On Wednesday, June 7, 2017 Russell Vought stood before the Senate in a confirmation hearing. Bernie Sanders questioned Vought on a statement Vought made regarding a theological debate taking place at Wheaton college in 2016. The issue was whether or not Muslims and Christians worship the same God. Vought said that they do not worship the same God. His statement was “Muslims do not simply have a deficient theology. They do not know God because they have rejected Jesus Christ his Son, and they stand condemned.”
This statement is a clear teaching of the Bible: Jesus is the only way of salvation. Mostly, I see this as an internal theological debate. On top of that, all he is saying is that his religion is the only true religion, which is what most all religions claim: that they have the one true path to God.
Bernie Sanders decided to turn this situation on its head and claim that Vought was discriminating against other religions and was therefore not fit for government office. But in doing so, Sanders is discriminating against Vought based on his religion.
To clarify how his views would affect his political position and how he believes people should be treated, Vought said, "As a Christian, I believe that all individuals are made in the image of God and are worthy of dignity and respect regardless of their religious beliefs. I believe that as a Christian that’s how I should treat all individuals."
But apparently, this is not good enough for Sanders. I can only assume that Sanders is stumbling with the word condemned. However, this condemnation as described in Christianity, really only takes full effect in the after-life, which should not really be the concern of the government.
Sources:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/two-u.s.-senators-apply-an-anti-christian-religious-test-for-government-officials
https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/justintaylor/2017/06/08/bernie-sanders-to-traditional-christians-your-beliefs-are-indefensibly-hateful-and-insulting-and-not-what-this-country-is-supposed-to-be-about/
This statement is a clear teaching of the Bible: Jesus is the only way of salvation. Mostly, I see this as an internal theological debate. On top of that, all he is saying is that his religion is the only true religion, which is what most all religions claim: that they have the one true path to God.
Bernie Sanders decided to turn this situation on its head and claim that Vought was discriminating against other religions and was therefore not fit for government office. But in doing so, Sanders is discriminating against Vought based on his religion.
To clarify how his views would affect his political position and how he believes people should be treated, Vought said, "As a Christian, I believe that all individuals are made in the image of God and are worthy of dignity and respect regardless of their religious beliefs. I believe that as a Christian that’s how I should treat all individuals."
But apparently, this is not good enough for Sanders. I can only assume that Sanders is stumbling with the word condemned. However, this condemnation as described in Christianity, really only takes full effect in the after-life, which should not really be the concern of the government.
Sources:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/two-u.s.-senators-apply-an-anti-christian-religious-test-for-government-officials
https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/justintaylor/2017/06/08/bernie-sanders-to-traditional-christians-your-beliefs-are-indefensibly-hateful-and-insulting-and-not-what-this-country-is-supposed-to-be-about/
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