Criticism of "ReignDown" appearance washes off Brownback
Barb ShellyConstitutional, yes. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback crossed no church-state separation lines when he endorsed and then spoke at a large religious revival event in Topeka over the weekend. Politicians are and should be able to express their faith in public if they wish.
Inclusive, no. Brownback’s 10-minute talk at the rally was heavily evangelical for the chief executive of a secular state. And ReignDown USA, the worship-and-prayer movement which organized the rally, is affiliated with some of the most intolerant figures in the evangelical Christian community.
One “partner” of ReignDown USA is Lou Engle, a leader of the International House of Prayer in Grandview, which has been prominent in the news lately because of the controversial death of a member. Engle often rallied against the “homosexual agenda” and says he has dreamed of God empowering “100,000 gay and lesbian men and women” to leave behind their homosexuality.
Another partner of ReignDown is Cindy Jacobs, a self-proclaimed prophet who has, among other things, blamed unexplained bird deaths on the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and has repeatedly predicted doom unless the nation begins electing more right-wing politicians.
What does Brownback get from being cozy with a group like this? Exposure, for one thing. Several hundred persons attended the rally in Topeka, but organizers bragged that their global audience on TV and the Internet could reach 25 million.
Brownback probably loses nothing politically by offending Jews, Atheists, gays and lesbians and liberals — some of the groups that have protested his open-armed endorsement of ReignDown. People who were offended probably weren’t going to vote for him anyway.
This is a governor who wears his faith on his sleeve. And if that makes some people uncomfortable, here’s the upside: It is fair game to ask Brownback to explain his policy decisions in the context of his faith. So the next time he takes food stamp aid away from children who live with undocumented immigrants, or proposes to upset the support structure for developmentally disabled Kansans, ask him the essential question: What would Jesus do?
Mark Robertson
5 months, 2 weeks agoHow is Brownback “offending” the Jewish people? And does just speaking about God offend atheists? So I would guess that atheists are offended by Pope Benedict XVI. Do atheists offend Christians? So many offended people. Can’t do much about the truth offending people. Many of us think that homosexual activity is wrong. There are a number of groups who help those with same sex attraction, including the International Healing Foundation. The repeal of don’t ask, don’t tell will be a disaster. How about don’t join Thank
Curt A. Hodapp
5 months, 2 weeks agoAll liberals need to stop hiding behind children, Jesus and God to make your arguments. If your argument cannot stand on their own merits
Then I would think twice about my position.
George Hunsucker
Northland
5 months, 2 weeks agoSo ms. shelly, would it be fair to ask the big 0 about his policy decisions based on his lack of showing his faith???
you libs are such a hoot…
Mark Hastert
5 months, 2 weeks ago“All liberals need to stop hiding behind children, Jesus and God to make your arguments. If your argument cannot stand on their own merits”
Gosh I think the same could be said about many in the Christian right too. Much of it’s policy stems from a particular interpretation of a particular holy book. Er… just how old is Earth?
Let’s say we throw out all the holy books when it comes to our civil society and leave the Christian equivalent of Sharia law out of it, OK?
“you libs are such a hoot…”…. and you conservatives are certainly not funny.
Phil Cardarella
5 months, 2 weeks agoOK, I do not mind that he prays — even hypocritically in a band of assorted nuts who do their best to give religion a bad name.
I am offended that he spends so little of hisfervor on the Beatitudes.
William R. Nelson
5 months, 2 weeks agoMrs. Shelly is correct: elected officials have 1st Amendment rights, too. Those rights are not void or suspended for the duration of their public service.
But, if the elected official was African-American, who delivered a revered message to the ‘faithful’ at a NAACP meeting, or if the elected official was a Muslim-American reciting the Koran at a Mosque praising ‘submission,’ or if the elected official was an avowed socialist senator orating against ‘privilege’ at an SEIU gathering, me thinks Mrs. Shelly would not characterize those folks as ‘intolerant’ or ‘offending’ or otherwise deficient in his/her duties for a secular state.
But, since it’s an intolerant, offending, deficient WASPY dood, Jesus is really cross with him, right now! (no pun)
Merry Christmas, Mrs. Shelly. May the joy of this blessed season - the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ - bring peace and joy to you and yours.
Liz Schumacher Craig
5 months, 2 weeks agoGov. Brownback has every right to follow his own religion as a private individual. But as an elected official, he is supposed to represent all citizens of his state. He may have a legal right to promote and speak at a religious event, but it shows him as favoring one religious group over all others. That’s a repugnant attitude in a public servant.
Courtney Collado
5 months, 2 weeks agoThank you for posting this, Ms. Shelly. Kansas will not be taken seriously by the rest of our nation until we can elect officials who spend more time trying to remedy the problems of their state rather than further their own twisted agenda and force their religion on every last citizen. To say Brownback is generally intolerant is putting it far too lightly. The majority of the nation is moving forward on issues including women’s health, fair pay, the Affordable Care Act (which some call Obamacare), education, and especially LGBT issues and marriage equality. Kansans need to stop digging their heels in, take their heads out of the sand, move forward with the rest of the country, and join the “real America” that embraces all colors, genders, and sexual preferences, and takes care of it’s people.