Yesterday, Rep. John N. Hostettler (R-IN) stood on the floor of the House of Representatives and said: “Like a moth to a flame, Democrats can’t help themselves when it comes to denigrating and demonizing Christians.”
Outrage ensued, obviously. But Hostettler’s hateful statement shouldn’t have come as any surprise; for months right-wing radicals have been leading an ugly, ugly campaign to disparage the religious beliefs of liberals ane paint them as somehow “anti-God.” Remember:
During the election, Republicans in West Virginia and Arkansas were caught mailing out flyers that said liberals wanted to ban the Bible. The pamphlets actually featured a photo of the Bible with a big, red “BANNED” stamped across the front.
After the election, Jerry Falwell said Americans who didn’t vote for George Bush did not “take the Bible seriously.” He also told CNN Democrats were on an “anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-religion kick.”
Rush Limbaugh opined liberals “don’t like God.”
Evangelical leader Bob Jones told conservatives “you owe liberals nothing. They despise you because they despise your Christ.”
Joe Scarborough attacked liberals for “taking solace” in “bigoted anti-Christian screeds.”
As religious leader Jim Wallis has said, ‘there are millions of Christians who want the nation to know…that Jesus isn’t pro-rich, pro-war and only pro-American. We don’t find that Jesus anywhere in the bible. “ It’s time for right-wing extremists like Hostettler to stop trying to use God as a political pawn.