Here are some of the week’s most notable quotes culled from news reports from across Texas, and beyond.
Dallas First Baptist Pastor Robert Jeffress, in support of the presidential candidacy of Gov. Rick Perry and calling the faith of Perry’s opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, “a cult.”
Between Perry and Romney, we ought to prefer a born-again Christian. I think there are a lot of Christian voters who don’t want to appear bigoted, and so what they say to the pollsters is not necessarily what they’ll do in the privacy of the polling booth. And I frankly believe if Gov. Romney is the nominee, I believe Barack Obama will be the next president.
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State Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, in a letter to Gov. Perry asking that the state reject a proposed vanity license plate that includes a depiction of the Confederate flag.
License plates are designed to promote tourism and commerce, to create positive identity and awareness, and to showcase those riches that make our state unique. The Confederate flag, long recognized in our generation as a symbol of slavery, racism, and defeat, accomplishes none of those purposes. Those wishing to study the historical significance of this flag and our Confederate past should instead turn to a book.
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Michael Benedik, a biology professor and speaker-elect of the faculty senate at Gov. Rick Perry’s alma mater Texas A&M University, on the governor’s science record.
I would not anticipate that he would be a pro-science president. He’s more than happy to accept science as long as it is politically convenient. I have not seen evidence that he totally understands what science and basic research is really about.
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Merrill S. Shapiro, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State and rabbi of Temple Shalom in Deltona, Florida, on a measure on the state’s November ballot that would do away with the “no-aid” provision of the state’s constitution.
As we stand today, we are free to operate our houses of worship as we please, without government interference. Our synagogues, churches, mosques and temples enjoy far greater loyalty and attendance than is experienced in countries where the government funds religion. But if houses of worship start to take public funding, they will also take on government regulations, oversight, accounting and monitoring. Suddenly, the government will be in the business of religion and, frankly, my religious beliefs are none of the government’s business.
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C. Peter Wagner, a leader of the New Apostolic Reformation, on Alice Patterson, a fellow leader in the New Apostolic Reformation and one of the leadership team members at Gov. Rick Perry’s prayer rally, saying on stage at the rally that the Democratic Party is a demon structure.
I personally would not endorse each one of her statements and especially the statement about the Democratic Party being demonized, any more than the Republican Party is. I believe there’s a lot of demonic control over Congress in general that needs to be dispersed.
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Presidential contender Michele Bachmann, discussing how far right she is on a conference call with supporters of Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom coalition.
I have a titanium spine. I will put my spine up against any man who is running in this race.
If you missed Wagner’s interview on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, you missed a doozy. You can get a podcast if you go online.
I am hoping that this election will be one that diminishes the influence of the religious right and that organized Christianity will go back to being a religion and a source of personal peace and redemption for all Christians.
As opposed to the stinking cesspool that it currently is.