A Christian Liberal is NOT an oxymoron.

Posted by XT on April 7th, 2008 in Progressive Faith

A few weeks ago, some folks made a fuss over John McCain’s endorsement by John Hagee. Hagee is what is roughly referred to as a “Christian Zionist”. He believes that, in the end-times, Israel will become the focal point for a new wave of prophets and that the world will descend into war as the Anti-Christ ascends to power on earth. He abhors the Catholic Church and interprets the Bible literally (especially The Revelations) - particularly the parts about homosexuality and the place of women as being subservient to men. But some of the things that people were up in arms about were just silly:

Hagee has a clear problem with African-Americans. The Cornerstone Church where he pastors was condemned for announcing a “slave sale” a few years back to raise funds for high school seniors. As was reported in the San Antonio Express News, the church bulletin announced “Slavery in America is returning to Cornerstone. Make plans to come and go home with a slave.” This racist attitude is indicative of Hagee and should be condemned by all Americans, even Senator John McCain.

This is pure stupidity. Hagee wasn’t selling black people. I’ve seen literally dozens of groups do similar fund-raisers. Kids are “bought” by parents (usually) and then have to wash cars, clean out closets, or maybe even muck a barn or two. It isn’t racist (I’d be surprised if even one of the students were black). It isn’t even offensive (unless one looks for offense). Especially if one insists that Rev. Wright has to be taken in context (as I have), then the same is true of Hagee.

Well, Hagee handed over $6 million this weekend to pro-Israeli groups. The scary part about this is that Hagee is doing it because he believes it will speed Armageddon. That isn’t exactly something in which I want my President to have a hand. I don’t care if John McCain doesn’t like Catholics (and I don’t think that is true) and I don’t care what place he thinks women should have in his family (judging from his mother, they are hardly subservient). But I don’t want a President who is pro-Israel because he thinks God will punish us if we waiver and I don’t want a President who thinks that the end of the world should be hastened. There is, however, no indication at all that McCain is a follower of Hagee. And for that I am thankful.

Now Rod Parsley has moved front-and center in the assault on faith. Parsley has said that Islam is a “false religion” and should be “destroyed”. I think Parsley has his head up his ass, but I know a lot of people who think that about Islam. Hell, I know a lot of people who think that about the Catholic Church (see also: John Hagee).

Parsley is fully entitled to preach his stupidity - it isn’t illegal like pedophilia. It may be offensive to Muslims, but that is their determination to make. If John McCain thinks it is worth gaining the votes of Muslims in America, he is faced with the decision Barack Obama had to make: denounce him or publicly explain why he isn’t. Or maybe McCain’s electoral math figures he can pick up more votes by vilifying Islam than defending it. It’s his decision.

Is Parsley’s stance hateful? Of course. So is Hagee’s. So is Wright’s. In fact, almost every religious statement is offensive to someone. That’s why it’s protected. So long as it isn’t promoting illegal activities, it has to be allowed to continue. Sometimes it should continue even then (though its proponents should always be willing to face the legal price for doing so).

But hate speech (whether religiously based or not), even more than non-hate speech, needs to be allowed to be vented in the open. Like a festering wound, hate needs to seep out. If it doesn’t; then it swells and poisons the whole body. So long as Hagee and Parsley can say what they want to say in public - and so long as people are free to say, “Those folks are as crazy as a soup sandwich!”; then we are on solid footing. It is when we force them underground that these wingnuts become radicalized and advocating open resistence like Timothy McVeigh.

Beyond that, Obama and McCain - and Hillary Clinton, too - are entitled to take their spiritual advice from whomever they desire. They are running for office, but they are also Americans who are entitled to pursue their faith as is dictated by the beliefs of their hearts. Forcing one or the other to disassociate with one person or the other might feel satisfying as whapping a puppy on the nose, but if they can be forced to hide their faith for the sake of the job for which they are vying; then the same is true for us as well.

Technorati Tags: John McCain, John Hagee, Rod Parsley, assault on faith