Republican Leader Slammed for Exclusionist Comments
Listed in: Other Foreign Policy, NJDC News, Press Releases
Washington, DC: Republican House Whip Tom DeLay (TX) came under fire today for his statements declaring that only Christianity offers "viable, reasonable, definitive" answers to philosophical questions. According to the Washington Post, DeLay, who will become the Republicans' leader in the House next year, stated that G-d was "using him to promote 'a biblical worldview' in American politics." DeLay spoke at a Baptist church in Pearland, Texas on April 12; a transcript of his remarks was released by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.
According to the transcript, DeLay stated, "Ladies and gentlemen, Christianity offers the only viable, reasonable, definitive answer to the questions of 'Where did I come from?' 'Why am I here?' 'Where am I going?' 'Does life have any meaningful purpose?'...Only Christianity offers a way to understand that physical and moral border. Only Christianity offers a comprehensive worldview that covers all areas of life and thought, every aspect of creation. Only Christianity offers a way to live in response to the realities that we find in this world -- only Christianity."
"Congressman DeLay's remarks were clearly inappropriate for an individual who is an elected leader of Congress and the most influential Republican member in the House of Representatives," said NJDC Executive Director Ira N. Forman. "They betray incredible insensitivity towards Jews and others whose beliefs differ from his. Tom DeLay will have a huge role in shaping the Republicans' legislative agenda over the coming year, and one responsibility of national leadership - which the Congressman clearly has not learned - is to unite and not divide us, and not denigrate minority religious beliefs."
Responding to a DeLay aide's comment that the Congressman was giving his personal testimony and not speaking on the House floor, Forman stated, "while the Congressman has the First Amendment right to profess his personal beliefs, it is irresponsible to suggest that some of his constituents, some of the citizens of the United States, are attached to religious communities with 'unviable' and 'unreasonable' religious beliefs."
