Focus on the Foolish
Memo to James Dobson: I'm not voting for Christian-in-Chief. I'm voting for President of the United States.
To be sure, I want the person I vote for to have a character that I can admire, and to exhibit virtues I consider essential in good leaders. I also want that person to take positions that I agree with on the issues I consider most important. I do not require that the person whose candidacy I will eventually support be vetted as a "Christian" by Focus on the Family. I don't give a flying squirrel whether James Dobson considers Fred Thompson, or Newt Gingrich, or any of the other candidates a Christian.
But then again, I would say that, because apparently I myself am not a Christian:
In a follow-up phone conversation, Focus on the Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger stood by Dobson's claim. He said that, while Dobson didn't believe Thompson to be a member of a non-Christian faith, Dobson nevertheless "has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian—someone who talks openly about his faith."
"We use that word—Christian—to refer to people who are evangelical Christians," Schneeberger added.
What do you mean "we," kemosabe? And what do you mean when you suggest that a committed Christian is someone who "talks openly about his faith?" I don't mean to go all Papist on you, but last I looked, Everyman was accompanied only by Good Deeds -- and not by Big Mouth -- on his journey through death and judgment.
I'm obviously not someone who chants "James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertston . . . Oh my!" when those men or members of their movement speak publicly about important moral issues. They have at least as much right to do so as Code Pink or NARAL. I don't always agree with them, but I'm certainly not frightened by them. It does make me squirm a little -- precisely because I am "allied" with them on many social issues and because I have sympathy for their movement -- to think that so many evangelical Christians will be guided in their political judgments by someone who appears to think the first thing to be determined about a candidate is whether he or she is sufficiently Christian.
On the other hand, some people will be guided in their political judgments by Arianna Huffington and the Huffinpuffinstuff crowd. Now that's scary.
To be sure, I want the person I vote for to have a character that I can admire, and to exhibit virtues I consider essential in good leaders. I also want that person to take positions that I agree with on the issues I consider most important. I do not require that the person whose candidacy I will eventually support be vetted as a "Christian" by Focus on the Family. I don't give a flying squirrel whether James Dobson considers Fred Thompson, or Newt Gingrich, or any of the other candidates a Christian.
But then again, I would say that, because apparently I myself am not a Christian:
In a follow-up phone conversation, Focus on the Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger stood by Dobson's claim. He said that, while Dobson didn't believe Thompson to be a member of a non-Christian faith, Dobson nevertheless "has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian—someone who talks openly about his faith."
"We use that word—Christian—to refer to people who are evangelical Christians," Schneeberger added.
What do you mean "we," kemosabe? And what do you mean when you suggest that a committed Christian is someone who "talks openly about his faith?" I don't mean to go all Papist on you, but last I looked, Everyman was accompanied only by Good Deeds -- and not by Big Mouth -- on his journey through death and judgment.
I'm obviously not someone who chants "James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertston . . . Oh my!" when those men or members of their movement speak publicly about important moral issues. They have at least as much right to do so as Code Pink or NARAL. I don't always agree with them, but I'm certainly not frightened by them. It does make me squirm a little -- precisely because I am "allied" with them on many social issues and because I have sympathy for their movement -- to think that so many evangelical Christians will be guided in their political judgments by someone who appears to think the first thing to be determined about a candidate is whether he or she is sufficiently Christian.
On the other hand, some people will be guided in their political judgments by Arianna Huffington and the Huffinpuffinstuff crowd. Now that's scary.
posted by Kate Marie | 5:29 PM | Permalink
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