In case you didn’t read it, you need to.
Chairman Dobson,
I read in today’s newspaper a quote from your organization that said I should be “alarmed about the anti-Catholicism of some of [my Senate] colleagues.”
Your newspaper and radio ads also target Christians like me and Senator Harry Reid. I am proud that Senator Reid is a devout Mormon Christian and strong family man and that we share the fundamental values of Christianity.
I have not encountered any feelings of anti-Catholicism from any of my fellow Senators on either side of the aisle. Indeed, we have 24 United States Senators who are Catholic, both from the Democratic and Republican parties.
In contrast, I understand you are helping lead the effort on a national telecast against Democrats in the United States Senate with Dr. Al Mohler, among others. In March of 2000, Dr. Mohler said “I believe that the Roman church is a false church and it teaches a false gospel. And indeed, I believe that the pope himself holds a false and unbiblical office.”
My faith is the cornerstone of my values, as I am sure it is with you as well. I call on you to repudiate Dr. Mohler’s comments and hope you distance yourself from those who serve to divide the world’s Christian churches against one another.
I would further encourage you to cease your unfounded attacks on the faith of my Democratic colleagues. The Senate controversy over judges is simply about whether the rules should be broken in the pursuit of power. The controversy has nothing to do with the faith of any Democratic U.S. Senator. Indeed, I would ask for your prayers that the United States Senate transcend the abuse of power at the root of this controversy, and move forward in a spirit of bipartisanship on the issue of judges, as well as the monumental challenges facing our Nation such as health care, transportation, energy, education, and care for our elders. I am committed to helping find a solution to these challenges that confront us.
Sincerely,
Ken Salazar
United States Senator
Now, of course, Salazar represents a wonderful mainstream post-modern “hey, if it says it is Christian, it is” viewpoint that would resonate with many. An ancient colleague of his in the Roman Senate surely could have written to Paul to complain about his letter to the Galatians, and probably would have written to James in Jerusalem seeking to get him to “repudiate” Paul’s strong words in Galatians 1:6-9 (how very divisive!) and asking him to “distance himself” from Paul’s attempts to “divide” Christians. Not much has changed over the centuries. But you might note the inclusion here, on Salazar’s part, of a group even Benedict XVI would not call a Christian Church: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Why do I point this out? Many reasons, but quickly, I am currently reading a pre-release copy of Robert Millet’s new book for Eerdman’s (Millet is a BYU professor, a Mormon scholar), defending their “Christianity.” Yes, Eerdman’s is publishing a pro-LDS apologetics work that will be distributed to the non-discerning pseudo-evangelical public via “Christian” bookstores—you may thank Richard Mouw of Fuller Seminary (yes, the same Mouw who has provided the LDS apologetics community with the greatest possible aid and comfort by attacking, falsely, and without distinction, those who have sought to evangelize the Mormon people–see here starting 11/22) for this project. As I have been reading this work I have had to place it in the context of the utter lack of discernment illustrated by the wide swath of pseudo-evangelicalism, and hence have tried to think how someone who passed the Pope into heaven based upon some kind of works-righteousness would think of Millet’s book. And the conclusion? They would be very favorably impressed, no question about it. Well, much more to come on these things….
