So, now we have the Bush Campaign condeming John Kerry for using a Bible quote from the book of James in a speech. Read below:
Mar 28, 9:07 PM EST
Bush Campaign Blasts Kerry's Bible Quote
By NEDRA PICKLER
Associated Press Writer
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- John Kerry cited a Bible verse Sunday to criticize
leaders who have "faith but has no deeds," prompting President
Bush's spokesman to accuse Kerry of exploiting Scripture for a
political attack.
Kerry never mentioned Bush by name during his speech at New North
Side Baptist Church, but aimed his criticism at "our present
national leadership." Kerry cited Scripture in his appeal for the
worshippers, including James 2:14, "What good is it, my brothers, if
a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?"
"The Scriptures say, what does it profit, my brother, if someone
says he has faith but does not have works?" Kerry said. "When we
look at what is happening in America today, were are the works of
compassion?"
Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said Kerry's comment "was
beyond the bounds of acceptable discourse and a sad exploitation of
Scripture for a political attack."
Kerry told worshippers in the largely black congregation that the
country's leadership has served the privileged while ignoring people
across America who live in neighborhoods like theirs.
"Today we are told that, after 3 million lost jobs and so many lost
hopes, America is now turning a corner," the pending Democratic
presidential nominee said. "But those who say that, they're not
standing on the corner of Highland Street, where two 15-year-old
teenagers were hit in a drive-by shooting last week."
Now, read this piece of text from the President's 2003 state of the union speech...
Our fourth goal is to apply the compassion of America to the deepest problems of America. For so many in our country -- the homeless, and the fatherless, the addicted -- the need is great. Yet there is power -- wonder-working power -- in the goodness and idealism and faith of the American people.
Power, power, wonder-working power....these words come from an old hymn that I know I sung in many a Baptist church growing up. Bush, like Clinton before him, uses biblical texts or religious phrases in speeches. I don't necessarily have a problem with this, but please, don't criticize someone of doing the exact thing you are doing-it's just looks bad.
Posted by Dennis at March 28, 2004 11:44 PMWhat irritates ME is the headline!!!
Why couldn't it have been:
"Kerry Campaign Blasts Bush for Lacking Compassion" ????
SOME LIBERAL PRESS!
-N
Oh for the love of Pete! Every time I read this sort of thing, I realize that the Bush administration is partial to the same "sophisticated" strategy my kids use. Keep needling, poking, flagrantly and intentionally annoying the crud out of the other. Then, the *second* the other child does the same thing, sound the alarm--indignantly run to parent with "Can you believe what s/he did?!"
My kids, hopefully, will grow out of this eventually.
But at least with my kids, they are usually about even as far as this sort of behavior is concerned. It is downright laughable to see someone in the *Bush* administration complaining about this. Bush is probably guilty of half a dozen "sad exploitations of Scripture" before breakfast on any given day.
Okay, *that* may be an exaggeration, but I bet it wouldn't take too much time on Google to come up with a long list of examples of Bush's "God talk" for political purposes.
Anybody with a bit of free time today is invited to take that as a hint...
Posted by: Renee in Ohio at March 29, 2004 02:56 PM