Now, let me get this straight... Dean was blasted because his wife was Jewish and he wasn't religious enough and now Kerry's blasted for quoting scripture? __________________ Bush Campaign Blasts Kerry's Bible Quote NEDRA PICKLER Associated Press ST. LOUIS - John Kerry cited a Bible verse to criticize leaders who have "faith but has no deeds," prompting President Bush's spokesman to accuse Kerry of exploiting Scripture for a political attack. Kerry never mentioned Bush by name during his speech Sunday at New North Side Baptist Church, but aimed his criticism at "our present national leadership." Kerry cited Scripture in his appeal for the worshippers, including James 2:14, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?" "The Scriptures say, what does it profit, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" Kerry said. "When we look at what is happening in America today, where are the works of compassion?" Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said Kerry's comment "was beyond the bounds of acceptable discourse and a sad exploitation of Scripture for a political attack." Kerry told worshippers in the largely black congregation that the country's leadership has served the privileged while ignoring people across America who live in neighborhoods like theirs. "Today we are told that, after 3 million lost jobs and so many lost hopes, America is now turning a corner," the pending Democratic presidential nominee said. "But those who say that, they're not standing on the corner of Highland Street, where two 15-year-old teenagers were hit in a drive-by shooting last week." ...
I believe that we have not even begun to see the depths of hypocracy that this administration will stoop to in order to keep their regime in place.
I believe politicians need to stay out of churches. Oh, and maybe they ought to stop quoting Scripture out of context.
I know every time there is a drive by shooting, the person most directly responsible, in my opinion, is always the President of the United States.
I suspect he wrote it due to the last statment by Kerry in the posted article. "Today we are told that, after 3 million lost jobs and so many lost hopes, America is now turning a corner," the pending Democratic presidential nominee said. "But those who say that, they're not standing on the corner of Highland Street, where two 15-year-old teenagers were hit in a drive-by shooting last week."
I don't know that I like using scripture in a political race to say, "hey...look...these guys really aren't down with God!!!" But at the same time...I love the book of James...and I know exactly what Kerry is saying here.
As you've long suspected, I am a blatant racist and jumped immediately from black congregation to drive-bys.
The problem is that James was primarily talking about what an individual does with his own resources, not what a political leader does with other people's resources. When I taught the book of James, I never thought to approach it from the standpoint of what government officieals should be doing for people. I approached it from the standpoint from what we should be doing for people with what we have.
But no two people are the same. Obviously the what the president has, and what people he could be doing things for, is on a different scale than for a your average nine to fiver.
Bush uses scripture for political attacks too. What was that quote he used during his diatribe on gay marriage? something about taking your neighbor's eye out with your log?
I understand your point...I never thought about it in the context, either. But the point James makes is the same point Kerry makes...it's not enough to mouthe out some words and say, "hey, i'm forgiven..woo hoo!!!" if faith is real, you will see a difference in that person's life...and Kerry is saying that he sees a lack of faith evidenced by works from these guys.
