I wrote yesterday about Republican Congressman Akin (who is running for US Senate in Missouri). GOP Rep. Akin: "Liberals Hate God." The demogogic Mr. Akin claimed that "at the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God."
Yes, Mr. Akin has taken Republican extremism and their war on the poor and middle class and conflated it with God, while conveniently forgeting one of the core beliefs of his purported religion (Christianity): "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Jesus of Nazareth, aka Jesus Christ, quoted in The Bible, Mathew 25. I do not think Mr. Akin can reconcile the actual words and teachings of Jesus with Mr. Akin's long history of doing it to the poor and middle class. Nonetheless, he calls himself a Christian and claims that his political opponents hate God. Perhaps he is confusing himself with God?
In the face of much criticism of his statement, at first Akin refused to apologize: "There's just such a historic pattern there that I think that it probably could've been clarified, but no, I'm not going to apologize for what I see liberalism doing in trying to take God out."
But a day later, Akin gave a half-assed, "Republican-style" apology. Some clergy in St. Louis are not accepting it and will demonstrate today at his office:
But the apology fell flat with a group of St. Louis-area clergy members, most of whom are liberal. They plan to gather at the Akin's Ballwin district office at 11 a.m. today to deliver a letter calling on him to "reconsider not only your words, but also your moral priorities as a political leader."
"Congressman Akin continues to insist that liberalism is anti-religion. As a pastor and a constituent of Congressman Akin's, I find this deeply offensive," said the Rev. Kevin Cameron of Parkway United Church of Christ in west St. Louis County.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
It's good to see some clergy taking a stand on this.
Other clergy commented yesterday about this:
Rabbi Jim Bennett of Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis, Missouri scolded Akin for his “grotesque” attack and for making “a mockery of his own understanding of these liberal values and of God.”
Unitarian Rev. Krista Taves of St. Louis told Akin, “You know very little about liberals, and sadly enough, you also seem to know very little about God and his son Jesus.”
GOP Rep. Akin: "Liberals Hate God."
Former Senator John Danforth, also an Episcopalian priest and a Republican,
said he was glad the congressman "clarified" his original statements. He then commented on religion and politics:
"politics isn't religion, and religion isn't politics."
"Religion can inform politics, and people who are religious people often feel they have an obligation to be involved in politics," he said. "But that's not the same thing as thinking your views are God's views."
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
This is going to haunt Akin. Not all people of faith are fundamentalist Christians. And this makes Akin look like a bigot, because he clearly is one. He also seems to confuse God with himself, which if I remember right is a violation of one of the Big 10 in the Jewish and Christian faiths. ("Thou shall have no other God before me.") (I'm not debating the existence or non-existence of a deity here, just showing that Akin is violating his own faith tradition.)
Whether one is a theist, non-theist, agnostic, or whatever, I think we all can agree that what Akin is doing is wrong. Even within his own faith tradition, he crossed a line.
God is not a Democrat or a Republican. Your views may be informed by your religious beliefs (or ethical beliefs for non-theists or non-religious), but as former Senator Danforth said: "that's not the same thing as thinking your views are God's views."
There should be great pictures on the evening news tonight of ministers and rabbis demonstrating at Akin's office. You can't buy that kind of negative publicity. You have to earn it and Akin has.