How out of touch with reality are Clinton's top White House
officials?
Comments by press secretary Joe Lockhart during a Dec. 16 press
briefing are a good example.
He was asked about a campaign by the Southern Baptist Convention, the
largest of the protestant denominations in the U.S., to pray for and
share the gospel with Hindus, Jews and Muslims.
"I think the president has made very clear ... his views on religious
tolerance, and how one of the greatest challenges going into the next
century is dealing with intolerance, dealing with ethnic and religious
hatred, and coming to grips with the long-held resentments between
religions," he said. "So I think he's been very clear in his opposition
to whatever organization, including the Southern Baptist, that
perpetuate ancient religious hatred."
In other words, Lockhart, the official White House spokesman,
believes that carrying out the Great Commission and Christian evangelism
to people of other faiths somehow equates with perpetuating "ancient
religious hatred."
What can you say about Clinton and those with whom he surrounds
himself? Birds of a feather? Clinton claims to be a Southern Baptist. I
should emphasize the word "claims." If the denomination practiced
excommunication, I'm certain the president would be a prime candidate.
Some members of Congress have called for Lockhart to be
excommunicated from the communications office. Rep. J.D. Hayworth,
R-Ariz., and J.C. Watts, R-Okla., called for his firing in a letter to
Clinton, calling Lockhart's remarks "blatant bigotry against a
particular religious group."
But that kind of misses the point. Sure Lockhart should go -- even
though it was fun watching him try to explain his way out of his own
remark. "It was never my intention to single anyone out," said the
little weenie. Well, Joe, that's just what you did. You singled out the
Southern Baptists for perpetuating ancient religious hatreds. He said he
was sorry if his words made it appear he was criticizing Southern
Baptists. No, Joe, there's no "if" about it. It's not a matter of
appearance. It's not even a question of criticism. You attacked the
largest Protestant denomination in America for perpetuating ancient
religious hatreds because they pray for people of other faiths and try
to persuade them to follow Jesus Christ.
But he is merely a symptom of the festering sore of bigotry and
corruption that starts at the top of the executive branch of government.
Did you notice Clinton did not fire Lockhart? Did you notice he did
not rebuke him? Did you notice he did not come out and apologize to the
Southern Baptists himself for the remarks?
That should tell you something. This is a guy who apologizes for the
actions of Americans in World War II, for the actions of Americans
during the Civil War, for the actions of Americans before there was an
America. But he seldom if ever accepts responsibility for his own
shameful actions or for those around him.
But it's tough to blame Clinton alone. Too many so-called Christians
in this country have let him get away with it. They helped elect him to
two terms in office, and they have been far too quiet as he turned the
White House into a center of racketeering and organized crime. They let
him off the hook because Clinton acted out the life of a cultural
Christian with all the trappings -- clutching the Bible in church on
Sunday, occasionally quoting Scripture accurately and mouthing
meaningless public prayers to a most patient God on High.
Maybe they're waking up. Perhaps now millions of Christians are
beginning to pay attention and comprehend what is at stake here and what
kind of people are occupying the White House.
There were some unusually harsh words from Baptist leaders over this
ruckus:
- "I would say that the president or his press secretary or
both have once again demonstrated that the one thing for which they have
no regard is the truth," said Paige Patterson, the leader of the
Southern Baptists. - "To assert that practicing obedience to one's faith by witnessing
to those of other faiths is intolerance is either stupefyingly ignorant
or malicious misrepresentation," said Richard Land, president of the
Baptists' Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
It's not really ignorance or dishonesty. The problem with the
Clinton crowd is that they are evil. That's a tough one for Americans of
any denomination to swallow. But that's the hard truth. And this was
just one more example of the way they really think.