Posted on 08/27/2006 10:20:17 AM PDT by dukeman
MIAMI -- U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris told a weekly religious journal that God and the nation's founding fathers did not intend the country be "a nation of secular laws" and made other comments that have drawn criticism in recent days.
The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate also said that if Christians are not elected to political office politicians will "legislate sin," citing abortion and gay marriage as two examples in an interview published Thursday.
Harris made the comments in the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention. The publication interviewed political candidates, asking them questions about religion and their positions on issues.
Separation of church and state is "a lie we have been told," Harris said in the interview, adding that separating religion and politics is "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."
"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris added.
Among those critical of the comments were U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, and State Rep. Irv Slosberg, D-Boca Raton. Both are Jewish.
Wasserman Schultz told the Orlando Sentinel that she was "disgusted" by the comments, and Slosberg demanded an apology.
Republicans also criticized Harris, calling the comments offensive and not representative of the party.
"Congresswoman Harris encourages Americans from all walks of life and faith to participate in our government," said a brief statement from Harris' campaign, responding to the criticism. "She continues to be an unwavering advocate of religious rights and freedoms."
Harris' opponents in the Sept. 5 GOP Senate primary also gave interviews to the Florida Baptist Witness but made more general statements on their faith.
The interview also included Harris' reasons for running and response to issues like stem cell research, the Terri Schiavo case and other topics.
There is a huge distance between understanding that our laws are based in the Judeo Christian ethic and saying only Christians should be elected and/or only Christians can properly make and enforce laws.
Our Constitution specifically forbids selecting politicians based on any religious test.
The US Constitution -- read it.
So according to you someone like Katherine Harris standing up for christian values in a Christian forum is anti-Jewsih.
So you must be against G W Bush too, since he is a born again Christian and did not hesitate to speak in favour of Christian values in such forums when he was running for the Presidency.
No Statesperson would ever say anything as dumb as Harris. It is not only political suicide, it is the exact opposite of Statescraft.
No, you are the problem. Keep your religion to yourself and we be fine. Start pushing your values on everyone else, dont be surprised if they shove it back in your face.
She didn't "stand up for Christian Values." She said only Christians should be elected (which is very un-Christian btw).
Did he speak in favor of Christianity in terms that simultaneously condemned all other religions?
I didn't think so.
Based on these Harris threads, I would say Nehemiah Scudder is very much alive and active.
> Supporting Christianity is not necessarily anti-jewish, unless you are getting your arguments straight from ACLU, ADL in which case you need to get real.
She said if you don't vote Christians into office, you're legislating sin.
The statement is saying that any non-Christian legislator is going to be sinful.
How is this not anti-jewish?
She stands as much chance of getting elected to anything as that Judge whats his name in Alabama who threw the hissy fit over displaying the ten commandments in court. If he couldnt get elected in Alabama, what makes you think a kook like Harris can get elected in a state composed of people who have moved from NY/NJ/CT.
Just offering values to those who lack them. Attacking Harris for expressing her values is an attack on my values. And therefore gives me every right to respond as such.
> So you must be against G W Bush too, since he is a born again Christian and did not hesitate to speak in favour of Christian values in such forums when he was running for the Presidency.
W didn't say that everyone except Christians would legislate sin.
Again: she didn't merely support Christianity. That would have been laudable. She said everyone except Christians would legislate sin. That's stupid, and divisive.
'Did he speak in favor of Christianity in terms that simultaneously condemned all other religions?'
Where does Harris directly condemn other religions?
Back in 2000, the MSM and the libs were saying similar things about GWB that he is a christian and he will establish theocracy in the US...blah blah when he gave a address to the Bob Jones university.
"Her bigoted and outrageous comments ." This is beyond the pale. She was a Christian speaking to a church audience. In that setting she is not required to enumerate every group in the world to avoid being slammed by the likes of you. Blacks sollicit the black vote; Hispanics tll audiences they will reprsent Hispanics. The assumption is that you have to be one to know. None of this slaps Jews.
You can't be serious. Did you even read the article?
The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate also said that if Christians are not elected to political office politicians will "legislate sin,"
She might as well have said "{Enter religion of choice here}, if elected to public office, will legislate sin".
"Only Christians should be elected" is bigoted. It is also outrageous.
Does that mean when she goes to a synagogue we can expect her to say "Only Jews should be elected"?
I'll bet Harris would love to be invited by Jewish audiences to discuss her views.
Christian conservatives will be provoked into going to the polls. There are more of them than the liberal snowbirds from the northeast.
We can always pray that liberal snowbirds will see the light.
'The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate also said that if Christians are not elected to political office politicians will "legislate sin,"'
Read it again. She does not condemn other religions.
If Christians are not elected to political office then some atheist, agnostic ACLU loving liberal will fill the vaccuum and most likely legislate for gay marriage, teaching perversion in schools and so on.
What about Jewish, Muslim, Hindus etc?
It does not matter in this case as she was in a Christian forum and it is only naturally she refers to other christians . She does not have to refer to others and it does not mean she is against them.
She is not pushing for a theocracy by any strech and thats a wild Liberal imagination.
> She was a Christian speaking to a church audience. In that setting she is not required to enumerate every group in the world to avoid being slammed by the likes of you.
I despair: is no one being taught logic in schools anymore (as CS Lewis lamented)?
Let me spell it out for you.
She said if you don't elect Christians, you are legislating sin.
Non-Christians include Jews.
It's pretty pitiful how people are going through all kinds of contortions, like saying how Jews really are Christians, in order to defend this woman.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.