NYT: Clinton Dwells on Faith as a Central Part of Her Life

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/us/politics/06cnd-clinton.html?ex=1184385600&en=c996da4b44662eb5&ei=5043&partner=EXCITE

Clinton Dwells on Faith as a Central Part of Her Life

By MICHAEL LUO
Published: July 6, 2007

WASHINGTON — Long before her beliefs would be tested in the most wrenching of ways as first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton taught an adult Sunday school class on the importance of forgiveness. It is a lesson, she says, which she has harkened back to often.

“We all have things that often times we’re upset about, or ashamed of, or feel guilty over, and so many people carry these enormous burdens around,“ she said in a recent interview. “One of the great gifts of faith is to let it go.“

The themes of wrongs, forgiveness and reconciliation have played out repeatedly in Senator Clinton’s life, as she has endured the ordeal of her husband’s infidelity, engaged in countless political battles and shared a deep, mutual distrust with adversaries. Her Methodist faith, Mrs. Clinton says, has guided her as she sought to repair her marriage, forgiven some critics who once vilified her and struggled to fulfill the Biblical commandment to love thy neighbor in the bare-knuckles world of politics.

The New York senator, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, has been alluding to her spiritual life with increasing regularity in recent years, dovetailing with efforts by her party to reach out to churchgoers who have been voting overwhelmingly Republican.

Mrs. Clinton’s references to faith, though, have come under attack, both from conservatives who doubt her sincerity (one critic recently dismissed her as the type of Christian “who believed in everything but God”) and liberals who object to any injection of religion into politics. And her motivations have been cast as political calculation by detractors, who suggest she is only trying to moderate her liberal image.

“ Many people have developed opinions about her,” said John Green, senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. “Senator Clinton has a long history of involvement in religious matters and appears to be a person of deep and sincere faith, but a lot of people don’t perceive her that way,” Mr. Green said.

FULL story at link.

[Sanity Claws]

1. I am so sick of politicians selling me on their religion

I don't care whether it's a Dem or Repub, I'm sick of it.

[Cha]

6. Yeah, but does she want to end

the wanton killing in Iraq or is it just empty rhetoric?

Or does she intend to keep feeding the corporate beast as a senator OR if by the off chance she gets elected as prez?

[asthmaticeog]

2. Breaking: pandering vote-whore *still* trying to triangulate religious right.

:eyes:

[stevedeshazer]

3. Good gr ief. I'm going to take a shower.

Religion has no place in American government.

This is the kind of pandering I really despise.

Hill, leave your religion out of it. It's no one's business, and you shouldn't be running on it.

[kurth]

4. I can smell the sincerity

[journalist3072]

7. And it's up to you to question her sincerity about her faith? eom

[Demeter]

5. Please! Not While I'm Eating!

[C_U_L8R]

8. When I hear the word "faith"

my bullshit meter goes into overdrive.

[BushOut06]

9. I am sick and fucking tired of people talk about religion

This is something that should be kept private. I don't want to hear it - not from Bush, not from Clinton, not from Obama, not anyone. Keep it to yourself. It's bad enough being bombarded with religious crap on radio and TV, and seeing Christian symbols displayed prominently everywhere I drive. You don't need a giant fucking cross in front of your church to "prove" how Christian you are!

[trixie]

10. I always think less of those

that come out with the faith thing. Jeeeeeeez.

[pingzing58]

11. She has a right to respectfully respond to questions about her faith. And, then move on. nt

[emilyg]

13. Yes she does.

[Harry Monroe]

12. Plastic Jesus

"I don't care if it rains or freezes, long as I've got my plastic Jesus riding on the dashboard of my car."

"60, 70 miles an hour, long as I know I've got that power riding on the dashboard of my car"

Hillary's pandering is getting nauseaous.