Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family is catching some flack for supposedly saying Fred Thompson isn't a Christian. What did he actually say?
From US News & World Report:
'Everyone knows he's conservative and has come out strongly for the things that the pro-family movement stands for,' Dobson said of Thompson. '[But] I don't think he's a Christian; at least that's my impression,' Dobson added, saying that such an impression would make it difficult for Thompson to connect with the Republican Party's conservative Christian base and win the GOP nomination.
Mark Corallo, a spokesman for Thompson, took issue with Dobson's characterization of the former Tennessee senator. 'Thompson is indeed a Christian,' he said. 'He was baptized into the Church of Christ.'
In a follow-up phone conversation, Focus on the Family spokesman Gary Schneeberger stood by Dobson's claim. He said that, while Dobson didn't believe Thompson to be a member of a non-Christian faith, Dobson nevertheless 'has never known Thompson to be a committed Christian—someone who talks openly about his faith.'
'We use that word—Christian—to refer to people who are evangelical Christians,' Schneeberger added. 'Dr. Dobson wasn't expressing a personal opinion about his reaction to a Thompson candidacy; he was trying to 'read the tea leaves' about such a possibility.'
I'm generally favorable toward Fred Thompson and was pleased with what I recall of his time in the Senate.
But Dobson is right in that, at least from what I know, there is little evidence that Thompson is a serious Christian
(I am, of course, differentiating between a "cultural Christian"--someone who generally gives a nod to Christian values--and a genuine Christian, which is someone who has been "born again".)
While no one can know the true state of another person's soul, Jesus did tell us we would be able to discern a genuine Christian from someone who isn't "by their fruit." And while Thompson seems like a good guy, I haven't seen much that tells me he's serious about the Savior.
Not being a Christian doesn't disqualify anyone from presidential consideration, but having a genuine faith does demonstrate to a Christian that he and the candidate are on the same page with their values.
And why should any Christian vote for someone who doesn't share their values? Even John Jay, co-author of the Federalist Papers and the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court said
Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.
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