With all the attention paid to fundamentalist and Catholic bashing Pastor John Hagee’s endorsement of Saint John McCain, and McCain’s acceptance of that endorsement, it’s been forgotten that Straight Shooter had another “Man of God” endorse his candidacy: Pastor Rod Parsley who operates a Pentecostal mega church in Columbus, Ohio. Parsley is famous for being the founder of Patriot Pastors and a proud advocate of gay bashing. McCain called him his “spiritual guide” which I’m sure is making Hagee wonder if St. John is two timing him.
In any event, here’s today’s quote from the Reverend Parsley:
I cannot tell you how important it is that we understand the true nature of Islam, that we see it for what it really is. In fact, I will tell you this: I do not believe our country can truly fulfill its divine purpose until we understand our historical conflict with Islam. I know that this statement sounds extreme, but I do not shrink from its implications. The fact is that America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed, and I believe September 11, 2001, was a generational call to arms that we can no longer ignore.
That’s right folks. McCain’s other spiritual guide wants to start a crusade to eradicate Islam from the face of this earth. And by eradicate I assume he means kill anyone who won’t convert to Christianity. Indeed, he makes the astounding claim that America was founded with the intention of destroying Islam (something not immediately apparent from my review of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence). Considering there are well over 1 billion Muslims that’s a tall order. But, hey, when you consider Straight Shooter envisions a 100 year war in Iraq, it’s not completely far fetched.
Oh boy. The Ohio primary is over, but we’re not done being publicly humiliated. Now Rod Parsley is in the news.
I don’t think “reject and denounce” would be the right response for me, so I’ll just roll my eyes and shake my head.
Really, though, if my home town is going to be in the headlines, there have got to be less embarrassing ways for it to get there. :p
Sorry Renee, didn’t know it was your hometown.
Puts all the controversy about Obama’s minister in perspective, doesn’t it.
Steven D: Thanks for front paging on my comment of McCain’s embrace of Pastors Hagee and Parsley in your other Post on Pastor Wright.
These double standards need wide exposure.
Heh. No need to apologize. It was just general venting, on the heels of things like Tweety wondering if we even have Starbucks here. We sure do, and they’re as ubiquitous here as they are anywhere, I imagine. We pass one on Sundays when I drive my daughter to choir practice. We were stunned one day to see the place looking half-destroyed–turns out it had been struck by lightning. But it was rebuilt. Daughter noticed that and sighed, “Did they have to build another Starbucks?”
Demetrius and I moved here from Chicago to go to grad school, and never got around to moving back to Chicago. Having grown up in the Chicago area, I took some things for granted. Had no clue, for example, the the Art Institute of Chicago was supposed to be a big deal. It was just the local art museum as far as I knew. Similarly, we were in Columbus for some time before I became aware of how progressive the city is compared to other parts of the state. Especially in terms of being GLBT friendly–I read an article about that a year or so ago, around the time of the annual pride parade.
Anyway, this will give you a snapshot of the diversity of Columbus.
Rod Parsley got a lot of attention as the 2004 election was approaching. It was nice not hearing about him for a while. But, yeah, I do hope that there’s more scrutiny of Senator Maverick’s connection to such a controversial figure.
If Americans want to know what real religious fanaticism looks like-they don’t have to look any farther than their own backyards.
Homegrown; and as a US citizen I never realized my country was founded for the purpose of eradicating Islam. That’s news to me.
I’m most certain that I would have picked up on that in my classes. So, I’m thinking that tidbitt would also shock former constitutional law professor and Democratic candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, too.
i agree with Stephen D, this is very important to pursue to offset what the media and the GOP will do with Obama’s pastor.
If “America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion destroyed” then why did the US Congress approve the following language as part of the 1796 treaty ending the war against the Barbary Pirates?
Why does (did) President John Adams hate America?
Those who will not learn history are doomed to abrogate treaties…