Preachers and Politics

Finally, someone makes a point about the different treatment of Jeremiah Wright and Republican preachers. E.J. Dionne, Jr. makes two very good points in his column, Fair Play for False Prophets.

He compares the treatment given Jerry Falwell, Bailey Smith, Pat Robertson, and John Hagee, and finds that the press really did not give them as hard a time as they did Jeremiah Wright. His second point is that Wright got the treatment he deserved.

What I have found missing in all the blather about Jeremiah Wright is the recognition that Protestant denominations are too numerous for one person to have an overarching command of that denomination or even of the minds of the church members. Some talk about us being a Christian nation but never define Christian. Reverend Wright is just as much a Christian as Reverend Hagee and both as much as Pope Benedict. Right? Well, Reverend Hagee has no good words for Catholicism but then did Calvin or Luther or John Knox? The Pope believes that the One True Church is the Roman Catholic Church. I heard little about theology but much of politics from Reverend Wright, so I am not sure where he stands to the other two.

I think here is one reason why we have a separation of church and state - which is the denomination represented by the government? None of the denominations I can think of would willingly submit themselves to the governance of another. Therefore, none can govern over any. Put another way, would you prefer your religious views, your conscience, be that of your faith or of a government approved by Pat Robertson? If you answer yes to that question, would you agree if you had to comply with the religious tenets of Reverend Wright?