Curse of the Christian-Bashers - The spirit of the Edwards bloggers haunts Democrats.

Wall Street Journal ^ | February 16, 2007 | MARY EBERSTADT

[neverdem]

Heavens, it's getting crowded in the pews these days--at least with Democratic presidential candidates. Here is Sen. Barack Obama in California's Saddleback pulpit at the invitation of mega-selling pastor Rick Warren. There is Sen. Hillary Clinton with downcast eyes in Newsweek, praying before the cameras in New York's Riverside Church. And there preaches John Edwards, also in Riverside Church, weaving his personal faith into everything from AIDS to the minimum wage. Clearly the push is on to show that, for now anyway, the Democratic hopefuls are just plain folks in the religion department.

All the more reason to plumb the curious episode of Amanda Marcotte, that blogger for the Edwards campaign who resigned on Monday and was followed out the door Tuesday by another technical consultant, Melissa McEwan. Both quit thanks to circulation by conservatives of some of these former staffers' Internet musings. That is to say, in Ms. Marcotte's case especially: scatological Catholic-baiting rants about "theocracy" marked by leering references to the pope and liberal use of the F-word.

So far, so unremarkable. Just being a bilious feminist with a potty mouth doesn't much distinguish one in the blogosphere these days. What does matter is something else: We have here a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern moment, in which the fate of bit players becomes emblematic of a larger drama.

For what the blogger tempest really illuminates is a fact that could come to haunt the Democrats as they vie for national office: namely, that their past few wilderness years have also been boom years for the church-loathing liberal/left punditry. As a result, anti-Christian invective now graces (or disgraces) many of the books, magazines, Web sites and blogs to which liberals, including the Democratic elite, habitually look for ideas. One motto of this cottage industry is that the most serious threat...

[neverdem]

The pseudo-sophistication of the left is truly amazing when you hear their new religions of anthropogenic global warming, embryonic stem cells, alternate life styles, etc., much less in foreign affairs. I hope they keep bashing Christians. It will work like gun control worked for them.

[goldstategop]

On religion, the Demcrats are MINOs. Moderates In Name Only.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Captain Rhino]

John Edwards, Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama, and others on the left (including the left liberal religious leaders) - not a sincere, heart felt confession of faith among them. Something simple like Nicene Creed which starts " I believe in God Almighty..." Never have heard or seen those words coming from any of those lips. And I don't expect to either.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." - Matthew 6:5 (NIV)

The implication about suddenly religious politicians is clear to all who have understanding. I class them right along with Saddam Hussein and his cynical rediscovery of Islam when it suited his purposes.

[Farmer Dean]

Bad enough to let these posers into your church,but it's totally disgraceful to allow the camera crews in to cover the "event".

[Jacquerie]

Yeah, for some reason the old media had no problem showing the ultimate narcissist Bill Clinton walking out of church every Sunday with the Bible in his hand.

[webstersII]

They really do believe that Christianity is more of a threat than radical Islam.

[poobear]

"No wonder so many Democratic candidates are in church. Now they really have something to pray about."

Those last two lines are priceless.

[bert]

.....MINOs. Moderates In Name Only......

Ahhh yes. A fantastic anacronym added to the vocabularly.

[CaliGirlGodHelpMe]

"Yeah, for some reason the old media had no problem showing the ultimate narcissist Bill Clinton walking out of church every Sunday with the Bible in his hand."


Usually the same ones who now bash George Bush's faith to a fare-thee-well.

[mj1234]

That's The MSM for you-

Jesse Ventura walked around talking about
his wife's and kids baptism in the Christian
Faith- As soon as he was elected- how did he put
it....- "people believing in main stream churches
are weak minded" - canceled proclamations of
prayer week- and there were many more out-bursts.

MSM - still tried to make him look good till he
turned on the favorite Demonrat agenda- Taxes and
school money.

[NYer]

Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list

[Antoninus]

Hey, we've got more than our share of "Christians = the Taliban" types here on FR. The Democrats have no monopoly on anti-Christian bigotry.

[Teófilo]

Great piece! Thank you for posting this.

-Theo

[Talking_Mouse]

I sincerely hope that all public officials -- including the democrat hopefuls to the presidency -- go to church. I hope they listen to the Word of God and try to apply it to their lives. I hope they turn to the Lord for forgiveness, as I do, when they miss the mark applying His Word to life.

I want all the democrat hopefuls in church. How else will they learn to amend their lives? Their eternal spirits are much more important than their politics, and I want Obama, Hillary, Bill and all the others in heaven, because Jesus died for them too. However, if they truly listen to what God is saying thru His Word and thru the traditions of the Church, I believe their politics will amend also.

[Frank Sheed]

I fear that you are correct. The thing called "Western Civilization" is a ponderous anachronism to them foisted by Papists who brutalized and exploited the masses.

Sigh...

[steve8714]

You forgot misogynist cannibalistic slave owners in your description.

[DownInFlames]

Yep, just ask Rosie O'Donnell.

[tob2]

Matthew 6.5(NIV) one of my favorite versus.

[sunshine state]

bump!

[ozzymandus]

There are still RAT commentators defending Edwards over this, and whining about the "religious extremists" who "forced" him to fire these skanks.