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WASHINGTON, June 13, 2002 /U.S. Newswire/ -- On June 11, President
George W. Bush addressed the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist
Convention (SBC) via satellite. While Bush lauded the SBC for
upholding the ideals of religious tolerance, civility and the
separation of church and state, SBC leaders' own remarks told
a different story.
"President Bush should repudiate SBC leaders' rejection
of the American tradition of religious pluralism and their appeals
to
bigotry," said People For the American Way Foundation President
Ralph G. Neas. "At a time when President Bush has called
Americans to unity, he should not be embracing leaders whose
message is grounded in sowing division."
President Bush told convention delegates that "Baptists
have had an extraordinary influence on American history. They
were among the earliest champions of religious tolerance and
freedom. Baptists have long upheld the ideal of a free church
in a free state. And from the beginning, they believed that forcing
a person to worship against his will violated the principles
of both Christianity and civility."..
"Unfortunately, President Bush wasn't present to hear
Southern Baptist leaders' own take on religious pluralism and
civility,"
Neas said. The night before President Bush lavished praise on
the SBC, the Rev. Jerry Vines, a former president of the SBC,
told several thousand convention delegates that many of this
country's problems could be blamed on "religious pluralism,"
according to news accounts. In addition, Vines harshly criticized
Islam: "They would have us believe that Islam is just as
good as Christianity. Christianity was founded by the virgin-born
son of God, Jesus Christ. Islam was founded by Muhammad, a demon-possessed
pedophile who had 12 wives, the last one of which was a 9-year-old
girl." Vines continued, "And I will tell you Allah
is not Jehovah either. Jehovah's not going to turn you into a
terrorist that'll try to bomb people and take the lives of thousands
and thousands of people." Newly elected SBC President Rev.
Jack Graham called Vines' comments "an accurate statement."
Outgoing SBC President Dr. James Merritt also backed Vines, saying,
"historically, he is on solid ground."
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/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/06/13 16:24 - Copyright 2002, U.S.
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