New Ala. gov: Just Christians are his family

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley told a church crowd just moments into his new administration that those who have not accepted Jesus as their savior are not his brothers and sisters, shocking some critics who questioned Tuesday whether he can be fair to non-Christians.

"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," Bentley said Monday, his inauguration day, according to The Birmingham News.

The Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday called Bentley's remarks shocking.

"His comments are not only offensive, but also raise serious questions as to whether non-Christians can expect to receive equal treatment during his tenure as governor," said Bill Nigut, the ADL's regional director.

Speaking at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church after the official inaugural ceremony, Bentley told the crowd that he considered anyone who believed in Jesus to be his brothers and sisters regardless of color, but anyone who isn't a Christian doesn't have that same relationship to him.

"If the Holy Spirit lives in you that makes you my brothers and sisters. Anyone who has not accepted Jesus, I want to be your brothers and sisters, too," Bentley said.

After his speech, Bentley said he did not mean to insult anyone.

Responding to questions about it, Bentley's office released a statement Tuesday saying he believes "he is the governor of all of Alabama."

"The governor clearly stated that he will be the governor of all Alabamians — Democrat, Republican and Independent, young, old, black and white, rich and poor. As stated in his (inaugural) address, Gov. Bentley believes his job is to make everyone's lives better," the statement said.

Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, told The Birmingham News he wasn't sure how Bentley's remarks were intended.

"Does it mean that those who according to him are not saved are less important than those who are saved?" Taufique said. "Does he want those of us who do not belong to the Christian faith to adopt his faith? That should be toned down. That's not what we need. If he means that, I hope he changes it. We don't want evangelical politicians. They can be whatever in their private life."

The official with the Anti-Defamation League, which fights discrimination against Jewish people, said it sounded like Bentley was using the office of governor to advocate for Christian conversion.

"If he does so, he is dancing dangerously close to a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids government from promoting the establishment of any religion," Nigut said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_alabama_governor_christians#mwpphu-container

How can politicians be so stupid?

I'm going to get attacked for it but...

I don't see anything wrong with his speech. What he said was a 100% accurate view of faith in Christ. If you are a Christian, you are in the family, so to speak (the Bible deals quite a bit about this in the Gospels and Romans). Therefore, the opposite is true as well.

Now, the real question is: Does he use this statement to push his faith on others in via the government? If so, shame on him. Separation of church and state is to ensure that laws are not established to push one religion on unbelievers. That does not bar someone from making statements about their faith, Sapphi. I am sure if the politician was an atheist and made the same claim, you would be okay with it. I'd be okay with it, just as I would with a Muslim, Buhddist, Hindu or Jedi making the same statement. If you get pissed off every time someone says something about God - politician, actor, scientist, or friend, then you really got to mature a bit more, and recognize that people have differences - differences we should be free to debate and discuss as people.

Seems like he got a bit carried away. I can just see his speech writers grimacing after those comments.

He's a politican. He's suppose to bring people together, not drive them appart. He's suppose to represent everyone, and not insult and show his dislike of non-Christians (Anyone 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 try to push his religion on them and convert (I want to be your brother).

If an atheist politician, and elected official,  (as if they'd ever elect one in the US) would say something like "religious people are stupid" and "they should quit all that nonsense", there's no way I'd say that he's a good politician (even though he'd be saying a great truth). Politicians can't just go around insulting other people like that, especially cause in this case it will contribute to the demonisation of non-Christians (a minority).

A bad politician but a good Christian?

He gets media attention and would not be surprised in the end that he gets more popular..

What is stupid in your eyes can be a reason to live/fight for in someone's else eyes..

I am proud to be an Agnostic because at least I know I'm free , and I won't forget the men who died to make anybody free. 

There quite a bit a wiggle-room in his statement. His statement does not show dislike of non-Christians. Saying that Christians are his brothers and sisters does not mean he cannot like people from other religions. Just to put simply, I can like people who are not my brother or sister and form friendships outside my family. I would honestly say he is making a reference to the Christian community as being a representation of an extended family.

I still dont't think it was a wise choice on his part to make the statements though. It is just asking for a needless controversy. As you said, a unifying message would have been more beneficial for himself and the community, and creating a distinction between Christians and non-Christians is just asking for trouble, whatever his true intentions.

Thanks.

Regardless of his personal religious views, a person holding a public office in the US cannot promote that faith with his office. That is where this gov is coming too close for comfort.

As a Muslim I wouldn't even want to see a Muslim politician stating something like that. Its just against the foundation of this nation as our forefathers (who were not predominately christian) wanted that separation in the first place to prevent religion from creating separation in the union as it has done to every other part of the world.

Freedom of religion and the complete separation of church and state is vital for any long term success of a multi-cultural nation which the US is more so than anyone else.

Im sure theres something in the bible which he just contradicted just now. Anyway, given I am agnostic I will not support any religion. To be honest if theres any separation going on, it's the separation of mind from reality. If anything most of his so called brothers wouldn't be brothers of Jesus, so by calling them brothers does he not also separate himself if he hasn't done already from the 'true path' of Jesus?