Pastor Robert Jeffress is getting lots of softball press coverage for his new Grinch Alert effort which seeks to highlight "businesses and organizations that shut-out expressions of Christmas in their interactions with the public via marketing, advertising and public relations."
But what nobody seems to be bothering to point out is that Jeffress is also a vehemently anti-gay, anti-Muslim, and anti-Mormon Religious Right activist.
Last night Alan Colmes had Jeffress on his program to discuss his endeavor and asked him about his claims that "Muslim men having sex with 4-year-old girls" and pointed out that behind Jeffress' seemingly lighthearted effort is a belief that Christianity is a superior religion and that non-Christians should not hold public office and even got Jeffress to admit that he'd find it almost impossible to ever vote for a non-Christian candidate, even going so far as to vote for an incompetent Christian candidate over a competent non-Christian one:
Colmes: When you do this thing for fun, which you're having fun with this this Christmas season and the so-called War on Christmas and you're doing this to have some fun with this Grinch Who Stole Christmas concept. But behind that is a point of view that you have that Christians are a superior religion and non-Christians should not hold public office. You truly have a bias against those who are not of your particular faith. Is that what Jesus taught?
Jeffress: Well I believe that Christians have a right to elect Christian leaders. I've never suggested, Alan, that they ought to be codified into law.
Colmes: So you'd never vote for a Jew? You'd never vote for an Atheist? You'd never vote for a Muslim? You'd never vote for a Buddhist? You would only cast your vote, and urge your flock to cast their votes, for those of the Christian faith.
Jeffress: Well, I believe that a competent Christian is better than a competent non-Christian.
Colmes: Why?
Jeffress: Because that is my religious belief.
Colmes: Is a non-competent Christian better than a competent non-Christian ... Can you see an election where a non-competent Christian is running against a competent non-Christian and the non-Christian would be the better candidate?
Jeffress: I can see that possibility and I think at that moment, it has to be a matter of conscience with the Christian.
Colmes: So could you see yourself voting for a non-Christian?
Jeffress: I could see if there were two non-Christians running, I could.
Colmes: But if one is a Christian, even if that person is the less competent person, you'd still vote for the Christian?
...
Jeffress: Alan, I'll have to pray about that.
