democrat, Christians should support and vote for whomever shares their values.
"We should always think first as Christians," he said. "We should not be concerned if that person is Republican or Democrat. We should be concerned if that person has Christian values and go all the way for that person."
"We have to learn that because Jesus said that who is against us is not with us, that who is for us is with us. "
Diaz adds that he will wear his anti-gay vote with pride: "I made history. I'm the only New York State Democrat that voted against the bill. I will wear it as a badge of honor."
A thinker he isn't. In fact, I'm beginning to suspect a personality disorder.
Posted by: Danny | Jun 28, 2011 11:40:05 AM
He can't even speak English--how is he a senator???
Posted by: me | Jun 28, 2011 11:41:59 AM
Someone needs to tell Ruben Diaz that he is he should think first as an elected official upholding the CIVIL law of the land. This is a republic not a theocracy.
Posted by: MT | Jun 28, 2011 11:43:51 AM
Seriously? He said all that? How many people were needed to translate his gibberish? Truthfully, his constituents should be ashamed of themselves electing a functional illiterate whose command of the English language is worse than a person who was born without a tongue.
Posted by: Jonathan | Jun 28, 2011 11:49:24 AM
I hope this the thing that makes his openly lesbian granddaughter realized that he's a bad influence on the lives of her, her girlfriend or their children and cuts him off. There is now way this hatemonger could be any good for their lives.
Posted by: Heartsleeved | Jun 28, 2011 11:49:33 AM
How arrogant for him to assume that other Christians actually share his position. A majority of those supporting marriage equality ARE Christian, and there are actually a number of churches which support it. Such hubris.
Posted by: LiamB | Jun 28, 2011 11:54:53 AM
Doesn't anybody hear him? Where is the separation between church and state? Your decisions should not be affected by your personal religious views as the people you represent are not all Christian!
Posted by: Keith | Jun 28, 2011 12:02:44 PM
I don't understand his logic, it is just too weird. Once again, some people actually voted for him?
Posted by: Matt26 | Jun 28, 2011 12:07:48 PM
I know it's frightening when someone like this is a politician but mostly, the insane rants he spews out just make me laugh. I can't get angry at him because I can't take him seriously.
Posted by: Joseph | Jun 28, 2011 12:09:54 PM
This idiot should be drummed out of the Democratic Party so he can officially join the Theocratic Party. There's no place for this uninformed Christianist bigot in the DP. He's an embarrassment to all who seek equality rights in NY.
Posted by: HadenoughBS | Jun 28, 2011 12:12:13 PM
the man is a total asshat who is an embarrassment to thinking people everywhere. also in his speech the other day he referred to dolan as our bishop but diaz is a fundie not a catholic. so their common hate of gays
makes them partners? why is his son staying so quiet he doesn't feel the same way as diaz? diaz should serve the voters not his church.
Posted by: walter | Jun 28, 2011 12:13:33 PM
A flake! Like we say in Spanish "...mas tostao que un van de corn flakes."
Posted by: malo | Jun 28, 2011 12:16:12 PM
I have a huge problem having a religious minister elected to political office. How on earth is that allowed? Does his sect enjoy tax-exempt status. If it does, then isn't that a conflict of interest serving the state?
He was an embarrassment last friday night. He could barely put a coherent sentence in decent English together.
Posted by: Robert | Jun 28, 2011 12:23:05 PM
Bigotry is alive and well in the "CHRISTIAN" environment!
Anyone can prove or disprove anything by the BIBLE....
Legend has it, that the Bible shouldn't be taken literally and I certainly don't,
nor do I take what "CHRISTIANS" say literally!
Posted by: Lonewillow | Jun 28, 2011 12:47:40 PM
"We have to learn that because Jesus said that who is against us is not with us, that who is for us is with us."
I didn't realize Jesus said something so banal and trite, but if Diaz is going to say it, he should heed his words and switch Parties.
Posted by: Dastius Krazitauc | Jun 28, 2011 12:53:25 PM
So the christians prayed too much but didn't act enough?
WTF?
So the christians should have been doing what? Beating us with clubs? Arresting us so we couldnt vote? Demonizing us even further than they have?
Oh...I see: March us off to the gas chambers just like they did with those pesky Jews.
So much zyclon B gas...so little time...
Right, Diaz?????
Posted by: Roger Ramjet | Jun 28, 2011 12:56:55 PM
I hate stupid. I hate stupid even more when it wears a freaking cowboy hat and wouldn't know the front end of a horse from the back.
Hey Ruben, most Christians DID vote with Jesus, they voted for equality for all people.
How does it feel to lose because your morality is rotten to its core? I hope when your granddaughter gets married to her girlfriend, you're not invited.
Posted by: Bart | Jun 28, 2011 1:04:01 PM
Sorry Ruben. Separation of church and state.
Posted by: TyN | Jun 28, 2011 1:08:30 PM
The issue is although he is a Conservative, he won't leave the Democrats because they care about social benefits and pretty much most of his constituents are on some form of government support, so would not vote for a Republican.
Posted by: Rowan | Jun 28, 2011 1:14:44 PM
This antidemocratic Diaz moron has no place with the Democrats. He should be helped to leave the Democratic party. He will then be free to create what he is dreaming of: A Christian Action Party, the Real Christialibans, so to say. He could, of course, join the Republican Tea Party as an alternative.
Posted by: Roman Bolliger | Jun 28, 2011 1:15:21 PM
Ask his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in 10 to 20 years if they are proud of his vote and his fight against gay marriage. In fact ask ANYONE in his family ten years from now about how proud they are of him. If you want an example of how that will go, ask any family member of George Wallace about how proud they are of George's "principled" stand against integration in the 60's. In fact George Wallace himself was ashamed of himself before his death.
Posted by: TampaZeke | Jun 28, 2011 1:43:38 PM
I do not live in the Bronx, so I'm not one of Diaz's constituents, but for those of you who express wonder that anyone could vote for such a person must remember who his constituents actually are. Many of these people are poor, uneducated (fairly)recent immigrants who barely speak English themselves. I'm fairly certain that Diaz is more eloquent in Spanish than he is in English. Imagine yourself with little or no education relocating to a country where you do not speak the language and which has few, if any, social services designed to help you. I'd imagine that that would be very scary. And then along comes a politician who speaks your language and can assuage your fears. Those are the people who vote for Diaz. I sincerely doubt he has gotten a single vote lately from a native English speaker or a college graduate.
Posted by: Jere | Jun 28, 2011 2:59:26 PM
Jere you speak some truth. Also I live in the Bronx, am a college grad, a native english speaker and a constituant of this disappointment of a senator.
Posted by: Schniffy | Jun 28, 2011 3:53:33 PM
When are people going to understand that everyone's natural law is different. It is natural for hets to be with opposite-sex partners and it is natural for gays to be with same-sex partners. Nature has nothing to do with God or religion. Nature was here long before man created God and will be here forever after homosapiens become extinct.
Posted by: Pointed | Jun 28, 2011 4:18:42 PM
Jesus never mentioned homosexuality, he did however say "Love thy neighbor as thyself," and "do not bear false witness."
Perhaps Rev. (Sen.) Diaz should go back and read his Bible and not his note cards.
Posted by: Bob | Jun 28, 2011 7:44:07 PM