Keeping the faith

Describing his motivation for political activism, Ken Cole, a leader of the 30-member Maine Republican delegation to the national convention, told (reporter) Steve Campbell, “If it weren’t for people like myself, the religious right would have taken over the party by now. We keep the arch concervatives from taking over the party, which would blur the line between church and state.”

What an incredible statement. Blur the line between church and state. What is he talking about? Where are these people Cole mentions who want the government to celebrate the Mass and have public officials begin wearing vestments? Where are the Maine citizens who are demanding that the law require a religious conversion? Where are these loathsome and pitiable creatures who Cole refers to as “arch conservatives” who are organizing a “takeover” that will force their theology down everyone’s throat?

Nowhere, that’s where. I, and most Americans, respect, and will fight to defend the right of all men and women to freely practice their faith. There is little risk of these United States establishing a state church.

It seems that Cole may be reacting to a ghost. If he and the Republican leadership in Maine keep it up they risk disenfranchising a large voting block within their party.

As a Christian interested in the appropriate integration of faith and politics, I was offended by Cole’s remark. He and the so-called “moderates” in Maine need to apologize for waging an ideological battle against decent and well-meaning Christian citizens in Maine. I will be asking other Republican leaders in Maine if they share Cole’s negative view of activism on the part of Christian conservatives.

Former President George Bush was asked by Jim Lehrer if he lamented the activism of Christian conservatives. His excellent answer indicated that these folks have as much right as anyone else to participate. While acknowledging the presence of extremism in all movements, he added that he thought Christian conservatives were decent, hard-working folks. A little more of that out of leaders in Maine would not only be appreciated, it would be accurate. Michael S. Heath Executive director Christian Civic League of Maine, Augusta