Over the past few days, I’ve read with great interest the different opinions that have sprung forth after The New York Times article about John McCain’s alleged indiscretions with a lobbyist.
There has been no shortage of opinions on this issue, so I almost hesitated to write about the situation in this column. However, I felt it important to offer my perspective as a pastor.
I have not endorsed John McCain for president. In fact, I haven’t endorsed anyone in this election cycle. This is not because of my dislike of the candidates who are running, but because I am far more interested in working to ensure that the values that my father espoused for 51 years continue to be at the forefront of the political process. As a pastor, it is far more important for me to proclaim the Gospel than it is to promote a candidate for office.
I am not saying that I will not endorse a candidate in the future. Nor I am saying that it is wrong for other pastors or Christian leaders to endorse a candidate; I am merely saying that as of this date, I have chosen not to do so. I have, however, over the past year, met with most of the candidates who are running for president. During these meetings, I have shared the importance of defending life, both born and unborn.
I have also spoken of the sanctity of marriage, the importance of the family and the security of our nation. I have firmly shared the importance of appointing strict constructionist judges who will not try to legislate from the bench or rewrite the constitution to match up to the whims of the culture.
In all of those conversations, I have been encouraged by the desire of the candidates to stand up for those same values, Sen. McCain included. I listened carefully to Sen. McCain’s speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) a few weeks ago in Washington. Throughout the speech, he made it very clear that he believes in the same principles that I hold dear. He spoke of his strong pro-life record and of his support for our troops as they defend our freedoms all over the world. He spoke about the judges he would appoint if he were president.
Much of what he said I agree with. Granted, Sen. McCain is not perfect. Nor am I. There are some issues on which he and I might not agree. But my dad always taught me that someone who is your friend 90 percent of the time is not your enemy.
When The New York Times decided to print their story, with some apparently unfounded accusations and unsubstantiated rumors, I decided that as a pastor, I must defend him. Sen. McCain has denied the Times’ accusations of an inappropriate relationship with a lobbyist, without equivocation.
He has made it very clear that there is no truth to the story’s insinuations that he offered improper assistance to special interest groups. Further, there have been many others who have come to the defense of the senator, many of whom are certainly not Sen. McCain’s political allies.
The point is that it is high time for The New York Times and other media organizations to take seriously their responsibility to the public. We should not have to endure the kinds of unsubstantiated attacks that have so dominated our political landscape over the past few years. When Dan Rather attacked President Bush during the 2004 election cycle, I had hoped that the embarrassment caused by Rather’s false attacks would serve as the catalyst to end such actions in the future. Obviously, I was too hopeful.
Now is the time that all Americans should stand in unison and implore those in the media who use such tactics to change and to change now. America is a great nation and part of what makes it great is the freedom of speech. However, that freedom should never be hijacked for the purposes of spreading false stories about a candidate, regardless of the candidate’s party. And when those stories could actually affect the outcome of an election, it becomes all the more egregious.
Now, don’t get me wrong. When someone stands up and purports to be a person of high morals and it is discovered that their private life doesn’t match up to their public statements, I believe they should be revealed as a hypocrite. But this should only happen when it can be proved, without any doubt.
As a pastor, but more importantly, as a Christian, I believe we need to call those in our society to live by a higher standard. Personal attacks that are not based on fact have no place in our country.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus gives us a clear directive in this area. Matthew 7:3-5: “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Let us learn from Jesus’ teachings: hypocrites should take a long look in the mirror before looking at others.
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