DENNIS DURBAND

Our Liberal Brethren Find Religion

August 23, 2004

It’s okay to talk about religion now. The liberals have told us so. John Kerry, Howard Dean and other liberals have freqently brought religion into the 2004 election campaign. Sooner or later, debate and discussion swing around to the conservative side of the ledger. However, it’s amazing how liberals can distort the issues, and religion is just the latest such example.

Last winter, Howard Dean had a revelation about the Old Testament Book of Job having miraculously moved to the New Testament. Such claims feed the idea that the liberals’ religious conversion is a little short on authenticity.

Earlier this year, Kerry said he believes life begins at conception.

"I oppose abortion, personally,” Kerry told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald.

“I don't like abortion. I believe life does begin at conception." He also has said abortion should be safe, legal and rare.

Nevertheless, Kerry has a pro-abortion voting record as a U.S. Senator. He obviously compartmentalizes his personal beliefs and his legislative practices. A Catholic, Kerry staunchly opposes all restrictions on abortion. He defends the barbaric act of partial birth abortion. Kerry justifies this bipolar system of thought and action by citing the myth of separation of church and state.

“I don’t tell church officials what to do, and church officials shouldn’t tell American politicians what to do in the context of our public life,” Kerry said in Time Magazine. Some Catholics have instructed priests not to serve communion to Kerry because he has defied the church position on abortion. He merely found liberal churches to attend, and he did take communion.

Furthermore, Kerry is now mentioning Bible scriptures on the campaign trail, trying to cut into President Bush’s lead with the churchgoer vote. In a new biographical film, Kerry says, "I am alive today because of the grace of a higher being." He speaks of protecting the “cathedrals” of nature. Funding social security is suddenly a matter of “honoring thy father and thy mother.”

Last spring, Kerry went to New North Side Baptist Church and cited James 2:14: “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” “When we look at what is happening in America today, where are the works of compassion?” That was taken as a slap at President Bush and drew a rebuke from the White House.

Closer to home, our temperamental liberal RINO, State Senator Carolyn Allen, from Scottsdale, has been talking up religion, too. She says abortion is a matter between a woman and her God. She says she prays daily. She says her critics attack her “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We owe a debt of gratitude to our liberal brethren (and sisters) for bringing religion back into the public square. It has been absent for far too long. I wonder if anyone would mind if I honor this spirit of engaging in religious discussion by leading an impromptu Bible study. I promise not to take up a lot of time. Everyone is busy campaigning in this busy election season. The polls are open and our flocks are filling out early ballots in-between their prayers.

To get started with, let’s take a look at the Bible and abortion. Our Lord had a few pertinent things to say on life; it’s one of His favorite subjects:

Deuteronomy 30:19 -- “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”

Exodus 20:13 -- “Thou shalt not kill.”

Proverbs 6:16-17 -- “There are 6 things that the Lord hates, 7 that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood …”

Jeremiah 1:5 -- “Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work.”

Psalm 139:13 -- “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.”

Psalm 94:20-21 -- “Can a corrupt throne be allied with you -- one that brings on misery by its decrees? They band together against the righteous, and condemn the innocent to death.”

It’s obviously clear that the Almighty reveres life. He is the creator of life. Let’s move on to the topic of governance. What do the Holy Scriptures say about choosing our leaders?

Exodus 18:21 -- “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.”

Thus, we will have federal, state and local leaders and they are to be worthy people of honor.

Well, that’s enough for now. I’m glad we now have this opportunity to share scripture with our liberal brethren. And when one considers that most of our state legislators list a religious affiliation, we have the makings for some significant participation in our future Bible studies. Time is short. The primary is just around the corner, and the general election will be here before ye know it. So let us meet back here again soon and look at some other scriptures. There are plenty more scriptures where these came from, and we’ve got no shortage of topics to cover. For now, let us break bread together.

Dennis Durband is publisher and editor of The Arizona Conservative, is also a freelance writer and webmaster and a longtime journalist.

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