On March 28, US News & World Report columnist Dan Gilgoff wrote an article detailing Focus On The Family Chairman Dr. James Dobson proffered opinion as to the viability of the possible presidential candidacy of former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. Stated Dr. Dobson, "Everyone knows he's conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for. [But] I don't think he's a Christian; at least that's my impression." Dr. Dobson went on to further opine that such an impression would make it difficult for Thompson to connect with the Republican Party's conservative base and win the GOP nomination. A follow up conversation with a Focus on the Family representative further expanded on Dr. Dobson's statements revealing that while Dobson didn't believe Thompson to be a member of a non-Christian faith, Dobson nevertheless "has never know Thompson to be a committed Christian - someone who talks openly about his faith." Thank you Dr. Dobson for establishing for me the deciding factor in what criteria I am to employ in order to evaluate a political candidate for any elected office. (Please note my tone of sarcasm in the preceding statement).
Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Mr. Thompson, took issue (as well he should) with Dobson's characterization of Thompson's lack of audible profession of faith by stating, "Thompson is indeed a Christian. He was baptized into the Church of Christ." Not satisfied with the taste of their feet in their mouths, Dr. Dobson's representative attempted to present yet further clarifying information regarding Dobson's initial statements. "We use that word - Christian - to refer to people who are evangelical Christians. Dr. Dobson wasn't expressing a personal opinion about his reaction to a Thompson candidacy; he was trying to 'read the tea leaves' about such a possibility." Dr. Dobson, do me and the rest of believing Christians a favor and leave tea leave reading to soothsayers who are more adept at that valueless enterprise.
What amazes (and disappoints) me about Dr. Dobson's alleged off-the-cuff pronouncements about Mr. Thompson's potential presidential candidacy is the assumption that he could possibly know the depth (or lack there of) of Mr. Thompson's personal Christian faith. I agree that as a Christian that I would prefer to have the highest elected office in the nation occupied by an individual (man or woman) who has a deep and abiding faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ. However, history has underscored that such personal convictions hardly guarantees that the administrative policies invoked by such an occupant will produce policies that are overall regarded to be in the best interest of the country as a whole. I have no doubt that President Bush is a man of committed Christian faith. But, be that as it may, such personal convictions have failed to sway the American people that our continuing and necessary "war on terror" is best slugged out in the streets of Bagdad. To site an additional example, our nation's thirty-ninth president, James Earl Carter, Jr., made his professions of evangelical Christianity a focal point of both his candidacy and presidency, wishing to make the federal government of his era one of compassion and competency. Neither quest prevailed. Today the more outspoken conservative Christians regard him as a liberal thinker out of touch with the real politic realities prevalent in the world today. Thus, so much for the litmus test of the necessity of being an out-spoken evangelical Christian in order to meet a major prerequisite for competent presidential leadership.
By no stretch of competency do I declare myself to be a biblical scholar, but I can declare with certainty that the only "test" that I am aware of for professing to be a Christian is to state publicly my belief in Jesus Christ as the risen Son of God. It is not even a requirement that I become baptized in order for that conversion to be valid; baptism being a symbolic gesture to further demonstrate that which has already occurred. Mr. Thompson, in my opinion, most certainly meets the only requirement necessary to be included in the brotherhood and sisterhood of Christianity, as may be assumed, having been "baptised into the Church of Jesus Christ." For Dr. Dodson to suggest that such a declaration of fact doesn't quite measure up to his minimum expectations for political candidates smacks of an arrogance far beneath a man of Dr. Dodson's prominence. Jesus Christ's death, Resurrection and return to Heaven, leaving us in charge to carry on the work of expanding His Kingdom on earth hardly imbues Dr. Dobson with the title of "king maker." I, for one, do not find Dr. Dobson's evaluation of Mr. Thompson's Christian worthiness offensive, but laughable. Dr. Dobson should be ashamed for questioning any Christian's commitment. I know of only one entinity who is divinely acumented to do so...God Himself.
If you don't mind, Dr. Dobson, I'll coninue to regard Mr. Thompson, for the time being, as a viable candidate for President of the United States in spite of your ill advised and self-serving pronouncment to the contrary.
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