Coburn promotes faith and science

The Oklahoman ^ | Sep 26, 2004 | Chris Casteel

[Ed Current]

WASHINGTON - For Tom Coburn, it was an intersection of his faith and his science and his desire to apply both to public policy.

In 1999, Coburn, a physician and then an Oklahoma U.S. representative, authored a resolution in Congress stating that brain wave activity is present in a fetus 41 days after conception and a heartbeat is detectable after 24 days.

"The Supreme Court ruled they didn't know where life begins," Coburn said in an interview recently, referring to the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade case about abortion. "We can show that scientifically. And as science improves, we're going to be able to get that down to day one."

The resolution never came up for a vote, but Coburn said if he's elected to the U.S. Senate this year, he'll try again.

During his time in Congress, from 1995 to 2001, Coburn wrote and co-sponsored several pieces of legislation with a religious aspect, including one "urging the United States to unite in seeking God, and recommending that the nation's leaders call for days of prayer."

Former Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Steve Largent, a close friend of Coburn, said, "His faith is central to understanding who Tom Coburn is. It's not just a Sunday thing for Tom. He continually tries to show his faith in his practice and his politics."

Coburn, a Muskogee Republican, has made his faith part of his U.S. Senate campaign against U.S. Rep. Brad Carson, D-Claremore.

In his first general election television ad, Coburn said, "We have to be about putting back the connection between faith and the family unit. And we need politicians and leaders who are not afraid to talk about their faith."

Raised a Southern Baptist, he has cast even such issues as the federal debt in moral terms.

Carson accused Coburn of making the race a "religious jihad" after Coburn likened it to "a battle of good versus evil."

Coburn has said he wasn't calling Carson evil, and Coburn's wife, Carolyn, said in an interview last week that he wouldn't have done that.

"I know he doesn't think he's good and other people are evil," Carolyn Coburn said. "That's not the way we believe."

In an interview last week, Coburn said, "God loves everybody in this world as much as He loves me. ... None of us is worthy. Going after somebody personally is not the way to do it. You can go after the actions and what you think are wrong.

"I will readily admit to you I'm a very imperfect human being. What I want to do is speak the truth and love. And I fail at that. But that's what I want to do."

Coburn's faith influenced not just how he lived in Washington, but where he lived.

He and some other lawmakers, including Largent, shared an apartment that was owned by a subsidiary of a group known as The Fellowship, which sponsors the annual National Prayer Breakfast and hosts leaders from foreign countries at its Washington-area headquarters.

Largent said the other lawmakers who lived in the apartment were from both parties and "of all stripes," in ideology and religion.

Coburn, he said, "is cast in this light as a hard-core, right-wing, radical, religious, uncompromising guy." The fact was, Largent said, he "was adored by all those guys."

Largent said the men held a prayer group every Tuesday. Coburn also started a group in the House called the Congressional Family Caucus, which focused on promoting a conservative social agenda.

In 1997, Coburn stirred controversy among Jewish groups and many others when he protested the broadcast network showing of "Schindler's List," the award-winning movie about the Jewish Holocaust; Coburn said the airing of "full frontal nudity, violence and profanity" during prime time "should outrage parents and decent-minded individuals everywhere."

After being roundly criticized, Coburn made a speech on the House floor to apologize.

Coburn's support of Israel has been questioned, in part because he voted against spending bills that included aid to Israel. On his campaign Web site, Coburn has a lengthy explanation of his support of Israel, and he said in an interview last week he considers them "God's chosen people."

In his first term, Congress took up a bill that would prevent states from having to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.

During debate on the bill, Coburn called homosexuality perverse and immoral but repeatedly stressed that he was talking about the "act of homosexuality, not the individual."

In an interview last week, Coburn said he did not condemn homosexuals "because their failings aren't any different than mine. Their choices weren't any different than mine. ... We can't single out those who are gay and say they don't measure up."

[Ed Current]

Is he expected to win against Carson? I thought I read somewhere that Carson might have a slight lead.

Some articles that might persuade those for smaller fed gov to vote for him.

http://www.family.org/cforum/citizenmag/departments/a0031338.cfm

http://www.family.org/cforum/citizenmag/coverstory/a0012717.cfm

[DrewsDad]

Tom Coburn is in a critical but close U.S. Senate race and is one of the rare candidates who will take a strong stand on the Constitutional principles we hold dear.

We need to win every Senate seat we can. If you deem him worthy, please consider donating to his campaign by clicking on the DONATE icon at the top left of his WEBSITE.

Funds are critical and I have a friend who will be driving up to Oklahoma(from Central Texas) to help out with the campaign.

Also remember the several close U.S. House races in Texas.

Let's get out the vote!

[dd5339]

Good read, (except for the Troll who wandered in that is...)

Semper Fi

[Theodore R.]

Robert D.S. Novak said in the current "Evans-Novak Political Report" that Carson now has the edge in the OK race and will win unless Coburn can turn things around quickly.

[JFC]

Thanks this is great news.

[TXBubba]

Thanks for the ping. My folks are voting for him. Oklahomans also need to look at the big picture. If the Dem gets in then it helps the national party a great deal.

[daybreakcoming]

Thanks for the headsup on Coburn.