[Photo by Gage Skidmore]
If you are one of those who "enjoys" the topsy-turvy nature of the election season, the only real show to watch these past few months has been the Republican Primary. I will say that I have managed only to watch the debates via the filter of my friends on Twitter, but still it has been fascinating. Like every arm-chair political pundit, I too have been wondering who has the best shot at unseating President Obama -- for the record, I think John Huntsman was the only legit threat -- and now that it's down to the final four, the past few weeks have been pretty wild.
One of the issues that keep arising is the boldness with which Rick Santorum has been speaking the ways his faith influences his politics and should influence the laws of the United States. I am not a fan, but I get why some people might like him. No one is going to fault him for not speaking his mind including saying that 1960's John Kennedy's Speech about the separation of church and state made him want to vomit. His "throw up" comment combined with his comments about the snobbery of a college education and a growing list of other provocative statements may be moving him closer to the Dan Quale and Sarah Palin Quotable Club than the White House. But I guess we'll see.
In any case, one of the Santorum posts that has been going around is the Top Ten Catholic Teachings Santorum Rejects while Obsessing about Birth Control post by Juan Cole. His list begins as follows:
1. So for instance, Pope John Paul II was against anyone going to war against Iraq I think you'll find that Rick Santorum managed to ignore that Catholic teaching.
2.The Conference of Catholic Bishops requires that health care be provided to all Americans. I.e., Rick Santorum's opposition to universal health care is a betrayal of the Catholic faith he is always trumpeting.
3. The Catholic Church opposes the death penalty for criminals in almost all situations. (Santorum largely supports executions.)
4. The US Conference of Bishops has urged that the federal minimum wage be increased, for the working poor. Santorum in the Senate repeatedly voted against the minimum wage.
5. The bishops want welfare for all needy families, saying "We reiterate our call for a minimum national welfare benefit that will permit children and their parents to live in dignity. A decent society will not balance its budget on the backs of poor children." Santorum is a critic of welfare.
Now, when I first read this list, my inside snarky junior high school boy voice was like, "Yeah, Santorum take that, you big mean right-wing hypocrite!" Because, let's be honest, it does seems like a serious amount of selective faith positions are being used to support political ones. Now I am not Catholic. I personally differ on some social and theological positions that the Roman Catholic church holds and I also agree with a great deal of what the Catholic Church believes and does. But again, I am not a Catholic, so I do not know what the expectations are of the members of the Roman Catholic Church. Should a member agree with everything that the Catholic Church believes in doctrine and practice? Wow, that's a huge question for Catholics around the world.
I am so very glad that I am a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) where, in our tradition, every member agrees with every one of the social and theological positions that our denomination has ever taken.
Oh ... wait a minute.
Dangit, I guess it's hard for me to really get on Santorum too much because really, is any of us pure of heart and action when it comes to our denominational or religious affiliations let alone the entirety of our faith? I think not. So while I would love to bask the condescending glow of his own inconsistencies and hypocrisy, I keep hearing Jesus scream into my ear,
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. - Matthew 7:1-2
Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. - John 8:2-11
Please don't get me wrong, I am also not defending him, his positions or the tone of the attacks that are coming from the GOP primary. It is probably safe to say that much would have to happen in order for me not to support a secnd term of Barack Obama. What I am doing is calling on those of us Christians who vigorously disagree with the folks like Santorum, to do so with a little more care than others might, because, while he is certainly opening himself up to public scrutiny by seeking the highest elected office in the land, I do not think Jesus' would see that as an excuse to unfairly judge or cast any stones his way.
While I would love to be able to keep up with comments on the various blogs that I post on, if you really want me to respond, please comment on the original post on www.reyes-chow.com.