Pastors and Politics

[kstar]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Billy Graham really doesn't belong in that group. One thing I admire about him is his ability to rise above partisanship.

Billy Graham came out for Vietnam and the Gulf War, to me that is encouraging people to vote for candidates that support those. He also supposedly became friends with Kim Jong Il, and called him a "different kind of communitst." To me- a very political move.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by kstar

Billy Graham came out for Vietnam and the Gulf War, to me that is encouraging people to vote for candidates that support those. He also supposedly became friends with Kim Jong Il, and called him a "different kind of communitst." To me- a very political move.

Are you really suggesting that no member of the clergy should talk about politics at all? Not just in the pulpit but ever?

And where do you get that he "supported the Gulf War," especially in such a way as to constitute an endorsement of candidates that supported it (especially given that it was over before any presidential election)? The fact that Bush asked him for advice on the "just war" doctrine?

Yes, Billy Graham was very anticommunist, the context in which his comment about Kim Il Sung (not Kim Jong Il) and his support of the Vietnam War have to be understood. Exactly how did that support equal endorsement of a candidate? One can certainly take sides on an issue without implicitly endorsing any candidate who shares the same position. Or are you suggesting that everyone who speaks out against the Iraq War is endorsing Ralph Nader?

The reality is he made it a policy early on not to endorse any candidate or party, and he has never done so.

[SWTXBelle]

Not to mention - there were Democrats who supported both Vietnam and the Gulf War (s?). LBJ, anyone? Why, bless my buttons, I believe Hillary herself (among others) voted for the Gulf War, part deux, even though she later changed her mind.

[kstar]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Are you really suggesting that no member of the clergy should talk about politics at all? Not just in the pulpit but ever?

And where do you get that he "supported the Gulf War," especially in such a way as to constitute an endorsement of candidates that supported it (especially given that it was over before any presidential election)? The fact that Bush asked him for advice on the "just war" doctrine?

Yes, Billy Graham was very anticommunist, the context in which his comment about Kim Il Sung (not Kim Jong Il) and his support of the Vietnam War have to be understood. Exactly how did that support equal endorsement of a candidate? One can certainly take sides on an issue without implicitly endorsing any candidate who shares the same position. Or are you suggesting that everyone who speaks out against the Iraq War is endorsing Ralph Nader?

The reality is he made it a policy early on not to endorse any candidate or party, and he has never done so.

I perhaps agree that Graham did not endorse any candidate/party outright, but I still believe that he strongly encouraged his congregation or tv audience to vote with the candidates that supported his personal issues. That is endorsement enough for me. (However, yes, it was Kim Il Sung.)

However, I think a Pastor has his first amendment right just like anyone else. Billy Graham could warmonger all he wanted.

I only took issue with PANTHERTEKE stating that only liberal or Democratic pastors took political stances, when there are religious icons on both sides of the aisle speaking out.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by kstar

Billy Graham could warmonger all he wanted.

I have to give you credit, you do bring an interesting perspective to these political discussions...

Originally Posted by epchick

I agree. Do you think there is a difference between what you said and someone who says "I am going to vote for so-and-so."

No; when they're up on the pulpit, speaking to the congregation, I think that a statement like that constitutes an (in my opinion) unacceptable political endorsement. I think it would be a different story if they were talking in a 1-on-1 context with a church member about politics.