Saint Rick

[Bgno64]

Smart Remarks:

You remember how, during the 2008 campaign, Obama talked about people in small town Pennsylvania who, as a result of deindustrialization, are bitter and they cling to their guns and religion. It was a big media firestorm, with the people who are allegedly “bitter” taking great umbrage (OUTRAGE!!!) at Obama’s slight.

Santorum doesn’t get this, and the national media doesn’t quite get this yet, but the exact same dynamic is at work now on the other side of the fence.

My buddy Pastor Dan, a UCC minister, spent all weekend posting Facebook notes like this:

On Saturday, because of my phony theology, I tried to get food donations to a pantry that could use them.

And today, because of my phony theology, I drove an hour-and-a-half to visit a child in a burn ward.

Oh, & Wednesday, because of my phony theology, I went to see a member of my congregation whose feet and hand were shattered in a car crash.

Santorum’s mere use of the term “phony theology” summons everything that people detest about hardcore know-it-all conservative evangelicals.

You’re not really a Christian, because if you were you’d believe exactly what I believe. That’s the attitude. ...

This was Rick Santorum consciously attempting to appeal to those who don’t think Obama is a Christian, or isn’t the “right kind” of Christian, and there are plenty of them out there – check our letters to the editor page any day of the week. Those are the voters – potential Newt Gingrich voters – whom Santorum is trying to reach.

I tell you one thing, though, Santorum is not the kind of guy who backs down from a remark like this. And were he to be the GOP nominee, I can see him doubling down on it during the general election campaign. He can’t be inclusive, because his type of religious fundamentalism (and yes, I realize he’s Catholic) simply isn’t inclusive. Rick Santorum and his constituency simply aren’t people who can say – all faith is OK. Because they don’t believe that.

And yet here’s Rick Santorum, striving to be president of a religiously diverse nation. Think he’d respect other faiths? He doesn’t respect them now.

[Angry Dragon]

1. The Catholic Church has never been inclusive

except at the parish level.


Many years ago I read an article in the Mpls. Star Tribune about a conference on tolerance between the churches and religion and a Bishop or Cardinal stated that the Catholic Church would be tolerant of others as long as the other religions realized that the Catholic Church was the only true church and religion.

That is your Catholic tolerance.

[LiberalEsto]

2. My first encounter with a Catholic kid

I must have been 6 or 7.
I went out to play with the other kids in the neighborhood.
One kid asked what religion I was.
I said Lutheran.
The other kid told me: "You're going to Hell because you're not a Catholic."
I said "Who says so?"
He said "The Pope"
I said "The Pope is a poop"
Kid gasps with horror. claps hand to face
"You're going to Hell for sure!"
and scurries home.
I went home and asked my Mom what a Catholic was
and what a Pope was.

She assured me that I wasn't going to Hell for not being a Catholic
and not believing in the Pope. She said Lutherans didn't believe that kind of stuff.

[yurbud]

3. if he's going to play the religious card that hard, someone needs to ask...

if someone is really a Christian if they don't believe in the infallibility of the Pope.

Even if he has a reasonable response, it would dilute his attack on moderate and liberal Christians.

[bongbong]

4. Saint Ricky

Saint Frothy is just a heretic until he confesses his sins on the Pasta Altar of the FSM.