Alabama Governor Says Only Christians Are His 'Brothers And Sisters'

By David White
The Birmingham News

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (RNS) Newly sworn-in Gov. Robert Bentley said he plans to be the governor of all Alabamians and be color-blind, but also said that people who aren't "saved" Christians aren't his brothers and sisters.

Bentley told a large crowd on Monday (Jan. 17) at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church that he believed it was important for Alabamians "that we love and care for each other."

"I was elected as a Republican candidate. But once I became governor ... I became the governor of all the people. I intend to live up to that. I am color-blind," Bentley said in a short speech given about an hour after he took the oath of office as governor.

Then Bentley, who for years has been a deacon at First Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa, gave what sounded like an altar call.

"There may be some people here today who do not have living within them the Holy Spirit," Bentley said. "But if you have been adopted in God's family like I have, and like you have if you're a Christian and if you're saved, and the Holy Spirit lives within you just like the Holy
Spirit lives within me, then you know what that makes? It makes you and me brothers. And it makes you and me brother and sister."

Bentley added, "Now I will have to say that, if we don't have the same daddy, we're not brothers and sisters. So 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."

Asked later if he meant to be insulting to people of other faiths, Bentley replied, "We're not trying to insult anybody."

Asked about Bentley's comments, the governor's communications director, Rebekah Caldwell Mason, said, "He is the governor of all the people, Christians, non-Christians alike."

In his speech marking observances of the Rev. Martin Luther King's birthday in the church where King was once pastor, Bentley also told the crowd, "I think that Dr. Martin Luther King was one of the greatest men that has ever lived."

"I appreciate what he has done for not only the African-American community but for the white community, because he helped everything to change, even though he had to give his life for it," Bentley said.

Comments

[jockmama]

09:15 PM on 02/09/2011

Well, I am SOOOO relieved I don't have to claim him as a brother. Fact is, I'm not even all that keen on claiming he's a member of my SPECIES...!

[only livin boy in NY]

07:34 PM on 02/09/2011

lucky them

[American Air]

05:08 PM on 02/01/2011

Reject christ with extreme Prejud!ce!

Look at the Sheet he has done using his minions

- ;nquisitio­n in Spain and Goa
- C rusades
- Ethn!c cIeansing of American Indians
- SIavery
- Iynchings
- The Anti Chinese league of the Americas
- Jim Crowe
- The HoIocaust. Read the ant!sem!ti­c rantings of Martin Luther the founder of the Protestant movement that was the impetus for the HoIocaust.
- Separate churches for bIacks and whites in the bible belt.

[American Air]

05:07 PM on 02/01/2011

After the whole S ara PaOin c0ntrovers­­­y over BI00d Iibel I went and read what it was. I had no clue what BIood IibeI was until I read it

OIMG! What a gr0tesque culture christian culture is. How could you? How could this lmmoral faith , this g 0df0rsake­­­n religion even exist?'

who in their right m!nd would remain a christian after such a thing.

I don't get it

[American Air]

05:08 PM on 02/01/2011

“http://en.­wikipedia.­org/wiki/B­lood_libel”

[American Air]

05:06 PM on 02/01/2011

Christianity is the worst religion in the world

[jockmama]

09:20 PM on 02/09/2011

Sorry, but I don't think that's true. It MAY be the most hypocritical, though. And it would move way UP in the standings if they could disavow the Evangelicals. Catagorize them as a completely separate religion. (That's how THEY think already, anyhow!) Then at least Christianity stops being ALSO a haven for full-bozo nutjobs...!

[peterz]

07:45 PM on 01/25/2011

fine by me, I don't want to be his brother. As a non-superstitious person who values evidence and reason in place of authority and myth I get a long well with some fine people who are believers in one or another of the gods, but none of them are like this throwback....

[Chante]

08:20 AM on 01/24/2011

Here comes the attacks on Christians who seem to be the only ones in America no longer able to freely express their faith without ridicule. Upside down world! SMH

[peterz]

07:45 PM on 01/25/2011

it's called criticism...get used to it.....

[American Air]

05:04 PM on 02/01/2011

Not really. Even Racial Supremacists face criticism just like religious supremacists.

[SouthernQ]

01:39 PM on 01/20/2011

An Alabama State trooper pulls over a pickup truck on Interstate 20. He says to the driver, "Got any ID?" The driver says, "Bout what?"

[JohnFromCensornati]

08:34 AM on 01/20/2011

"Alabama Governor Says Only Christians Are His 'Brothers And Sisters'"

You can tell by the in-breeding.

[sheherezade]

06:35 AM on 01/20/2011

"Asked later if he meant to be insulting to people of other faiths, Bentley replied, "We're not trying to insult anybody.""

How about trying not to insult anybody?!

[stagnation13]

12:34 AM on 01/20/2011

*does a double take*

Was George Wallace resurrected and I wasn't notified!?

[Var Enyo]

11:08 PM on 01/19/2011

Does he count Mormon's and others who follow false prophets(profits)?

[JBaker]

09:55 PM on 01/19/2011

I do not see anything to suggest that Christians behave better than atheists. Are Christians less likely to lie, cheat, or kill? No. Therefore, what's the sales-pitch for being a Christian?

[nationalhealth]

08:18 PM on 01/19/2011

John Fugelsang Twitter

"New Alabama Gov says that Non-Christians are 'not my brother;' 'not my sister.' Which I guess means he won't hit on them."

[bayhuntr]

04:45 PM on 01/19/2011

Why do so many people think being Christian is about everyone sitting around bragging about themselves? This seems to be one of the defining characteristics of bible belt Christians or "evangelicals". "Look at me I'm great, I'm so full of God, you aren't, so your not worthy of me"
I was raised Christian, my mind was wired for reason, so it never took, but isn't the basic concepts of Christianity to have a personal relationship between you and God, not you and everyone else? Isn't it Mr. God who decides who is worthy or superior and not yourself? your relationship with others is to love them, all of them, with out judging them?
Lets start calling these nasty people what they are, anti freedom, anti American and anti Christian.