- Talk Show Maven: No Atheists For President
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- Falwell Retreats, Robertson Prevaricates On Earlier
Claims Blaming Americans For Attacks
Web Posted: September 19, 2001 wo of the nation's most prominent
Christian televangelists yesterday chose different tactics in
response to earlier statements which blamed Americans for the
recent terrorist strikes in Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Meanwhile, ABC talk show maven Star Jones praised President George
Bush for being a man of faith, and declared that she would not
vote for an Atheist under any circumstances.
Following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon
building, Rev. Jerry Falwell appeared on the "The 700 Club"
program carried by Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network.
During an exchange, Falwell accused civil libertarians, women
seeking abortion, feminists, gays, secularists, pagans and others
for creating a social climate which precipitated terrorist violence
and led to God lifting a "curtain" of protection on
the United States.
Robertson agreed, and even issued a three-page statement through
CBN, excoriating Americans for insulting God by permitting abortion
and "rampant internet pornography." Yesterday, Falwell
apologized for his intemperate outburst, declaring that it was
ill-timed and insensitive. In the past, he has had to make similar
retractions over statement lambasting homosexuals. His latest
retreat, though, may have had less to do with conscience than
pressure from the White House.
According to news reports, Falwell said that he was contacted
by a Bush administration representative last Friday while en
route to a memorial service at the National Cathedral, and told
that the President disapproved of his remarks. Robertson's group
also issued its own statement, describing Falwell's on-air comments
as "severe and harsh in tone and, frankly, not fully understood."
That clashed with Robertson's on-air dialogue during "The
700 Club" segment, that he agreed when Falwell remarked,
"God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies
of America to give us probably what we deserve."
"What we deserve" is understood to mean the hijacking
of four planes, and destruction of buildings in New York and
Washington, with a death toll expected to be well above 5,000.
Robertson's press release consisted of three paragraphs. A posting
on PatRobertson.com read, in part: "Rev. Falwell's initial
remarks were completely in accord with what had been said in
preceding parts of the program, and then, unexpectedly, he uttered
a political statement of blame directed at certain segments of
the population..."
The release then notes that the exchange between Falwell and
Robertson "was picked up by People for the American Way,
who for approximately the past fifteen years have taped every
single telecast of The 700 Club and unfortunately take statements
out of context and spin them to the press for their own political
ends..." In his apology, Falwell declared that he had regretted
making the statements on Robertson's program. "I apologize
that, during a week when everyone appropriately dropped all labels
and no one was seen as liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican,
religious or secular, I singled out for blame certain groups
of Americans.
"This was insensitive, uncalled for at the time, and
unnecessary as part of the commentary on this destruction...
I do not know if the horrific events of September 11 are the
judgment of God, but if they are, that judgment is on all of
America -- including me and all fellow sinners -- and not on
any particular group." Falwell added that his remarks "were
understandably called divisive by some ... This grieves me, as
I had no intention of being divisive."
OTHER CLERICS CALL FOR CHRISTIAN JIHAD While some Muslim groups,
including those identified with Afghanistan's fundamentalist
Taliban militia are calling for a Jihad or holy war against the
West, there is growing evidence that at least some Christian
officials and others in America are engaging in comparable religious
intolerance.
Pastors in the Louisville, Kentucky area, for instance are
standing by earlier statements that describe the September 11
terrorist bombing "as proof of Christianity's superiority
over at least some brands of Islam," according to writer
Peter Smith of the Courier-Journal newspaper.
"Pastors of Southeast Christian Church, the largest in
Kentucky, say the attacks show the need to spread the Christian
faith because some religions and cultures have no respect for
innocent lives," noted the paper in today's print edition.
Evangel World Prayer Center Pastor Bob Rodgers said that although
there are good Muslims, "all they need is Jesus."
Another minister associated with the SCC wrote in a church
newsletter: "Many have bought into the philosophy that all
cultures are of equal value -- one faith is as good as another.
That's not true. There are cultures and religions that have no
respect for human life no matter how innocent. Man without God
is capable of horrendous evil. Satan is real. He uses men to
accomplish his goal."
Pastor Rodgers also insisted that the war against terrorism
is supernatural, not just geopolitical and cultural. "Our
enemy is not bin Laden, our enemy is not terrorism, our enemies
are the demons of terrorism and the demonic forces that have
compelled people to hate and to do the things they do."
The rhetoric coming from religious leaders in Louisville is
a microcosm of what is taking place throughout the nation, with
some describing the events of September 11 in apocalyptic terms,
while others urge caution, restraint and tolerance.
Falwell's remarks on "The 700 Club" program which
blamed "the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists,
and the gays and the lesbians" as well as secularists seem
at odds with a White House strategy stressing inclusion, at least
for the nation's spectrum of religious believers.
Spokesperson Ken Lisaius said that Mr. Bush "does not
share those views (and) ... believes that terrorists are responsible
for these acts." BASHING MUSLIMS, EVEN ATHEISTS Despite
calls for tolerance, there have been nearly forty incidents across
the country of attacks on people of Middle East or Asian descent
believed linked to the September 11 terrorist strikes.
In Mesa, Arizona, a man shot and killed a Sikh who owned gas
station, and then twenty minutes later fired on a Lebanese clerk.
He then opened fire on the home of a family from Afghanistan.
A shooting in Dallas has authorities concerned as well. Waqar
Hasan, a 46-year-old Pakistani who was part owner of a neighborhood
grocery, was found shot to death at the store on Saturday night.
He had been in the United States for over ten years, and recently
moved to Texas from New Jersey.
Mosques in six states have been attacked, according to the
New York Times, and Muslim taxi drivers in several cities are
reporting everything from insulting remarks to physical violence.
President Bush called for calm during a visit to the Islamic
Center of Washington yesterday. All of this follows a week of
high profile, and mostly Christian religious events ranging from
a ceremony at the National Cathedral carried live on national
television and radio networks, to prayer rallies and similar
events.
There are scattered reports of prayer activities even in public
schools, where the U.S. Supreme Court has restricted such unconstitutional
events. Evangelicals, Catholics and even mainstream Protestants
have been calling the nation to prayer all week, and for televangelists
like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, the tragedy has become
an incentive in urging a national "revival." More blatant
expressions of intolerance may be the result of at least some
of this.
One reported incident occurred yesterday on the ABC network
program "The View" hosted by Star Jones, with co-hosts
Meredith Viera, Joy Behar and Lisa Ling. The program is produced
by Barbara Walters and according to network publicists "is
the original forum where real women discuss relevant, everyday
issues and share their daily, no-holds-barred opinions and lively,
colorful conversations."
Yesterday, Jones professed her approval that President Bush
was a religious believer, and then added that she would never
vote for an Atheist. Had she made the remarks about Jews, gays,
blacks or some other group, the national outcry would be overpowering.
When AANEWS reader Nastasya Thibodeaux protested Jones' statement,
the host responded: "Let me be clear on one thing. My relationship
with God is the most important relationship in my life. I believe
that Christ is the Son of God and is the risen savior. I believe
in the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe that with faith in
God, all things are possible. My life is a living testimony to
His goodness and everything that I have ever accomplished has
been with his help.
There is no decision that I make, or have made in my lifetime
that does not include a talk with God during a time of prayer...
"Having said that, I support the Constitution and I agree
with the concept of the 'separation between Church and State.'
I believe that the framers of the Constitution intended that
America not establish a 'state' religion, but instead allow people
the freedom to follow the faith of their own choosing. I couldn't
agree more.
When I vote, I make decisions on political candidates, based
on how I think they will act, vote, direct and lead during certain
situations ... and I want that person to be led by God. An atheist,
as I understand the term dies not believe that there is a God.
Given a choice between someone who knows the power of a spiritual
presence bigger than they, that moves them to have values, to
have morals, to have made a mistake and to know forgiveness versus
someone who has never understood the gift of a personal relationship
with God ... the choice is clear for me. I want a president who
is God Knowing ...
I do not want an American President who does not believe that
God is real and present in our lives. I support each persons
(sic) right to make political decisions based on issues that
matter to them ... but quite frankly, this is not even a close
call for me. If that bothers people... then that is truly their
problem. I plan to be steadfast and unmovable in my stand for
God. Jones is an attorney and former prosecutor. She served as
senior correspondent and chief legal analyst for "Inside
Edition." She also authored the 1998 book, "You Have
to Stand for Something, or You'll Fall for Anything." Her
abc.com bio page notes that she also serves of the Board of Directors
of "Exodus House" and "God's Love We Deliver."
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