There
has been a *cough* remarkable exchange between Senator Bernie Sanders,
Socialist from Vermont, and Deputy White House Budget Director nominee Russell
Vought.
Sanders: Let me get to
this issue that has bothered me and bothered many other people. And that is in the
piece that I referred to that you wrote for the publication called Resurgent.
You wrote, “Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know
God because they have rejected Jesus Christ, His Son, and they stand
condemned.” Do you believe that that statement is Islamophobic?
Vought: Absolutely not,
Senator. I’m a Christian, and I believe in a Christian set of principles based
on my faith. That post, as I stated in the questionnaire to this committee, was
to defend my alma mater, Wheaton College, a Christian school that has a
statement of faith that includes the centrality of Jesus Christ for salvation,
and . . .
Sanders: I apologize.
Forgive me, we just don’t have a lot of time. Do you believe people in the
Muslim religion stand condemned? Is that your view?
Vought: Again, Senator,
I’m a Christian, and I wrote that piece in accordance with the statement of
faith at Wheaton College:
Sanders: I understand
that. I don’t know how many Muslims there are in America. Maybe a couple
million. Are you suggesting that all those people stand condemned? What about
Jews? Do they stand condemned too? Vought: Senator, I’m a Christian . . .
Sanders: I understand you
are a Christian! But this country are made of people who are not just — I
understand that Christianity is the majority religion, but there are other
people of different religions in this country and around the world. In your
judgment, do you think that people who are not Christians are going to be
condemned?
Vought: Thank you for
probing on that question. As a Christian, I believe that all individuals are
made in the image of God and are worthy of dignity and respect regardless of
their religious beliefs. I believe that as a Christian that’s how I should
treat all individuals . . .
Sanders: You think your
statement that you put into that publication, they do not know God because they
rejected Jesus Christ, His Son, and they stand condemned, do you think that’s
respectful of other religions?
Vought: Senator, I wrote a
post based on being a Christian and attending a Christian school that has a
statement of faith that speaks clearly in regard to the centrality of Jesus
Christ in salvation.
Sanders: I would simply
say, Mr. Chairman, that this nominee is really not someone who this country is
supposed to be about.
So
if one believes Jesus when he said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through me,” that is just not acceptable to
Bernie.
The
push of the Left to marginalize traditional Christians continues.
