Originally published by Communities Digital News
SAN DIEGO, September 11, 2014 —At a recent ceremony to appoint Texas lawyer Shaarik Zafar as special representative to Muslim communities, Secretary-of-State, John Kerry managed to mix the subject of Islam with climate change and the Bible. He informed the crowd that America not only has a responsibility to deal with climate change but that this injunction is a Biblical “responsibility.” Somehow such obedience to the Bible will also help Muslim countries.
“Our faiths are inextricably linked on any number of things that we must confront and deal with in policy concepts today. Our faiths are inextricably linked on the environment. For many of us, respect for God’s creation also translates into a duty to protect and sustain his first creation, Earth, the planet..Confronting climate change is, in the long run, one of the greatest challenges that we face, and you can see this duty or responsibility laid out in Scriptures clearly, beginning in Genesis. And Muslim-majority countries are among the most vulnerable. Our response to this challenge ought to be rooted in a sense of stewardship of Earth, and for me and for many of us here today, that responsibility comes from God.”
We will mercifully refrain from a detailed examination of Kerry’s Bible scholarship. Suffices to point out, the Bible says absolutely nothing about climate change, at least not in the way the phrase is being currently bandied about. Neither does it link the Muslim faith with the Christian faith. But that’s fine. Let Kerry believe whatever he wants. A far more interesting observation can be made from his emotionally stirring speech.
Have you noticed how the same Democrats who frown at Republicans for violating the supposed constitutional law of separation between church and state are always happy to call upon the Bible when it suits their own cause?
Back during the 2004 presidential election, candidate John Kerry recited that tired drivel about being personally against abortion while remaining pro-choice as a public position.
In an interview with The Telegraph Herald in Dubuque Kerry had said, “I oppose abortion, personally. I don’t like abortion. I believe life does begin at conception. But I can’t take my Catholic belief, my article of faith, and legislate it on a Protestant or a Jew or an atheist …who doesn’t share it. We have separation of church and state in the United States of America.”
Those are extraordinary words. He believes life begins at conception which means he believes abortion is murder, but as a public servant, he will do nothing to oppose such murder because that would bring religion into the mix.
And yet, during this very same election year, while courting the black vote in a speech at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Liberty City, Florida, Kerry quoted from the Bible saying “Faith without works is dead.” He also said “When I look around me in this country, I see a whole bunch of people who talk about faith, I see a whole bunch of people who put it out there, but I see an awful lot of deeds undone, I see a lot of work to be done in this country.”
Getting more specific, Kerry included civil rights as part of the religious cause. ”What’s on the ballot is the American dream, what’s on the ballot is what Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton marched for…We have an unfinished march in this nation.”
In all fairness to John Kerry, he is certainly not the only politician to talk out of both sides of the mouth.
Nancy Pelosi is also on record. While speaking to the Catholic Community Conference on the issue of illegal immigration, she said, “I would hope that there’s one thing that we can do working together as we go forward that speaks to what the Bible tells us about the dignity and worth of every person – and that is on the subject of immigration…Because I think the Church is going to have to play a very major role in how we, in how people are treated.”
Apparently the dignity and worth of unborn children is not to be included here, at least not as far as any legislation is concerned. Pelosi, also a practicing Catholic, parses her stance on abortion between personal conviction and public policy, just as Kerry does.
If all this sounds like a bunch of contradictory double talk, have no fear. Nancy Pelosi and John Kerry are actually being quite consistent. You see, when religious beliefs serve Republican causes, they violate our Constitution. When they serve Democratic causes, they don’t violate anything. Catching on?
Translation: You have no right to refuse same sex marriage or abortion because that is imposing your religion. But laws about climate change or immigration are fair game and you may quote the Bible all you want while passing such legislation.
This is Bob Siegel, making the obvious, obvious.
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