20/02: Hillary Clinton's Christian Faith, revisited
Category: Politics
Posted by: an okie gardener
Earlier I linked to an article from Newsweek that explored Hillary's Christian faith a bit. Later I posted on the way the article had been written in a way friendly to Hillary.
Now, a few more thoughts.
Does Hillary have a geniune Christian faith? On the one hand, I cannot see into her heart, and, Jesus will be Judge on the Last Day, not me. So I cannot and will not claim infallibility on the question. On the other hand, Jesus said that we are to make provisional judgments in this life. We are to judge trees by the fruit they bear.
The question we can address is this: is Hillary Clinton's behavior consistent with the Christian Faith? I have my doubts. She has been part of the Clinton "hit machine" for years now. The Clinton team has responded to any allegation by smearing and attempting to discredit all accusers and witnesses. Not Christian behavior. I also have my doubts that the windfall she made in futures trading was on the up and up. And, where were those documents before they were found in the presidential living quarters. This does not sound like Christian honesty. She also, as Dick Morris noted recently, finds it impossible to say "I'm sorry." She's stubborn. Not very good Christian behavior.
I am not perfect and do not claim to be. Again, I do not claim to know the depths of Hillary Clinton's heart. But this tree does not seem to bear good Christ-like fruit.
Now, a few more thoughts.
Does Hillary have a geniune Christian faith? On the one hand, I cannot see into her heart, and, Jesus will be Judge on the Last Day, not me. So I cannot and will not claim infallibility on the question. On the other hand, Jesus said that we are to make provisional judgments in this life. We are to judge trees by the fruit they bear.
The question we can address is this: is Hillary Clinton's behavior consistent with the Christian Faith? I have my doubts. She has been part of the Clinton "hit machine" for years now. The Clinton team has responded to any allegation by smearing and attempting to discredit all accusers and witnesses. Not Christian behavior. I also have my doubts that the windfall she made in futures trading was on the up and up. And, where were those documents before they were found in the presidential living quarters. This does not sound like Christian honesty. She also, as Dick Morris noted recently, finds it impossible to say "I'm sorry." She's stubborn. Not very good Christian behavior.
I am not perfect and do not claim to be. Again, I do not claim to know the depths of Hillary Clinton's heart. But this tree does not seem to bear good Christ-like fruit.
A Waco Farmer wrote:
I appreciate your reluctance to judge Hillary's Christianity. I am even more so. I think I would be more comfortable in praising "Christian" conduct in public figures than grading one's Christian production.
A couple of things occur to me:
1. This question is part of an emerging debate in Modern Christianity in re the Christian Left. Are good Christians Progresives committed to using government to help people? Are Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter models of Christian public service because of their enlightened liberal views? Or is individual morality a better barometer of seriousness?
2. Politics is a trying field of endeavor for Christians. Jesus warned against politics. Some great Christians have failed at politics, succumbing to the temptations of power and self-promotion, and some have simply failed to grasp the complexities and necessities of statecraft.
"They will know we are Christians by our love."
An old stand-up rift:
I want to be around when the meek inherit the Earth. Because I'm gonna take it away from them. "Gi'me the Earth, meek!" What're they gonna do? They're meek.
One more thought: Granted, this is not your point, but figuring out who is the best Christian in the race is going to be tough. And I am not sure I would make my choice based on that criterion. In 2000, my first choice was Orrin Hatch. Moreover, I would vote for Joe Lieberman over most of the Christians running this time around.