I have written previously (here) on how both Republicans and Democrats, including President Obama (here), have continued to embrace faith-based politics. This week, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) added her own promise of pious policies -stating that she actively tries to legislate public policies “in keeping with the values [of Jesus Christ] . . . “The Word made Flesh.”
Many conservative Catholics are likely to disagree given Pelosi’s votes in favor of abortion and against the ban on late-term abortions.
For secularists, the concern is even more significant. It is interesting how many citizens (rightfully) condemn countries like Iran that expressly tie their political and legal systems to Islam but applaud our own leaders in seeking Christian policies.
At the Catholic Community Conference on Capitol Hill, Pelosi added
“They ask me all the time, ‘What is your favorite this? What is your favorite that? What is your favorite that?’ And one time, ‘What is your favorite word?’ And I said, ‘My favorite word? That is really easy. My favorite word is the Word, is the Word. And that is everything. It says it all for us. And you know the biblical reference, you know the Gospel reference of the Word. And that Word is, we have to give voice to what that means in terms of public policy that would be in keeping with the values of the Word. The Word. Isn’t it a beautiful word when you think of it? It just covers everything. The Word.
Fill it in with anything you want. But, of course, we know it means: ‘The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us.’ And that’s the great mystery of our faith. He will come again. He will come again. So, we have to make sure we’re prepared to answer in this life, or otherwise, as to how we have measured up.”
It is certainly true that John 1:14 states, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw His glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.” The problem is that political and religious leaders seek to define what is “truth” for the country — cloaking their political judgments in a divine rationalization. It also suggests than non-believers and non-Christians may not agree but must adhere to the policy priorities found in “the Word by Pelosi.”
There is an alternative. Instead of promising “we have to give voice to what that means in terms of public policy that would be in keeping with the values of the Word,” Pelosi can promise to give voice to the Word in her personal life. Of course, that type of promise of a pious life does not work quite as well at the polls. (Indeed, given Pelosi’s low polling numbers and that of Congress, I am not sure the Almighty wants even partial credit for this situation. He is still trying to spin that whole biblical flood incident).
One can easily dismiss this as just another politician trying to rally the faithful — particularly at a time of record low polls. However, Pelosi is adding her voice to a growing chorus of politicians who want to use the flame of faith to light a fire under their campaigns. You can look around the world to see how dangerous the combination of faith and politics can be.
For the full story, click here.
Sadly, Smom, you are probably correct. She’s dug in like the parasitic tick she is, but my hope is a Dem or Ind challenger will come along and just clean her clock. It wouldn’t be that hard based on her record.
Nancy might not be Speaker next year but she is not going home. I think she has token opposition. If she is lucky the repubs will nominate so many crazies that she will keep her post. I will have to say most men don’t like her.
Here is a humorous explanation of all politics, Republican or Democrat, Faith-based or otherwise.
The following is a quote from a commenter at Huffington Post
___________
Quote (complete with grammatical errors):
“A little boy goes to his Dad and asks what’s politics.
Dad says, let me try and explain it this way.
I am the head of the family so I am President.
Your Mother is the administer of money so we call her the government.
We are here to take care of your needs so we will call you the people.
The nanny we will consider the working class.
and you brother is the future.
So far so good
Later that night he hears his brother crying and goes in and finds his brothers diapers is very soiled.
He goes to his parents room and the Mother is sleeping.
So he goes to the Nanny’s room and the door is locked,
he peeks in the keyhole and sees his dad in bed with the nanny.
The next morning
The boy tells his dad he thinks he understands politics.
The Dad says tell me in your own words what you think.
The boy says
The president is screwing the working class while the government sleeps, the people are being ignored and the future is in deep s**t.
Good night all, sleep tight, we are being taken of.”
Nancy, Nancy, Nancy.
You are really taking your eye off the ball in re your constituents.
Apparently you’ve forgotten you represent one of the most progressive districts in the country. I predict you’ll pay the price at the polls too, you theocratic corporatist lackey you. I also say good riddance to bad trash, Ms. “Impeachment is off the table”.
You helped break the government, so you need to go home.
NOW.
The democrats have many shortcomings but I don’t think acquiescing to religion is one of them. Nancy Pelosi has stood firmly against the catholic church on many issues including abortion. As far as change goes the republicans have threatened to filibuster so often it makes change virtually impossible.
For 8 long, painful, destructive years, I had to listen to the alcoholic born-again imbecilic G.W. Bush proselytize while ending every speech with ‘God Bless ‘Merkuh’. Especially notable were his loud, bull horn-aided emotional comments while standing on the rubble of the Twin Towers, “May God *continue* to Bless America”. (If God was blessing America by allowing the deaths of 3,000 or so souls, along with the massive property devastation, then a sane, rational person would not desire or seek that kind of blessings through prayer or public pronouncement).
Then along comes Mr. Obama. At the end of almost every speech, he says something like “God Bless You, and God Bless America. This angers the ultra-religious sect because this “proves” to them that Obama is the ‘Antichrist’. That is, he does not curry favor from religious folks by spouting those shallow religious words—just the opposite happens. He also loses the support of atheists who understand the abject irrationality of humankind “believing” in a anthropomorphic man-god who sees, knows, and can control all human endeavors—depending on whose side *He* is on at any particular time or with whatever biased cause *He* likes.
The Democrats lost so many opportunities to ‘change’ the country and the religiosity that interferes with real intellectual and scientific progress; however, they have squandered every ounce of the political capital that they once had in spades.
If Republicans and the “tan man” regain control, the resultant cause will squarely reside with the failures of Democrats and not the successes of their opposition. Many Republicans—like me—along with an abundance of Independents, tried our best to give the Democrats the opportunity to *lead*. Instead, all the Democrats did was acquiesce to religious nonsense, war crimes, and all of the corruption that was rampant in the previous Republican controlled Congress and the Administration to only become as bad as or worse than the Republicans were.
“May the ‘God Bless America’ phrase die a swift, painful, and permanent death.” FFLEO
“I got no kick against modern jazz”, religion, or science, but there must be balance.
Any dogma related discipline is endangered by the dogmatic priests of that discipline, be they supreme judges, supreme ayatollahs, supreme legislators, presidents, or rock stars.
But the balance comes from the independent mind, dedicated to the facts owned by all of us.
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2010/06/honest-people-shine-in-this-darkness.html
Yes it is but is hard for her to give up the others and she has to sign a letter of intent soon.
S mom,
I guess we’ll catch up later. So is UT still on the horizon for the kid?
I have never liked Rep. Pelosi, but have never been able to articulate any particular reasons. Now I have one. She is the Catholic version of David Barton.
Excellent comments Prof Turley.
AY You know her.
UT was grueling too…Home made, home grown, Home brew and button stew.
I am pleased you had a good time. Sorry about your friend. And you are probably correct about John…
AY Graduation was great. I am no longer the mother of a Swarthmore student. Huffingtom Post referred to Swarthmore as the most “grueling college”. I came home only to find out that a very close friend has ALS. John Boehner the “tan man” Is very likely to replace Pelosi in any case when the repubs take back the house.
This woman is 2nd in line for the Presidency. Of course the next several are not much better. God help us! Really!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_line_of_succession#Current_order
SM,
How goes the graduation?
Pelosi’s district is in San Francisco. I don’t think this helps her at all in her campaign. She has token opposition in any case. Whatever her reasons are for saying this, I don’t think this helps her win her re-election. She already has a lock on it.
I thought Congress was the Haven for the coven….the True Anti-Christ with the word being fulfilled by the Cult Leader W. Now I see that O has stepped up to the plate and is asking for seconds….
“What is your favorite word?’ And I said, ‘My favorite word? That is really easy. My favorite word is the Word, is the Word.”
*********************
My favorite word, Ms. Pelosi, is “demagoguery,” and thanks for re-defining it for me. What are you? 12?
“You can’t run a country by a book of religion; not by a heap or a lump or a smidgen.”– Frank Zappa (“Dumb All Over”)