Posted on 08/25/2011 1:12:06 PM PDT by Qbert
New York Times editor Bill Keller writes a loaded piece today posing a strict religion test for the 2012 GOP presidential candidates, noting that Americans are "too squeamish" about aggressively "probing" a candidates religious beliefs.
Keller isn't worried about Mitt Romney, noting that he doesn't care if Romney, "wears Mormon undergarments beneath his Gap skinny jeans, or if he believes that the stories of ancient American prophets were engraved on gold tablets and buried in upstate New York, or that Mormonism’s founding prophet practiced polygamy."
What Keller is worried about is an evangelical "Trojan Horse."
Keller questions whether Bachmann believes the Bible is inerrant, homosexuality is an abomination, and whether she thinks slavery was acceptable in the American South.
He wants to ask Perry if he will use the Bible to drive policy, or disavow the Holocaust, or denounce Catholicism based on his pastoral acquaintances.
His questionnaire asks the following:
•Do you agree with those religious leaders who say that America is a “Christian nation” or a “Judeo-Christian nation?” and what does that mean in practice?
•Would you have any hesitation about appointing a Muslim to the federal bench? What about an atheist?
•What is your attitude toward the theory of evolution, and do you believe it should be taught in public schools?
Like many in the mainstream media, Keller is shocked and afraid of American evangelicals. He notes that he remembers "being mystified and hurt" when Americans speculated that Kennedy would "take orders from the Pope" but writes:
"It is worth knowing whether a candidate has a mind open to intelligence that does not fit neatly into his preconceptions."
After reading his piece this morning, I think its obvious that Bill Keller doesn't.
So, does Bill think we should have more “aggressively probed” Obama’s association with Reverend Wright?
A muslim couldn’t possibly be a TROJAN horse - you know the media would be checking that 24/7.
Yeah, he’s just another anti-Christian bigot and I hope Rick Perry makes this little twit tremble in his boots.
In addition to pimping for Statist Unconstitutionality
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
Kennedy was elected. Apparently all the hoopla over his being Catholic was just hype. However, I personally will not vote for a mormon, atheist, or muslim - ever. Call me a whatever-phobic. I don’t care. We are not required to explain our vote to anyone.
BO is a big Christian according to him and the media so what’s he so worried about? The media goes out of it’s way to tell everyone that BO is a Christian.
I was going to open with some thoughts of my own on this, but posts 1-3 pretty much covered the territory.
I’m not sure why Bachmann makes them tremble in their boots so much, but she sure does.
Perhaps this is just the manifestation of the fear of the Tea Party in general, that has both side’s national committees worked up.
You certainly need to have your head miles deep in the sand to be more afraid of Evangelicals than Muslims.
Hey, Keller, if you’re worried that the next President might not be too fond of gays, just keep in mind that while Evangelical preachers may condemn gay behavior or insist that gay marriage is wrong, Muslim preachers will order their heads to be cut off.
How’s gay marriage doing in Saudi Arabia these days?
Muslims make dangerous allies.
I would think his worst nightmare was a democrat trojan horse. One that says all the right liberal things, then gets into office and veers sharply to the right.
Would make my day. Either way liberal heads would be exploding all over the country.
Yep, just like that blonde down the street with the natural long straight hair. Why would she go the trouble of dying all the roots brunette?
Mormons get a pass
Christians get the Inquisition...
He conveniently overlooks the fact that Mormonism is actually a lot like Islam in that its ideal form is a theocracy, and only the US Army prevented it from taking over territories and imposing its rule in the early days.
To my knowledge, however, Evangelicals have never tried to take over US territory and wouldn’t even be remotely interested in doing so, since Christianity is not a theocratic religion.
But Bill Keller shouldn’t let reality interfere with his fevered Upper West Side fantasies.
They are worried about a fundamentalist christian theocracy.
While ignoring what muslims want - a worldwide caliphate established in the blood of people who won’t submit to their god.
This debate is a fraud. It is the laws of nature and nature’s God that is the basis of our Constitution. Natural Law Theory which is where Natural Rights from God originate and is the basis of our legal document.
We don’t need a “religious test” we need a Constitutional Test—do they believe in the Constitution—that we have Natural Rights from God. If not they should never be able to take any oath of office.
Right Reason according to Nature.....is the basic philosophy of our legal systerm (or was)......It means logic, reason and science HAS to be in ALL LAW—and it can NEVER depart from the logic of nature—meaning that things like homosexual marriage is unconstitutional....it defies logic, reason and science AND it is not conducive to “flourishing” societies and forces sexism and the deprivation of natural rights of a child to biological parents.
Just all the studies which prove that children raised by biological parents are far less likely than any other children from being sexually and physically abused points to the government need to affirm one man/one woman for the General Welfare as the basis of all social contracts which is the only reason for having a government.
This idea that you can actually deny genetic importance is so inhumane, it is evil, and is all about artificial reconstruction of man’s nature to something very unnatural and inhumane.
It denies God’s teleological design of man and our standards of right and wrong HAVE to come from God—since it is the source of our Natural Rights.
Any belief that doesn’t acknowledge the one true God of the Founding Fathers—is not eligible since it is the First Principle of our Legal System.
The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.
Why does this surprise ANYONE? The ultra left is scared to death of evangelicals because they point out their sin... and the darkness doesn’t like the light. They have had their liberal/socialist/antichristian way for many decades now and look what has been reaped. It is high time to repent and seek the Lord in this country. Otherwise, Irene will look like a Sunday school picnic. Just sayin’.
So, the editor can only tolerate a Roman Catholic or a Jew for the presidency? Or does he believe a Christian must abandon Christianity to be president?
Sure looks to me like this bigot wants to impose his own religion test on the Presidency.
Exactly. I guess it depends on whether it’s your Trojan horse or the opposition’s.
Democrats: “Who cares if there’s one in the White House right now. It’s our Trojan horse.”
I find it insulting and audacious to speak of a good Christian as if it would be evil to vote them in.
The Democrats have gone “all in” when it comes to evil.
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