Republican mayoral candidate Enrique Torres is passionate about many things. He’s unafraid to share exactly how he feels on an assortment of issues. In his latest Facebook posting he writes that he’s modeling his campaign around what Jesus would do.
From Torres:
God has blessed my family and I so much and inspired me to model my campaign around what His son, Jesus, would do. I’m taking no pay my first year and I will be a tireless advocate for the poor and impoverished. Bridgeport will be best when we treat our neighbors with love and compassion.
More here.
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Can I get an AMEN?!!
Amen.
AMEN! Honest, Transparent, Fair, Kind, Smart, Passionate.
Really Rick, this opens the door to some other strange remarks you have made. But then again, maybe Mary McBride will follow you. Amen!
Think positive, Steven; maybe his next move will be to multiply the loaves and fishes.
I always get the creeps when a Republican mentions Jesus. They just cannot help themselves.
Maybe he means the end. When he was slayed on the cross. Thorn of crowns. Sounds about right. Glad there is no one of any other religion in Bridgeport who votes.
Heathen.
Those are the great Yellow Sweatshirts I saw the other day!
Thank you, Steven.
God Bless Rick Torres. He is a great example of what a man should be.
Don’t listen to the CHANGE HATERS, people.
Well it didn’t take long, now we have Jesus in the campaign. Rick, if you win both seats you are running for, which one does Jesus get? Religion has no place in politics. With Rick you can add this latest OFF THE wall PROCLAMATIONS BY Rick LIKE power to the people or the black power tattoo. He has finally gone around the corner.
Mayor. I like the Jesus drove the moneychangers out of the temple story, would hope it would inspire all voters and candidates.
You mean Jesus ran the Jews out of their temple. GREAT. Now you can vote for the Great Anti-Semite.
Really? Here are many versions and it is moneychangers and those selling animals for sacrifice.
biblehub.com/matthew/21-12.htm
So are you saying only Jews are moneychangers, because the scriptures certainly do not say that.
Jennifer, back then you were either a JEW who believed in ONE God or you worshiped idols LIKE many who have made comments on this post!
stevenl,
No stevenl, Jennifer B has the story down better than you do, but it may not be your fault. Would it surprise you if I told you the “faith tradition” followed by Jesus was Judaism? He was born into it, studied it and was not as some seem to believe the first Catholic, or suchwise. He was not “the Great Anti-Semite” but rather a learned Jew who saw how far short his co-religionists were in their worship practices. Now, are you going to continue to post on subjects where your learning is short of the mark and becomes so obvious only to score some Election cycle points? Time will tell.
Desperation.
Enrique doesn’t believe in the separation of Church and State. Tea, anyone?
But it was OK for Joe to use a church to apologize?
The difference is Ganim was speaking to a crowd of parishioners. Enrique can’t help sticking his foot in his myopic mouth. Good thing there are only Christians who vote.
This just in: Rick Torres receives endorsement from the Anti-Defamation League.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
I’m sorry but I must have missed the pictures with those black pastors and those black voters for Torres. I looked at all those pictures and besides the free food Rick gave away at PT Barnum Apartments (all candidates do that across the city), where are the blacks for Torres? Maybe Rick could go over to Mt. Aery Baptist Church and talk to Rev. Bennett and tell Rev. Bennett how he will address issues concerning blacks in Bridgeport.
Stevenl, a little history lesson for you.
The founding fathers fled England because of religious persecution. Separation of church and state was to keep government out of religion, NOT religion out of government. This country was established on Judeo-Christian beliefs. Read anything written from George Washington and the Federalist Papers written by Madison and you will know EXACTLY what was in the hearts and minds of our country’s framers. Anything else is lies, half-truths and revisionist BS.
BS. Total BS.
Come to the Klein to hear Torres’ new Jesus strategy at the LWV-sponsored Free public forum 4:30 to 6. Perhaps he can feed the multitudes, if not with real food, with ideas to nourish. Am serious, help fill up seats at the Klein. NAACP, Council of Churches, Bridgeport Education association and our Library are part of the coalition. Hey even Lennie has an ad for this event. You may think the race is over, but challenge slates have done well in Bridgeport recently!
*** Lots of sinners in Bpt, Rick; however most are not registered to vote yet! So where do you go from here knowing 50% of city voters just vote along political party lines without really knowing the candidates, their projected policies or even personal credentials? And basically don’t really care to know or find out one way or another! Its a political reality show that could make the ratings if it were on TV! ***
Newton, Ganim, Fabrizi, Testa, Stafstrom, Parziale, Brantley, Kuchma, DiNardo, Ayala, Ayala, Ayala, Holloway, Finch, Anastasi, Martinez, etc.!!!
I’ll give Torres credit on this much. He’ll draw more votes as a Republican than Finch would have.
Love Jesus. Torres, not so much. No thanks.
I’m not a big Jesus guy, but I’m a big Rick Torres guy. I love when Rick talks like this. He is completely sincere, and he would really govern as a spiritual person and try to carry that sentiment in all his affairs. His spirituality and his commitment to doing good are real; he believes in spirituality as our current Pope does, not as many in the national Republican Party do.
You have already lost when someone will take Rick Torres over Jesus, enough said.
Hey Ron,
Are you without sin? Have you not told a lie or coveted thy neighbor’s wife? Don’t be a hypocrite.
If the real Jesus would please stand up, maybe I’d change my mind.
*** What I’m saying is most times in the city of Bpt, even the most righteous candidate who really should win, seems to fall short! Let’s hope for the best this time around. ***
Since we are getting all biblical and the Fall Classic is almost here. Did you know baseball is in the Bible?
“In the Big Inning!” Let’s Go, Mets!
Rip is completely warped.
My brother Joel has waited forever for this amazing moment for the great New York Mets. I remember my dad, may he rest in peace, taking us to Shea Stadium often.
Freedom of speech. OK.
Freedom of religion. Yes.
But sorry, not freedom from grammar. It’s “me” not “I” in “God has blessed my family and …” Me, not I.
Extra credit: If Jesus had a radio, would he tune in to Rush Limbaugh?
Forgiveness: priceless!
That is the worst grammatical error I hear all the time, it drives me crazy.
The only semi-religious words I want to hear from a politician are those that refer to the “Golden Rule.” Here is a description of such from Wikpedia. The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a moral maxim or principle which may appear as either a positive or negative injunction:
• One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself (positive or directive form).
• One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated. (negative or prohibitive form)
In both forms, it serves as a directive to treat others as one does oneself. The Golden Rule differs from the maxim of reciprocity captured in do ut des–“I give so that you will give in return”–but rather a unilateral moral commitment to the well-being of the other without the expectation of anything in return.
The concept occurs in some form in nearly every religion and ethical tradition. It can also be explained from the perspectives of psychology, philosophy, sociology, and economics. Psychologically, it involves a person empathizing with others. Philosophically, it involves a person perceiving their neighbor also as “I” or “self”. Sociologically, ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ is applicable between individuals, between groups, and also between individuals and groups. In economics, Richard Swift, referring to ideas from David Graeber, suggests that “without some kind of reciprocity society would no longer be able to exist.” After the “Golden Rule”, all I want is honesty and sincere effort from our Mayor to do his or her best job in the interest of all. Please don’t say you will reduce or hold the line on taxes. Tell me you will give your best effort to provide necessary services and live within the means of the city’s citizens and businesses. I don’t want you to work for free, I want you to earn your paycheck by following through on providing honest, effective governance for the people of Bridgeport. Please know the citizens of Bridgeport will hold you accountable if you detour off this path.
Well said.
Yet some people who are completely self-destructive and really hate themselves and could never advocate for themselves in a healthy, life-sustaining way; therefore they can never make good choices in any relationship since they have a delusional relationship with themselves and are their own worst enemies. Empathy is impossible for them because they’re addicted to quick fixes, ego-filling acts, power and delusions of grandeur; they are never spiritually connected to other people who are there to feed that monster with an insatiable appetite, which gets hungrier as power is attained. The fact is, Rick is the ONLY candidate capable of empathy. He lives his life that way. The other two pose empathy, but live sympathy (at best). They pose connections with others, but live dirty deals and owe (and are owed) loyalty, a powerful connection, but not a connection based on empathy. It’s the difference between the “machine” candidates and Rick Torres.
Now that we have the second coming of Christ in the works, maybe you can tell me what dirty deals MJF is or was involved in. Tell me what they are. Empathy, what BS.
My best guess is there were 20 supervisor-level contracts with raises sent to city council this week for a vote. Evidently Branneley would not supply the full contracts to the committee when they met to review and recommend full council vote, and her explanation to the contracts committee were viewed as offensive, the contracts were tabled at the last council meeting. This is the only hint of a deal I can make any sense of. I am not saying it is the deal, by any means, but I have to wonder if this is the no doubt very wrong basis for the rumor. I am really not a fan of rumors and whisper campaigns. I will stand by her only deal was to pretend to like Finch. And MJF did leave herself open to the rumors with her CT Post statements.
When asked why do poor and middle class Republicans vote against their own interest, President Lyndon Johnson said; “If you can convince the lowest white man he is better than the best colored man, he won’t know you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him someone to look down on and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”
Divide and conquer: what the English did for hundreds of years to Irish Catholics and Protestants.
Bridgeport’s been doing it to the black and Puerto Rican communities for years, also.
Hector, the black community and the Puerto Rican community have been screwing each other for years. They are the majority in this city but cannot elect a mayor. Why is that? It’s because they are too busy posturing and saying mine is bigger than yours.
Look, I am still trying to wrap my head around this nice Jewish Orthodox man who was a Carpenter who became the G-d of a pagan religion. Long story short. Good man. I respect Rick and his religious values. I have always had a problem with politics and Religion. I believe Rick is sincere, on the one hand we have a man who wants to model his campaign after Jesus, another candidate who mocks those of integrity and good will like the anti-Christ and those who follow blindly and have this amazing ability to rationalize everything. Then of course, there is Mary-Jane Foster who has been getting the support of Independents, Democrats and Republicans. Honest and sincere. A determined woman of substance. She is truly the phoenix rising from obscurity by some bizarre twist of fate getting the full support of Mayor Finch. Foster is being recognized by many for her many contributions to the city of Bridgeport, including the closing of massage parlors in residential neighborhoods, especially in the North End. Joe Ganim has these commercials paid for by the DTC that are absolutely insulting to every resident who acknowledges the hard work John Fabrizi and Mayor Bill Finch had to do to clean up the nightmare after Ganim went on trial for a year and was later convicted on 16 counts. Mayor Fabrizi and his development director Nancy Hadley had a nightmare to deal with. John Fabrizi credits Joe Ganim for the lack of Economic development during the Fabrizi administration. Mayor Bill Finch can take credit for the most economic development happening in the city in the past 50 years, including Sacred Heart University expansion and the Jewish Home for the elderly as well as Steelpointe and Downtown and new housing and a new train station. These positive achievements Joe Ganim has taken credit for on his radio ad. Mayor Fabrizi, Mayor Paoletta, Mayor Bucci have all come forward to support Mayor Finch. Mayor Finch has endorsed Mary-Jane Foster. Her momentum is building as Ganim’s is tuckering out. The in-house drama is about as laughable as it gets. Mary-Jane Foster remains the sane, honest choice supported by Business and upstanding politicians across the state. This is about the future of our city. This is about Mary-Jane Foster. This is not about 20 signs on each house and on public properties across the city. This is about keeping Bridgeport moving forward. This is getting extremely exciting!
Correction:
This election is about the future of the city of Bridgeport, not any one candidate.
No, Steve’s correct: the two machine candidates are about the two machine candidates. Rick is never about Rick. When he talks about his mission to bring relief to his poor and desperate brothers and sisters who are living on the edge of an abyss, he really means it in his bones. The machine candidates may want to help the poor, but mainly to boost their own power and self-congratulating ego. They will always have a power dynamic in their relationships with struggling and suffering people and can compartmentalize their suffering; but Rick will (and does) suffer with them, that’s the difference between sympathy and empathy.
If you look, sympathy is in the dictionary between syphilis and shit.
DD, as a man of color I’d be very careful about holding LBJ up in any high esteem. I had a long conversation with one of his former Secret Service men some time ago. All I can say is what I got out of that talk is LBJ was one of the most racist men of his time. Along the likes of Democrat Senators; Sam Ervin, Al Gore Sr., Robert Byrd and William Fullbright.
Here’s just one of LBJ’s infamous quotes:
Lyndon Johnson remarking on civil rights in 1957:
“These Negroes, they’re getting pretty uppity these days and that’s a problem for us since they’ve got something now they never had before, the political pull to back up their uppityness. Now we’ve got to do something about this, we’ve got to give them a little something, just enough to quiet them down, not enough to make a difference. For if we don’t move at all, then their allies will line up against us and there’ll be no way of stopping them, we’ll lose the filibuster and there’ll be no way of putting a brake on all sorts of wild legislation. It’ll be Reconstruction all over again.”
Let’s look at LBJ eight years later and LBJ pushes through and signs the biggest Civil Rights Act giving all blacks the right to vote. Now let’s look at today, 2015, Republican governors are now signing laws to block the voting rights of blacks and I’ve NEVER heard Republican Rick Torres step up and speak out against the Republican governors and the national Republican Party about this.
I’m waiting for the moment when someone claims Enrique Torres can change water into wine.
I’m waiting for Mary-Jane Foster or Joe Ganim to pull a Jimmy Swaggert by telling supporters “If I’m not elected mayor, God will call me home.”
Nobody but Torres is claiming to structure anything after the Holy Son. It’s your candidate claiming to have access to the Jesus switchboard operator. Next thing we will hear is the new e-mail
address is Avotefortorresisavoteforjesus@YAWEH.com.
Do you think he can walk on water as some here think?
Gosh darn it, just read this, and the mailer is already printed and out the door.
Kid, you really are full of it. Just like your candidate Torres.
So now a vote for Torres is a vote for Jesus? Just plain ridiculous. Absurd strategy. Holy almond croissants, Batman!
Jesus Christ Almighty!
What does this mean?
I am going to run my campaign like Jesus Christ.
Render to Caesar those thing that are Caesars
Render to God those things that are Gods.
Meaning, Christ would have nothing to do with politics.
‘Nuff said.
Thanks, Rick.
Bob, most of the Gospels are about the last three years of his life, and specifically about his teaching and about the drama of his constant battles with those who opposed his teaching. Although most people view these rivals of Jesus as religious leaders of the Jewish people, the fact of the matter is they were political leaders as well. Although Rome, the center of the Roman Empire, may have been the equivalent of our “federal government” at the time, Rome enlisted the religious hierarchy in the local area to manage most of what we consider “local government.” There was no separation of “church and state” in those days. Much as is the case in Iran in our day, the clergy were the politicians of the community.
That is why the only “police” mentioned in the Gospels are “the temple guard.” And the only “public places” mentioned are the temple, the synagogues and the palaces.
When Jesus was asked whether “people of faith” should pay taxes to the secular government, some people mistakenly interpret Jesus’ answer to indicate an intent to keep one’s distance from the secular government. But it’s clear from the context of this passage, quite to the contrary, his intent was to teach people of faith should make room in their lives for both religion and politics.
Ron, have you ever done any research on Everett Dirksen from Illinois?
Here are some facts about him and LBJ:
• Republican Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois, not Democrat President Lyndon Johnson, was the one who pushed through the civil rights laws of the 1960s.
• Republican Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois wrote the language for the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
• Republican Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois also crafted the language for the Civil Rights Act of 1968 which prohibited discrimination in housing.
And concerning LBJ’s civil rights record:
Lyndon Johnson, who represented the [former] Confederate state of Texas and had been installed in his position by Southern Democrats precisely in order to block civil rights legislation. Until the 1950s, Johnson’s record of opposition to all civil rights legislation was spotless. But he was ambitious and wanted to be president.
After dragging his feet on the civil rights bill throughout much of 1957, Johnson finally came to the conclusion that the tide had turned in favor of civil rights and he needed to be on the right side of the issue if he hoped to become president.
So in the end, LBJ learned and understood the error of his earlier thoughts and actions. And in time to make a powerful amend to those he had wronged. May more people learn faster and smarter.
It’s just plain stupid. It’s transparent, alright. Look through the stained glass window, and see Father Torres courting the minority vote with this cheesy line of sanctimonious crap. Yep, just about as transparent as it gets.
Unfortunately Jennifer, that may not be true.
According to a book written by Robert Kessler titled “Inside The White House” LBJ is quoted as saying to two Democrat Governors while flying back on Air Force One after the signing, saying “We’ll have those ******* voting Democrat for the next 200 years.”
Now that doesn’t sound like a person trying to amend any wrongs. It was just politics.
Like I said previously, I have this info from one of his former Secret Service agents; “he was a mean, nasty, evil human being.”
So Rick Torres had his epiphany and suddenly decided he would run his campaign like Jesus would. Can somebody point out over the past two years how Councilman Torres reoriented his constituents in the same manner? No can do. He had no body of work on the City Council.