Preachers and Politics

"Many evangelicals are expanding their idea of what it means to be pro-life. John McCain's statement that he might stay in Iraq for 100 years is going to strike many evangelicals as not being pro-life"

-Approximate statement of Jim Wallis

This is so pathetic. When he makes statements like this, it does not sound to as though what he is saying actually reflects any occurring phenomenon; Rev. Wallis is merely saying that it would be nice if it effected many evangelicals' voting status. When he says "many evangelicals," I think that he basically means himself and maybe the Sojourner staff (I exaggerate, of course.) But what is worse is that he grossly distorts Sen. McCain's statement. Sen. McCain meant that he would be willing to maintain a troop presence in Iraq for 100 years if Americans were not exposed to attacks on a regular basis (meaning, in the same way that we have had a presence in South Korea for decades without casualties.) Apparently McCain is pro-life on the question of Iraq, too. But the Rev. Wallis doesn't want to admit this fact. Reverends should do better than to bear false witness against their neighbors.