The Washington Post has a profile of John Danforth, an Episcopal priest, former Republican U. S. Senator from Missouri, defender of Clarence Thomas and former ambassador to the UN. His Republican credentials seem to have given his critique of the Religious Right credibility in the eyes of the media. What follow is an excerpt, but you can read it all.
“A man of God and the GOP, he is speaking out for moderation — in religion, politics, science and government. The lanky figure once dubbed “St. Jack,” not always warmly, for the perch he seemed to occupy on Washington’s moral high ground, expects people will sour on the assertive brand of Christianity so closely branded Republican.
“I’m counting on nausea,” he says.”
And here’s a particularly picquaint quote:
“With confidence that it is the mouthpiece for God, it endorses candidates, supports constitutional amendments and mobilizes campaigns to keep poor souls hooked up to feeding tubes,” Danforth says. “It calls its opponents ‘enemies of the people of faith.’ Today that is the style and, I think, the sin of the Christian right.”