She seems very open to different ideas and people of different faiths :stars:

Unfortunately she likely isn't the only person in Congress who thinks this way...Looks like she is pulling the ultimate Christian card to try and win votes


Rep. Harris: Church-state separation 'a lie'

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris told a religious journal that separation of church and state is "a lie" and God and the nation's founding fathers did not intend the country be "a nation of secular laws."

The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate also said that if Christians are not elected, politicians will "legislate sin," including abortion and gay marriage.

Harris made the comments -- which she clarified Saturday -- in the Florida Baptist Witness, the weekly journal of the Florida Baptist State Convention, which interviewed political candidates and asked them about religion and their positions on issues.

Separation of church and state is "a lie we have been told," Harris said in the interview, published Thursday, saying separating religion and politics is "wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."

Electing non-Christians a 'legislative sin'
"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris said.

Her comments drew criticism, including some from fellow Republicans who called them offensive and not representative of the party.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, who is Jewish, told the Orlando Sentinel that she was "disgusted" by the comments.

Harris' campaign released a statement Saturday saying she had been "speaking to a Christian audience, addressing a common misperception that people of faith should not be actively involved in government."

The comments reflected "her deep grounding in Judeo-Christian values," the statement said, adding that Harris had previously supported pro-Israel legislation and legislation recognizing the Holocaust.

Harris' opponents in the GOP primary also gave interviews to the Florida Baptist Witness but made more general statements on their faith.

Harris, 49, faced widespread criticism for her role overseeing the 2000 presidential recount as Florida's secretary of state.

State GOP leaders -- including Gov. Jeb Bush -- don't think she can win against Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in November. Fundraising has lagged, frustrated campaign workers have defected in droves and the issues have been overshadowed by news of her dealings with a corrupt defense contractor who gave her $32,000 in illegal campaign contributions.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

The Honorable Katherine Harris at this point is willing to say absolutely anything to get elected. She is preying on those who will question her motives the least.

If you shroud your true intentions (e.g., personal ambition, desire for power, desire to continue to receive bribes) behind a veil of religious righteousness, there are a lot of folks who will simply take your word for it. After all -- they're of the same faith as the candidate, therefore, they must be telling the truth.

Fanaticism comes into power through exactly the above sentiment. It could happen with Christianity right here in the U.S., just as it did in Iran, Syria, etc. (which used to be advanced, secular governments).

Interesting--a student actually brought this article in to my Journalism class for a current events grade. Funny. He thought I'd enjoy it as well lol.

I totally love the part where she talks about how we're just legislating sin if we let non-Christians into the Legislature. Because Jews have no morals, neither do Buddhists. And you know, us atheists, we just go around having promiscuous sex and shoot people all the time since we have no morals. Haha.

I love that Gov. Jeb doesn't think she'll do well. AND the fact that she evidently took illegal campaign money? I mean, yeah, that's SO moral and ethical.

The Honorable Katherine Harris at this point is willing to say absolutely anything to get elected. She is preying on those who will question her motives the least.

If you shroud your true intentions (e.g., personal ambition, desire for power, desire to continue to receive bribes) behind a veil of religious righteousness, there are a lot of folks who will simply take your word for it. After all -- they're of the same faith as the candidate, therefore, they must be telling the truth.

It's not much different than what our local candidates for Lt. Governor and Congress 5th District were doing during the primary. And it's pathetic.

Rather than running on ideas (ideas which very well could Christian or conservative or Republican -- or even the converse of any or all of these) and actual policy positions, candidates today are running merely on labels. No candidate should be elected solely on the fact they identify themselves as a "Christian," or as a "Conservative," or as a "Republican" (or the converse of any of these labels).

If you want to elect a Christian candidate, fine. But the candidate simply standing on that label as why you should vote for him or her is absurd on its face and those who do so are foolhardy. Candidates should clearly define their policy positions and their goals, rather than throwing around hollow catch phrases, like "faith-family-freedom."

Harris is so much of a joke that her own party won't support her. This is the same woman who helped facilitate Bush's victory in Florida; you would think the party would owe her SOMEthing... so that tells you just how crazy she really must be.

Cornett and Fallin's debate was a complete joke

Why I hardly vote for anything at a state level anymore...they had the same pathetic platforms

It's almost to the point where their slogans should just be "We are both Christians, but I am higher up on God's list"

No, Cornett was lagging, but he was afraid to go negative, and then lose. In going negative, he would essentially be giving up the chance to be the state's 'favorite son' in some later race.

I think Cornett read his own tea leaves, then decided to pretend to run a campaign and cut his losses.

Watch for him to get a Largentesque nomination during the next election go-round.

Watch for him to get a Largentesque nomination during the next election go-round.

I'm not so sure. I have heard lots of people "in the know" make comments along the lines of how surprised that Mick lacked basic knowledge on issues at the national and international level. I think he may be a local candidate from here on out ala Ron Norick. Congress, I am afraid, was out of his league. Not that Fallin is a mental giant, but she understands the pros and cons of the issues and can intelligently talk about them (for better or worse).

------------

Really.. who cares about the candidate's abiltiy to know issues for the sake of a campaign? To me, that's not even material.

That you can skillfully pay an issue lip service is really no big deal. You may be right though. I think that Mick's adherance to the 11th commandment will earn him something with the state party. He essentially gave up the election so that he could run another day with more support.

Not that Fallin is a mental giant, but she understands the pros and cons of the issues and can intelligently talk about them (for better or worse).

You mean like, "Faith, Family and Freedom"?

Her campaign commercials and the few times I've heard her speak, I certainly don't get the impression that "she understads the pros and cons of the issues and can intelligently talk about them." (Not to say that I was any more impressed with Cornett.)

I really wish there was a box marked "no" on the ballot.