I haven't seen this diaried yet today, but I found it interesting. Sojourners sponsored what the Post calls an "unprecedented forum" on personal faith. Of course, there will be those who think the idea entirely inappropriate, but I think any chance we get to hear the candidates answer questions the better off we all are.
Of course some of it was pretty vapid, as I expect from host Soledad O'Brien. Some highlights ... and (what I think was) a strange statement from Senator Clinton:
Clinton described herself as a "praying person," and credited her ability to get through difficult times to her "extended faith family" and what she described as "prayer warriors" -- friends and strangers who have prayed for her over the years. She said she prays for courage and discernment and joked that some of her prayers were "trivial and self-serving," including requests to lose weight faster, that inspire "eye-rolling" from God.
Edwards was asked to name the biggest sin he had committed. "If I had a day in my 54 years where I haven't sinned I would be surprised," he said, declining to specify. "I sin every day; we are all sinners."
Obama, who of the three has spoken the most about his faith in campaign appearances, said the least about his religion in this forum. He instead discussed his belief that evil exists in the world and said "there is a moral element" to his view that pay for corporate chief executives has become excessive. He repeatedly invoked the biblical phrase "I am my brother's keeper."
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The quote from Senator Clinton I found odd, perhaps even problematic:
Clinton indicated that she thinks that both sides in the abortion debate should be more willing to compromise, a stance she has taken consistently throughout her career but has rarely spoken about in her presidential campaign. "In talking about abortion being safe, legal and rare, I mean rare," she said in response to a question on the subject. "The pro-life and pro-choice communities have not been willing to find much common ground."
I must say I wonder exactly where she thinks pro-choice supporters should give ground.
All in all, I thought it was worth a read. There's also an AP/Nedra Pickler version floating around out there.
Thanks for reading!