[detbuch]

Originally Posted by fishbones

For me the issue is that he said it, and whether intended or not, it became public news.

For me it is not an issue. I am not of his brand of religion, nor do I wish to constrain how he expresses it, so long as his pursuit of happiness doesn't deny me mine.

His non-Christian constituents may perceive that they may not be treated the same as the "brothers and sisters" that are Christian.

He was schmoozing his base. Politicians are always in campaign mode. Like any "good" politician, I assume he'll say something different when he addresses a non-Christian audience. Or, he might actually be a true believer and will always speak this way. Then, of course, he should immediately be thrown out of office. Anyone who is dumb enough to speak the truth in politics, cannot be trusted to govern. And we know how those Christians are out to trample our freedoms.

Doesn't matter if it was said in church or on the town square. Everything said in front of more than a handful of people, especially strangers, is going to become public if there's anything remotely controversial.

Every politician must make statements of political intent to get elected. One man's political intent is a threat to another man's opposite political desire. The opposition will always twist those statements into negative pretzels. All statements, in politics, are controversial, positive or negative. It's the risk of political speech. I prefer the pol who speaks his intentions truly and freely to the smoothy who tells you what you want to hear. As for Bentley, his constituents have his term in office to determine how he treats non-Christians. Then they can vote. But to demand that he immediately be thrown out of office becuase he told his religious bretheren that they were his brothers and sisters, and that those that didn't believe in Christ were not, but that he would like to be their brother--this is a more controversial and dangerous demand than what Bentley said.

Remember, perception is reality.

Only for those whose perception is clear and not fogged over by rhetorical nonsense. For the rest, reality is more like an apparition