Bishop Gene Robinson is not afraid to admit he is a Christian, and in a recent article in The Washington Post, he had a few lessons in the faith for candidate Rick Perry.
Christians – or at least many of us – value the separation of church and state and see no harm in drawing these careful lines of separation for the good of a diverse nation. We don’t need the enforcement of the state in making our case for a loving God. We offer numerous and ample opportunities for public prayer in our churches and religious gatherings. We don’t need them or want them in school. Besides, we learned long ago that allegiance to God can’t be a forced march.
Christians everywhere should be alarmed that a candidate for our nation’s highest office would play fast and loose with both the Constitution and our men and women in uniform. It would be simply pathetic that Gov. Perry would do so in an effort to entice conservative voters, if it weren’t such an abuse of religion and a violation of the Constitution.
Gov. Perry is right about one thing. There is something wrong in America. But surely it begins with disloyalty to our brave troops in the field and violation of the hard-won separation between church and state which protects all Americans.
Sally Quinn of The Post has some even stronger words for the candidate who is seeking to build a comeback on homophobia.
Perry began his ad by saying, “I’m not ashamed to admit I’m a Christian.” He ended it by saying, “Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again.”
Let’s hope he’s right. Let’s have faith that the American people will not accept this kind of intolerance and bigotry any longer.