Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley says non-Christians are not his brothers and sisters
Options
oliverlang
Members Posts: 593
I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I'm really having a hard time accepting the fact that this is coming from an elected governor in this day and age.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41149562/ns/politics-more_politics/?gt1=43001
________________________________________________________________________
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley told a church crowd just moments into his new administration that those who have not accepted Jesus as their savior are not his brothers and sisters, shocking some critics who questioned whether he can be fair to non-Christians.
"Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother," Bentley said Monday, his inauguration day, according to The Birmingham News.
The Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday called Bentley's remarks shocking.
"His comments are not only offensive, but also raise serious questions as to whether non-Christians can expect to receive equal treatment during his tenure as governor," said Bill Nigut, the ADL's regional director.
Speaking at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church after the official inaugural ceremony, Bentley told the crowd that he considered anyone who believed in Jesus to be his brothers and sisters regardless of color, but anyone who isn't a Christian doesn't have that same relationship to him.
"If the Holy Spirit lives in you that makes you my brothers and sisters. Anyone who has not accepted Jesus, I want to be your brothers and sisters, too," Bentley said.
After his speech, Bentley said he did not mean to insult anyone.
"The governor clearly stated that he will be the governor of all Alabamians — Democrat, Republican and Independent, young, old, black and white, rich and poor. As stated in his (inaugural) address, Gov. Bentley believes his job is to make everyone's lives better," the statement said.
Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, told The Birmingham News he wasn't sure how Bentley's remarks were intended.
"Does it mean that those who according to him are not saved are less important than those who are saved?" Taufique said.
"Does he want those of us who do not belong to the Christian faith to adopt his faith? That should be toned down," he added. "That's not what we need. If he means that, I hope he changes it. We don't want evangelical politicians. They can be whatever in their private life."
The official with the Anti-Defamation League, which fights discrimination against Jewish people, said it sounded like Bentley was using the office of governor to advocate for Christian conversion.
"If he does so, he is dancing dangerously close to a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids government from promoting the establishment of any religion," Nigut said.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41149562/ns/politics-more_politics/?gt1=43001
________________________________________________________________________
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley told a church crowd just moments into his new administration that those who have not accepted Jesus as their savior are not his brothers and sisters, shocking some critics who questioned whether he can be fair to non-Christians.
"Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother," Bentley said Monday, his inauguration day, according to The Birmingham News.
The Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday called Bentley's remarks shocking.
"His comments are not only offensive, but also raise serious questions as to whether non-Christians can expect to receive equal treatment during his tenure as governor," said Bill Nigut, the ADL's regional director.
Speaking at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church after the official inaugural ceremony, Bentley told the crowd that he considered anyone who believed in Jesus to be his brothers and sisters regardless of color, but anyone who isn't a Christian doesn't have that same relationship to him.
"If the Holy Spirit lives in you that makes you my brothers and sisters. Anyone who has not accepted Jesus, I want to be your brothers and sisters, too," Bentley said.
After his speech, Bentley said he did not mean to insult anyone.
"The governor clearly stated that he will be the governor of all Alabamians — Democrat, Republican and Independent, young, old, black and white, rich and poor. As stated in his (inaugural) address, Gov. Bentley believes his job is to make everyone's lives better," the statement said.
Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, told The Birmingham News he wasn't sure how Bentley's remarks were intended.
"Does it mean that those who according to him are not saved are less important than those who are saved?" Taufique said.
"Does he want those of us who do not belong to the Christian faith to adopt his faith? That should be toned down," he added. "That's not what we need. If he means that, I hope he changes it. We don't want evangelical politicians. They can be whatever in their private life."
The official with the Anti-Defamation League, which fights discrimination against Jewish people, said it sounded like Bentley was using the office of governor to advocate for Christian conversion.
"If he does so, he is dancing dangerously close to a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids government from promoting the establishment of any religion," Nigut said.
Comments
-
Now I'm upset.
WTF! BOB! I thought we was brothers bro. -
I wouldn't be to worried, if he truly follows jesus path they're safe, jesus was good to sinners.
-
Oh no a bigoted white politician in Alabama... We've never seen that before.
-
^^^^^ exactly
-
Its alabama so dat doesnt suprised me
-
You want to test a man's character...give him power - some famous person
I personally think that this is the governor's attempt to try to "Christian-ize" people. He doesn't really grasp the notion that being "Christian" doesn't make you a good governor...or anything else for that matter. Now, if it hasn't been done already, someone is trying to find dirt on this person so the next time you hear about him, he is in some scandalous fling with somebody. -
Yea.... we stay losin out chea...
-
ThaChozenWun wrote: »Now I'm upset.
WTF! BOB! I thought we was brothers bro.soul rattler wrote: »Oh no a bigoted white politician in Alabama... We've never seen that before.
LOL. That's all that needed to be said -
Some will take offense to what he said, but those who understand will not. All the man did was take a stance for what he believes in and he being looked at by some as if he committed a crime. SMH
Toughen up!
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33) -
solid analysis wrote: »Some will take offense to what he said, but those who understand will not. All the man did was take a stance for what he believes in and he being looked at by some as if he committed a crime. SMH
Toughen up!
"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33)
So basically you support discrimination when it's on your side? -
A white cracka from Alabama has an opinion that I should take seriously? Since when?
-
oliverlang wrote: »So basically you support discrimination when it's on your side?
no i'm against discrimination (assuming what u define as that)...yet i'm for Christ and for helping others understand what He teaches.
I'm just pointing out the fact that he mentions Christians are his brother (in Christ), doesn't imply that he will treat those who are not in Christ unfairly. Notice he openly takes a stance that says he would like others, that are not, to be followers of Christ also. That's an invitation to everyone, so where is the discrimination in that? And seeing that he confesses he wants others to follow Christ also, how is it right that ppl therefore expect him to do things towards others not in CHrist with an intention of being bad to them, so that they go the other direction?
Sadly most folk in the R&R will not catch that tho -
so this seems a little redundantkingblaze84 wrote: »A white cracka- -
solid analysis wrote: »no i'm against discrimination (assuming what u define as that)...yet i'm for Christ and for helping others understand what He teaches.
I'm just pointing out the fact that he mentions Christians are his brother (in Christ), doesn't imply that he will treat those who are not in Christ unfairly. Notice he openly takes a stance that says he would like others, that are not, to be followers of Christ also. That's an invitation to everyone, so where is the discrimination in that? And seeing that he confesses he wants others to follow Christ also, how is it right that ppl therefore expect him to do things towards others not in CHrist with an intention of being bad to them, so that they go the other direction?
Sadly most folk in the R&R will not catch that tho
You can spare me all that false justification ranting and raving. If you replace christian with anything else you will see how it's discrimation, for example:
"Anybody here today who is not white, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother...just do what the white man does"
"Anybody here today who is not hetrosexual, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother...just give up homosexuality"
"Anybody here today who is not an American, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother...just denounce your nationality"
"Anybody here today who does not believe in Islam, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother...just convert to Islam"
Would you really expect someone in such an influencial and powerful position to represent you sincerely with good intentions if you were Jewish, Muslim, or Atheist? If it was a Muslim who said this, I'm sure you'd be the first one to cry about how outrageous it is. -
i admire this horse's ass blatant racism. he's so bigoted he cant even see how bigoted he is.
-
-
oliverlang wrote: »You can spare me all that false justification ranting and raving. If you replace christian with anything else you will see how it's discrimation, for example:
"Anybody here today who is not white, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother...just do what the white man does"
"Anybody here today who is not hetrosexual, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother...just give up homosexuality"
"Anybody here today who is not an American, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother...just denounce your nationality"
"Anybody here today who does not believe in Islam, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother...just convert to Islam"
straw man set-ups have nothing to do with the situation
directly address what is wrong with what the gov said without presuming what he meant by 'brother'
that's irrelevant and neither does it prove that the issue lies in what the gov saidoliverlang wrote: »
Would you really expect someone in such an influencial and powerful position to represent you sincerely with good intentions if you were Jewish, Muslim, or Atheist?
u don't know that.oliverlang wrote: »If it was a Muslim who said this, I'm sure you'd be the first one to cry about how outrageous it is. -
Depending on which Book/Gospel of the Bible you read. He's both right and wrong.
-
solid analysis wrote: »straw man set-ups have nothing to do with the situation
every comparision is not a strawman argument.solid analysis wrote: »directly address what is wrong with what the gov said without presuming what he meant by 'brother'
I did that alreadysolid analysis wrote: »that's irrelevant and neither does it prove that the issue lies in what the gov said
It's not irrelevant, in fact it's probably the most important concern about what he said.solid analysis wrote: »u don't know that.
It's pretty safe to assume.
