Hunting The Muse

Dean And Religion

Man. The press is going to have a field day with this. Let them. It's been far too long since we've had these discussions in the press.

"Christ was someone who sought out people who were disenfranchised," said the former governor of Vermont, "people who were left behind. He fought against self-righteousness of people who had everything. He was a person who set an extraordinary example that has lasted 2,000 years, which is pretty inspiring when you think about it."

You see? Jesus was a liberal.

"Let's get into a little religion here," he said at one meeting with voters, "Don't you think Jerry Falwell [a fundamentalist Baptist minister] reminds you a lot more of the Pharisees than he does of the teachings of Jesus? And don't you think this campaign ought to be about evicting the money changers from the temple?". He was referring to a group of high priests and sacrilegious money markets in Jewish temples during the time of Christ

(via pandagon)

There's been a lot in the press lately about how Dean is saying that he is gradually getting more comfortable talking about religion. So, you know, he's a little bit shy, a little bit awkward about it, right? He'll probably be cautious? Right? Dip his toe in the water, say something uncontroversial?

Right.

"From a religious point of view, if God had thought homosexuality is a sin, he would not have created gay people."

Dean comes out and says that his faith is what swayed his decision on the civil unions bill. Not in spite of his faith, because of it.

This is delicious.

I am absolutely convinced now that Dean is a master, an absolute master of the feint attack. I honestly think that most of his "gaffes" are deliberate. He says something, makes his opponents sputter and overreach at his supposed clumsiness, and then he deftly leaves them without a foundation. I wouldn't be surprised if his goal all along was to try and reclaim religion as a liberal underpinning, planning it for a long time.

Posted by Curt at January 8, 2004 04:39 AM