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March 25, 2006
Religion and Politics: Hillary Clinton
Senator Clinton apparently submitted an entry in the Who Is Your Favorite Jesus poll a couple of days early, while attacking the House Republican get-tough-with-illegal-immigrants bill:
"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures," Clinton said, "because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself."
Hard not to support adoption of a Would Jesus Get Arrested standard for all future US legislation (though I must admit I have some difficulty locating this particular Jesus, The Illegal Alien, in my copies of the "Scriptures"). And it's always invigorating, of course, to see a politician standing up for some valued voting bloc's convictions.
However, I have to wonder whether the good senator, even with all her advanced polling, might not be missing the beginnings of a turn in American public opinion. Our finger in the wind (and this method does, upon occasion, work) is detecting the initial stirrings of a secular backlash against the orthodox backlash against secularism. Whoever Hillary assigns to adjust her convictions should be advised to turn to this page for the latest on this anti-religious revival.
Posted by Mitchell Stephens at March 25, 2006 6:30 PM
Comments
I think Hillary was referring to a provision in the bill that would criminalize any person or organization who helps an illegal immigrant, and assuming that, were Jesus alive today, he would be involved in such activities.
That said, I am also tired of his being dragged into any and every political dispute. I hope you are right that there is a secular backlash brewing, but I must confess I don't see much sign of it.
Posted by: sort of buddhist at March 28, 2006 5:31 PM
