 U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris told a religious journal that separation of church and state is "a lie" and God and the nation's founding fathers did not intend the country be "a nation of secular laws." The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate also said that if Christians are not elected, politicians will "legislate sin," including abortion and gay marriage.
| Thank you for your opinion, Katherine. Goodbye. |
Harris made the comments which she clarified Saturday in the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention, which interviewed political candidates and asked them about religion and their positions on issues. Separation of church and state is "a lie we have been told," Harris said in the interview, published Thursday, saying separating religion and politics is "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."
| Nope. Religion and politix are separate because religion is interpreted by holy men. We don't need shariah in this country, and we don't need the Inquisition. We don't need mandatory church attendance and we don't need tithes. Goodbye, Katherine. Enjoy your new career, whatever it is. |
"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris said.
| Some of us enjoy our occasional spot of sin. Some of us, in fact, consider ourselves fairly virtuous without adhering to Katherine's definition of sin. I enjoy an occasional beer with dinner and at least once a year I drink too much, becoming shamefully sloshed. I enjoy looking at pretty girls, the more scantily-clad the better. After five years of daily study, we're entirely too familiar here with the politix and culture of the NWFP to want to approximate it with a facsimile originating in the Ozarks or Pogo country. |
Her comments drew criticism, including some from fellow Republicans who called them offensive and not representative of the party.
| "Stoopid" was the word that first sprang to my mind. |
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., who is Jewish, told the Orlando Sentinel that she was "disgusted" by the comments.
| I'd guess Debbie doesn't want to be required to present herself at the local Baptist church every Sunday any more than I do. |
Harris' campaign released a statement Saturday saying she had been "speaking to a Christian audience, addressing a common misperception that people of faith should not be actively involved in government." The comments reflected "her deep grounding in Judeo-Christian values," the statement said, adding that Harris had previously supported pro-Israel legislation and legislation recognizing the Holocaust.
| I'd say her comments reflected appalling stupidity and that she's not the person I'd want representing me in the Senate. I hate seeing that seat go to a Democrat, but I still wouldn't vote for Katherine. |
| Reminds me of the choice I had last election for the Senate: Barack Obama, a very liberal but reasonable sounding guy, or the wingnut fool Alan Keyes. Had to hold my nose and shut my eyes as I punched out the chad for Mr. Obama, but that's what I did. |
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