In Search of Moral Clarity

By William Rivers Pitt -
truthout- Opinion

Sunday, 16 June, 2002

The Reverend Jerry Vines, senior pastor of the Jacksonville, FL First Baptist Church, spoke to thousands of the faithful at the Southern Baptist pastors conference in St. Louis this past Monday. In his remarks, Vines stated that, "Islam is not just as good as Christianity." Vines went on to decry Mohammed, the founder of Islam, as, "A demon-possessed pedophile who had twelve wives - and his last one was a nine-year-old girl."

The Reverend Jack Graham, newly elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, seemed to speak for the congregation as a whole when questioned about Vines' remarks. "His statement is actually a statement that can be confirmed,'' said Graham. ''I believe the statement is an accurate statement."

Vines was by no means the main event of this conference. That Wednesday, George W. Bush graced the pastors with his presence via satellite link. His image smiled down upon them from a huge screen. "I want to thank all of you for your good works," Bush told them. "You're believers, and you're patriots, faithful followers of God and good citizens of America. And one day, I believe that it will be said of you, 'Well done, good and faithful servants.'"

The pastors, to make a bad pun, went into raptures as Bush spoke. The message was clear: The President stands with them. Vines' patriotic work spreading xenophobia and religious intolerance across the nation had earned him the title of patriot. The Southern Baptists are already politically powerful - House Majority Whip Tom DeLay is a member of the Texas congregation - and Bush's words only reinforced the belief they hold in their own rectitude.

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