Posted on 12/04/2007 8:45:57 AM PST by Terriergal
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton made what some called a “gutsy move” this past week when she appeared at a conservative evangelical megachurch to talk about AIDS.
Sat, Dec. 01, 2007 Posted: 20:17:22 PM EST
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton made what some called a “gutsy move” this past week when she appeared at a conservative evangelical megachurch to talk about AIDS.
Initially, some felt ill at ease over the New York senator’s appearance at the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church hosted by Saddleback Valley Community Church because of her support for abortion and gay rights, which most evangelicals are opposed to. However, her emphasis on her Christian faith – which she regularly backed with Bible quotations – and concerns for the AIDS pandemic softened some evangelicals’ view of the candidate often painted by conservatives as liberal, calculative and cold.
“I saw a softer side of her that I haven’t seen before,” said Saddleback Church member Cindy Logan to WorldNetDaily. “She was very articulate. I liked her approach.
“I liked the fact that she’s been to Africa, she’s been with people who have been affected by AIDS, and she’s here because of her heart for people. I appreciated that.”
Another member of the Lake Forest, Calif.-based church, Tonie Kennedy, said inviting Clinton “was a good decision” after hearing her speech.
“It shows me she has her own faith,” Kennedy said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, “and that she has an interest in what’s going on in the churches.”
Clinton shared about her upbringing in the Methodist Church and vowed to spend $50 billion on treatment, prevention and care for global HIV/AIDS by 2013 if she is elected, according to Reuters.
She also promised to “set a goal of ending all deaths from malaria in Africa” – where 1 million die annually from a preventable and treatable disease – by the end of a second term, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“For many of us, the golden rule calls on us to act. Not only can we now talk about AIDS in church, but the Church is leading the way,” Clinton said of Saddleback’s AIDS initiative, according to Reuters.
The former first lady reportedly won a standing ovation from the audience of over 1,500 Christian pastors, nongovernmental organizations and church members.
Yet other Christian leaders remain opposed to her presence at Saddleback.
“What Saddleback is doing is helping raise her profile as a legitimate presidential candidate in the eyes of evangelical Christians, and I think that is a huge error,” said Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, according to OneNewsNow.
The American Family Association, which has 2.8 million supporters, operates OneNewsNow.
Clinton was the only one out of six presidential candidates invited to accept Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren’s invitation to appear in person at the summit. All other invited candidates appeared via satellite.
Last year, Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) appearance at the Saddleback AIDS summit caused significantly larger uproar than Clinton’s appearance this year. Pro-life groups organized protests against Obama and demanded Warren rescind his invitation for the pro-abortion senator to appear on the church stage.
Warren had responded – as he did again this year to opposition to inviting Clinton – that although he may differ with people over certain issues, he and Christians should work together on the common cause of helping millions of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Experts have noted that Clinton has much to gain from a favorable reception at the Saddleback conference.
An August Pew Research Center survey found that 58 percent of white evangelical Protestants surveyed that identified themselves as Democrat or leaning towards that party had an unfavorable impression of Clinton, Pew research director Scott Keeter said to Reuters.
A good reception at the influential megachurch might help Clinton make inroads among the evangelical voters.
“Sen. Clinton has the boldness to broaden her base…it shows she’s done her homework and she’s open to new ideas,” said Vivian Berryhill, president and founder of the National Coalition of Pastors’ Spouses, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“We’re very religious in this country, and these are the people who helped elect [President] Bush,” Berryhill said as she motioned around the Saddleback worship hall. “So for her to come here is a gutsy move.”
The third annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church concluded on Friday, and led up to the first-ever Youth Summit on Saturday, Dec. 1 – World AIDS Day also hosted by Saddleback Church.
Michelle Vu
Christian Post Reporter
She's learned how to placate the naive so-called evangelical Christians in our nation. Yehaaw. She's learned from Rick well! You don't need to really know how to exegete scripture, just pepper some key biblical prooftexts here and there and voila, like moths to a flame!
The name of the rag is wrong - it’s actually the “Post-Christian”. Repent - and do the first things.
Is that Saddleback or Brokeback
Did she do the stupid fake redneck accent again?
Rick’s just dancing with the stars...
his definition of the Gospel is a bit different than what Jesus taught.
Rick Warren is seeking to replace Pat Robertson as a so called evangelical spokesman. We he does not speak for me and Hitlery is ‘she who must be feared,’ a she-devil who will take us further down the socialist road.
“An August Pew Research Center survey found that 58 percent of white
evangelical Protestants surveyed that identified themselves as Democrat or
leaning towards that party had an unfavorable impression of Clinton,”
I hope this doesn’t mean they think Hillary! is insufficiently
left-wing...
(but I wouldn’t be suprised if that’s the private opinion of some
evangelicals that I know)
Obviously, given the fact that Clinton was even there, these Evangelicals were already too soft (no softening up necessary)!
These are no longer Evangelicals...These are spineless evangelly-fish.
And the liberals keep fawning over Hillary. Why? This is repulsive, wrong, and most definitely contrived.
“his definition of the Gospel is a bit different than what Jesus taught.”
I think that makes him a false prophet, then.
Shows what a lightweight she is. For her, it’s gutsy to show up at a church, even if it’s a liberal church and she’s talking about liberal aid packages.
And it’s “heroic” for her to make phone calls to families of staffers from 3 states away when some nut takes a couple of hostages. Kept them all informed and everything, who would have thought she had it in her.
Considering some of the guest speakers that have been invited to Saddleback in the recent past I would have to wonder how that church can be considered conservative.
A "gutsy move" would be to go to John Hagee's Cornerstone Church and try the same stunt.
“his definition of the Gospel is a bit different than what Jesus taught.”
How so?
Good, because you paid for her globetrotting.
Yeah! I’m sure it worked.
A church full of people lacking discernment and being swayed by the devil.
I don't think I want to go there.
Yes, yes, she’s becoming a southern Evangelical, just like Jimmuh Carter. She’s born agin.
Angeline Jolie has been to Africa too and she even adopted a bambino from there maybe she should run for POTUS too.
ACK This article is a poor attempt and trying to say Hillary is a Human Rights expert.
All Hillary is experienced enough for is a seat at the United Nations.
Bite Me Senator Clinton!
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