Date: 1994-07-13
Speaker: H OLLINGS (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. poll son of God. and. defined properly. the word after poll shows that our Nation is applies to people holding a broad spectrum of among the most religious in the West- political beliefs. from liberal to conservern world. We American s are a people ative. There is no such thing as a Christian of faith. The Senate and House open political position. their daily sessions with a solemn Nonetheless. groups such as RoberLsons prayer. Every American coin and bill is~ Christian Coalition have attempted to steal stamped with the national motto: "In the word and apply it only to themselves and their conservative political agenda. AccordGod we trust." ing to their definition. a Christian opposes Likewise. we have a long and honored abortion. gay rights and the ClintOn health tradition .-of political activism by plan. and supports prayer in schools. school Americansof faith--citizens motivated vouchers and the balancedbudget amendment. By Implication. any deviation from that list is a 4eviation from biblical principles and the word of God. So. while Jimmy Carter may think of himself as a bornagain evangelical Christian. politically he is not "IChristian." Bill AClinton is a Southern faptizt by upbringing and by belief. but he is not "Christian" In a political -sense. In fact. Falwell. Robertson and others would deny the president is Christian in any sense. usurping for themselves Gods authority to peer into the mans soul and judge him. The arrogance of such an act is astounding but typical. Those who believe themselves to be the infallible interpreters of -Gods word. particularly as it applies to political issues. apparently feel little cause to feign humility. And the most troubling expression of their arrogance Is. the Intolerance it breeds for the opinions of others. Tolerance is born of the understanding that none of us is infallible. Christian tolerance is .orn of the understanding that while God and his message -may be infallible. -no one (except. in Catholic theology. the pope) is infallible in Interpreting that message. In a political setting. once a position is defined as Gods position. compromise and debate become Impossible. How Is it possible to compromise .Gods position? It is -not. And once Cod lhas spoken. what is there left to debate? Nothing. What once might have been a.calm political.discussion instead becomes a battle between believers and nonbelievers.. in which compromise Is ruled out and utter defeat .or victory the only possible outcome. That is .not democracy. Its religious warfare. Demrocacy requires that we -enter the political arena allowing at least .the tiny possibility that we could.be wrong. and that the other side might have a point. That kernel of doubt allows us to respect other points .of view. It allows us to compromise. Most -important. it allows us to accept as legitimate decisions that we ourselves believe to be wrong. Without the seed of .dcubt from which tolerance springs. we are left with the attitude expressed by the .Christian Coalition. which dismissed the inauguration of Clinton as illegitimate and "a repudiation of our forefathers covenant with God." Such a sentiment is profoundly antidemocratic. and it demonstrates anew why our forefathers were so wary of -mixing religion and government. They knew that a government influenced by religious beliefs is a good thing. but a government dictated by a religious belief is something else entirely.