Can you Believe Her? (Can you believe him?)
A few months ago, I enjoyed a thoughtful e-mail exchange with a reader, himself a former liberal, on a variety of subjects on a variety of subjects, including Mrs. Clinton and the 2008 presidential campaign. At the time, we both assumed she would win the Democratic presidential nomination and had a good shot at besting Rudy Giuliani, then then-likely GOP nominee.
While this wise man agreed that the former First Lady was not to be trusted (and feared her election to the White House), he took issue with my contention that her faith, like much else in her life, was not sincere.
I held she claimed to be a Christian so as to make herself palatable politically to Americans of faith. My friend, a Christian himself, while aware of the New York Senator’s numerous distortions and deceptions (this before the truth of Tuzla came out), citing his own spiritual awakening, was hesitant to discount the faith of another. I argued that she didn’t do anything without considering its political consequences, considering how every choice she made would effect her electoral viability.
Maybe she is truly a woman of faith. But, when you twist the truth as often as she does, people start questioning every position you take, every idea you espouse, even every doctrine you profess. It’s like the Boy Who Called Wolf, once you start lying, you start losing your credibility. After a while no one believes you.
Ms. Hillary is not the only deceptive Democrat. The “him” in the title’s parenthetical does not refer to her mendacious husband, but to her charismatic rival for her party’s presidential nomination.
David M of Thunder Run links neo-neocon’s piece on a few Obama’s deceptions. She notes (as did Powerline’s Scott Johnson) how he, in his book, falsely claimed Karl Rove said the United States is a Christian nation, then denied (to Rove’s face) having said that.
What is it with leading Democrats and the truth?
Maybe that’s why so many on the left are so eager to brand George W. Bush a liar because so many of their leaders are so dishonest. They’re trying to show they’re no different from Republicans. Or maybe they just need to project their own party’s vices onto this object of their animosity.
UPDATE: Related–No One Left to Lie To.
Clinton cannot let go of her dream.
UP-UPDATE: Another Hillary Clinton lie, this one even made the New York Times.
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Shame, shame, Dan.
There are a lot things you can use to legitimately question Hillary’s sincerity, honesty, history, intentions, etc., etc., but questioning her faith crosses the line.
There is nothing more personal than one’s relationship with God. Only He knows the depth and sincerity of Hillary’s faith and only He has the right to pass judgment on Hillary in that regard.
Like Hillary, I am a United Methodist. For that reason, I have been very interested in interviews with her youth pastor and with a United Methodist pastor who’s known her for much of her adult life. It was her youth pastor in suburban Chicago who took her and other priviledged youth to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak and who later showed them firsthand the poverty and dispair on the other side of the tracks. Many of her political principles have evolved from those experiences as a young lady. Her longtime pastor has provided testimony to her commitment to the church and its beliefs.
I would never even think of questioning our fellow Methodist George Bush’s personal relationship with God, but it’s fair to say that our church’s positions on social justice have meant more to Hillary Clinton than to George Bush.
Comment by Trace Phelps — April 4, 2008 @ 3:56 pm - April 4, 2008
Does it cross the line, Trace? When the woman lies about so many things, how can we trust her profession of faith?
That second question is the entire point of the post.
Comment by GayPatriotWest — April 4, 2008 @ 4:52 pm - April 4, 2008
I wasn’t aware that the Methodist Church followed the doctrine, "Instead of giving yourself, tax others, including those very poor people you are whining about, to do it for you".
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — April 4, 2008 @ 5:37 pm - April 4, 2008
I just finished watch Hillary lie on and on about shaking hands with MLK and all the attendant taffy pulling and I have the fresh taste of puke in my mouth.
Trace, the God of the United Methodists is going to tell St. Peter that Hillary is persona non grata. She will tell a lie when the truth can not hurt her. There is a circle of Hell where prevaricators sit around and pull each other’s fingers. Those who fart get to stay, those who vibrate their lips go a circle lower. Hillary can’t even fart honestly.
Comment by heliotrope — April 4, 2008 @ 7:17 pm - April 4, 2008
but questioning her faith crosses the line. ……Like Hillary, I am a United Methodist.
Ahem…
j/k
Comment by ThatGayConservative — April 5, 2008 @ 3:03 am - April 5, 2008
Hillary can’t even fart honestly.
Damn! Can I use that, or any variation thereof?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — April 5, 2008 @ 3:06 am - April 5, 2008
"What is it with leading Democrats and the truth?"
It isn’t just leading Democrats.
When your entire ideology is based on lies… that you can tax the economy out of recession, that using the force of government to steal from others is "generous", that biofuel is good for the environment, that lowering standards for black people isnt racist, that monopolies are bad unless they’re government monopolies, that diversity of pigmentation is important and diversity of thought is bad, that war never solved anything, that scientific theories are facts and pointing out flaws in them is unscientific… and on and on…..
…when all your beliefs are lies, it is necessary that you must become a liar to defend them.
That is why liberals base their ideology on their feelings instead of thought and reason. Because when you start to think these things through, you must either become a liar or realize your errors and become a conservative.
Comment by American Elephant — April 5, 2008 @ 10:25 am - April 5, 2008