Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) continues to face criticism for comments he made, first reported here at Right Wing Watch, that “at the heart of liberalism really is a hatred for God.” After defending his comments during a radio interview, in a new statement he tries to walk them back. Akin says in a new statement that it’s not that liberals hate God, just that liberal beliefs hate God. Get it?
People, who know me and my family, know that we take our faith and beliefs very seriously. As Christians, we would never question the sincerity of anyone’s personal relationship with God. My statement during my radio interview was directed at the political movement, Liberalism, not at any specific individual. If my statement gave a different impression, I offer my apologies.
My point was to object to the systematic assault that attempts to remove any reference to God from the public square.
NBC’s recent action only highlighted the continuing battle for those of us who believe that removing references to God go contrary to the Judeo-Christian heritage our nation was founded on -- the belief that our inalienable rights come from God himself, and the freedom to live our lives and worship as we see fit.
According to a report from NBC-affiliate KSDK, a group of clergymen will try to meet with the Congressman:
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch also reports that his apology has done little to end the outcry:
But the apology fell flat with a group of St. Louis-area clergy members, most of whom are liberal. They plan to gather at the Akin's Ballwin district office at 11 a.m. today to deliver a letter calling on him to "reconsider not only your words, but also your moral priorities as a political leader."
"Congressman Akin continues to insist that liberalism is anti-religion. As a pastor and a constituent of Congressman Akin's, I find this deeply offensive," said the Rev. Kevin Cameron of Parkway United Church of Christ in west St. Louis County.
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The Rev. Krista Taves of Emerson Unitarian Universalist Chapel in Ellisville said Akin's comment 'shows how very little he knows about liberals, and how very little he knows about God."
