14 April 2008
Playing the Religion Card
Posted by Joy Bischoff under: Presidential Election 2008 .
In order to distinguish herself from Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton has been positioning herself as religious and an advocate for gun rights.
Personally, I feel a little disturbed when I feel religion is being used as a campaign tool. I have read two books about the Clintons and I do not believe Hillary Clinton is a religious person but then again, that may be judgmental.
I will leave it to our readers to share your feelings on the subject. One last thought…by their fruits ye shall know them.
Enough said.
Clinton, Obama focus on faith at forum
By KIMBERLY HEFLING, Associated Press Writer
GRANTHAM, Pa. - Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that the potential for life begins at conception as she and presidential rival Sen. Barack Obama answered questions about faith and religion in both their personal lives and the public discourse.
In a forum devoted to an issue rare on the campaign trail, the two White House hopefuls talked about the presence of God in their lives and how often they read the Bible as well as divisive issues such as abortion, abstinence and human rights within the context of faith.
Clinton was asked whether life begins at conception — which opponents of abortion contend is a reality that makes any termination of a pregnancy the ending of a life.
“I believe the potential for life begins at conception,” Clinton said. “For me, it is also not only about a potential life. It is about the other lives involved. … I have concluded, after great, you know, concern and searching my own mind and heart over many years, … that individuals must be entrusted to make this profound decision, because the alternative would be such an intrusion of government authority that it would be very difficult to sustain in our kind of open society.”…
Asked whether life begins at conception, Obama said he didn’t know the answer.
“This is something that I have not, I think, come to a firm resolution on. I think it’s very hard to know what that means, when life begins. Is it when a cell separates? Is it when the soul stirs? … What I know, as I’ve said before, is that there is something extraordinarily powerful about potential life and that that has a moral weight to it that we take into consideration when we’re having these debates.”…
Clinton said she has felt the gift of God in her life and said she makes decisions on tough moral issues such as abortion and the treatment of alleged terrorists after prayer, contemplation and study.
“I don’t pretend to even believe that I know the answers to a lot of these questions,” Clinton said. “I don’t.”
One of the toughest questions she faced was why God allows innocent people to suffer. Clinton said that has been the subject of much debate for generations, and added: “I don’t know. I can’t wait to ask him.”
14 Comments so far...
Jesse Says:
14 April 2008 at 1:20 am.
That’s right. Only what she says is relevant is relevant. I don’t buy anything this woman says. Every time Bill ran for office he would start going to church and join the choir. Then when he got in office he would quit. Hillary right along with him.
April 13, 2008
Clinton: ‘Not relevant’ last time I went to church, fired gun
SCRANTON, Pennsylvania (CNN) – After a weekend spent making direct appeals to gun owners and church goers, Hillary Clinton said Sunday a query about the last time she fired a gun or attended church services “is not a relevant question in this debate” over Barack Obama’s recent comments on small town Americans.
“We can answer that some other time,” Clinton said at a press conference held in a working class neighborhood here. “This is about what people feel is being said about them. I went to church on Easter. I mean, so?”
Clinton described the furor surrounding Obama’s remarks as “about how people look at the Democratic Party and the Democratic Party leadership.”
“We have been working very hard to make it clear that we have millions of Democrats who are church going and gun-owning,” she said. “And we are tired of having Republicans, or frankly our own Democrats, give any ammunition to Republicans because what happens then is Republicans take advantage of the situation.”
Mac Says:
14 April 2008 at 9:31 am.
With all that I know about this woman I doubt very much that she is going to get the chance to sit down for a little chat with God. Sure I know we aren’t suppose to be judgmental and all but she hasn’t exactly been subtle about being evil. I never expected her to stoop so low as to pretend to be the old fashion main stream religious person just to get elected. This is a new low. What a crock.
Angela Rogin Says:
14 April 2008 at 9:42 am.
I don’t think it is so much being judgmental and not being fooled. Hillary is using this as a campaign trick to best Obama. To use religion like that is disgusting.
Bryon Says:
14 April 2008 at 9:47 am.
I just love that no presidential candidate can run without at least pretending to be Christian. That just tickles my fancy. Lets face it, no matter who says otherwise and no matter how they pretend we don’t exist, WE ARE THE MAJORITY. We may not all riot in the streets or run protests to make ourselves heard like the minorities but we are still there.
Cameron Says:
14 April 2008 at 10:03 am.
Well said, Bryon. And from one so young…WOW!
Bryon Says:
14 April 2008 at 10:40 am.
Thank you. I will be able to vote in the elections but now I have lost a lot of my previous excitement. Now I’m just disappointed at who is left to vote for.
Pickles Says:
14 April 2008 at 12:21 pm.
prayer contemplation and study is what she does and then makes the decisions she makes? what god is she praying to? abortion and hanging out with gangsters is what God tells her to do? Hmmm!
Benjamin Says:
14 April 2008 at 2:20 pm.
If she is up twenty percent because of this, I am disappointed in peoples’ gullibility factor.
Saddened Says:
14 April 2008 at 2:51 pm.
This is just wrong.
M.G. Says:
14 April 2008 at 4:15 pm.
No kidding by their fruits you will know them.
Resident Liberal Says:
14 April 2008 at 4:19 pm.
So are you guys saying that liberals can’t be religious?
E.E. Says:
14 April 2008 at 4:50 pm.
Res. Lib. here is a quote from a liberal source that is discussing the prayer group Hillary has been a part of for a long time. It is true that liberals can be religious so we should be careful not pretend that we have the right to say whether or not Hillary is a Christian. That is between her and God. I think what the blog is saying and what I also have trouble with, is that the religion is usually only pulled out like a secret weapon when she is talking to more conservative groups. She doesn’t talk about religion around liberals. And she is using this to pounce on Obama and I don’t think religion should be used like that. Here is the quote:
That’s how it works: The Fellowship isn’t out to turn liberals into conservatives; rather, it convinces politicians they can transcend left and right with an ecumenical faith that rises above politics. Only the faith is always evangelical, and the politics always move rightward.
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/09/hillarys-prayer-3.html
And here is another article that I had copied to bring to this thread when I noticed the above comment and wanted to add more:
Obama: Clinton using GOP playbook
WASHINGTON - After days on the campaign defensive, Democrat Barack Obama accused rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday of leveling criticism straight from the Republican playbook and said even so, he will win the White House over John McCain and an “out of touch” GOP.
“I may have made a mistake last week in the word that I chose, but the other party has made a much more damaging mistake in the failed policies they’ve chosen and the bankrupt philosophy they’ve embraced for the last three decades …” Obama said.
“This philosophy isn’t just out of touch, it’s put our economy out of whack.”
Joy Bischoff Says:
14 April 2008 at 5:30 pm.
Thanks, E.E. You said it better than I did. Hillary does profess to be religious but seems to only talk about it when it helps her politically and that is what bothers me so much.
Jan W. Says:
14 April 2008 at 5:33 pm.
I’m glad she is religious but I wish she would stick up for Biblical values more. Professing Christ aren’t just words to speak but need to come from the heart and if they do then we see the fruits. But like E.E. said, we don’t have the right to say whether or not she has done this with her heart.
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