# Alabama Gov Says Non-Christians Not His Brothers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 19, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227 "2011-01-19T18:19:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/101 "2011-01-20T03:22:12Z")
He said this on his FIRST DAY IN OFFICE. And he looks like Montgomery Burns to boot… all I can say is **SUCK IT ARIZONA AND SOUTH CAROLINA!!!** Our HOME OF THE NATION’S CRAZIEST AND MOST EMBARRASSING ELECTED OFFICIALS Belt is right now singing Sweeeeeet Home Alabama…Lord I’m comin’ home to you!! ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/102 "2011-01-20T03:51:01Z")
To the extent that I’ll defend him for saying this (and trust me, as a Bama born and resident fagnostic Democrat I’m not a fan of the man or his remark) Bentley’s a doctor whose only previous political experience has been as a state legislator of no particular renown so I don’t think he’s quite clocked the “Anything you say can and will be used against you” aspect of his upgrade in office and profile. I’m also eternally amazed how often the doctors who get elected to political office seem to number among the stupidest and most acritical ideologues; you’d think it would require some great intelligence to complete that much education. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/103 "2011-01-20T03:54:40Z")
Well, at least he’s making me feel pretty darn good about having Haley Barbour as a governor. Hmm, maybe Jesus _does_ cause miracles… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/104 "2011-01-20T04:30:26Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > A) No, he didn’t. It certainly struck me as being a pretty strong suggestion. YMMV. > [@](#): > > B) He was speaking at church as a private citizen, not as the Governor. Well, that’s just too fucking bad. He’s the Governor, and everything he says in public - and an open church service is public - is a valid target of scrutiny. > [@](#): > > C) What the fuck does that have to do with whether there are any crazy politicians up North? Nothing, just like the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/105 "2011-01-20T04:47:24Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > I cannot believe that we actually have to have a conversation about whether or not it’s acceptable for an elected official to say, even as a private citizen, even in a non-public venue, that basically the only people he personally considers important are fellow Christians. Arguably that’s not exactly what he said. But leaving parsings aside, it was clearly not an appropriate thing to say. Regardless of what _he_ meant, some of his constituents _took it_ to mean that they were lesser citizens in his eyes. Of course that’s unacceptable. It seems he’s recognized that. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/106 "2011-01-20T06:28:38Z")
I’ll defer to somebody better read in Christian doctrine than I am, but is this even valid from a scriptural viewpoint? While I know Jesus said those who did his Father’s will were his brothers (though whether doing his father’s will necessitated accepting Jesus as Messiah I’m not sure), he never explicitly said that others weren’t, besides which God referred to all people as His children. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/107 "2011-01-20T07:03:52Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Agreed. I have to wonder, though, what the reaction would’ve been if he’d said a similar statement as a Muslim, in a mosque. > > “That loud popping noise you just heard? Millions of right-wing heads exploding across the nation.” Definitely. And I wish the moderate Christians would do something to rein in the extremists. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/108 "2011-01-20T07:11:54Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Because you assholes would still be listening to polkas. Nah, all the southerners with musical ability would still have moved to Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/109 "2011-01-20T07:50:54Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’ll defer to somebody better read in Christian doctrine than I am, but is this even valid from a scriptural viewpoint? While I know Jesus said those who did his Father’s will were his brothers (though whether doing his father’s will necessitated accepting Jesus as Messiah I’m not sure), he never explicitly said that others weren’t, besides which God referred to all people as His children. Matter of interpretation- God is our Creator & we’re siblings as children of Adam/Eve. Because of the Fall, we are estranged from God as our Father, thus we are His Creations but not fully His Children & Heirs. His Eternal Life is not in us. Thus, we must be reborn thru Christ into God’s Eternal Life & thus, we are reinstated as His full children & heirs of His Kingdom, and also restored as full brothers & sisters to each other. (As noted many places on the SDMB, I believe this rebirth can occur in the Afterlife.) I’d be inclined to give Bennett the benefit of the doubt, but I understand where he’s coming from. But it was a stupid thing to say publically because it’s so easily misunderstood. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/110 "2011-01-20T08:00:56Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Matter of interpretation- God is our Creator & we’re siblings as children of Adam/Eve. Because of the Fall, we are estranged from God as our Father, thus we are His Creations but not fully His Children & Heirs. His Eternal Life is not in us. Thus, we must be reborn thru Christ into God’s Eternal Life & thus, we are reinstated as His full children & heirs of His Kingdom, and also restored as full brothers & sisters to each other. (As noted many places on the SDMB, I believe this rebirth can occur in the Afterlife.) > > I’d be inclined to give Bennett the benefit of the doubt, but I understand where he’s coming from. But it was a stupid thing to say publically because it’s so easily misunderstood. So basically what he is saying is that we can not be full brothers and sisters of his unless we accept his particular interpretation of his particular religion. This is pretty much what makes him a dick, makes his impartiality suspect, and excludes Jews, Hindus Buddhists, Atheists, and I bet Roman Catholics and those liberal Episcopalians as well. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/111 "2011-01-20T08:04:17Z")
The only thing this politician did was not act like a politician, and instead taylored his speech to his audience, without thinking about the fact that other people would hear about it, and inevitably take it out of context. It’s the type of gaffe I expect from a new politician, and nothing worth getting upset about. As for whether his remark is theologically sound: why is that even relevant? That he means “brothers in Christ” is obvious by the context, and, of course, a non-Christian is not a brother in Christ. It’s like a fraternity saying that the people not in their fraternity aren’t brothers. And, apparently, it’s a pretty inclusive fraternity, since he wants people to join. I see no reason to take the offensive interpretation over the less offensive one. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/112 "2011-01-20T08:21:06Z")
> [@sh1bu1](#): > > So basically what he is saying is that we can not be full brothers and sisters of his unless we accept his particular interpretation of his particular religion. > > This is pretty much what makes him a dick, makes his impartiality suspect, and excludes Jews, Hindus Buddhists, Atheists, and I bet Roman Catholics and those liberal Episcopalians as well. Do you just not realize how far away the first paragraph and the second are? And how far either of them is to what the guy said? The stuff you are angry about is your own interpretation of what the guy said, not what he actually said. I’d be upset, too, if the guy said something about only serving his brothers in Christ. But he didn’t say that: you inferred it. You bought the intent of those who gave the out-of-context quote hook, line, and sinker. You know what: I believe you aren’t my brother in Christ. You aren’t a Christian, therefore you’re not my brother. You are my neighbor, my fellow man, and I believe are loved by God, just as much as anyone else. And I am obligated not to treat you any differently than anyone else. But you just don’t get the brother classification. It’s no more offensive than a black person telling me that I’m not his brother. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/113 "2011-01-20T14:11:34Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It’s no more offensive than a black person telling me that I’m not his brother. Why don’t you just make him happy and convert to black? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/114 "2011-01-20T15:53:23Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It’s no more offensive than a black person telling me that I’m not his brother. So if Obama said “All you black folks are my bothers but not you white folk”, you don’t think he would get castigated for it? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/115 "2011-01-20T16:03:29Z")
He sorta \*was \*castigated for it, despite never having actually said it… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/116 "2011-01-20T16:11:06Z")
How about if Keith Ellison. Muslim Congressman from Minnesota, had said, “if you are not a Muslim, you are not my brother.” It represented the classic kind of passive-aggressive, smug superiority that is so common and off-putting among certain kinds of Christians. That whole, disingenuous, “I’m not better, just saved,” kind of back-handed sanctimony. It’s obnoxious in anyone, and totally inappropriate for a Governor of a state to say. He basically said that he does not regard all of his constituents as his equals. If Obama said anything _close_ to that, it would cause a media storm that would make the Jeremiah Wright flap look like nothing. O’Reilly and Hannity would lead with it every day for a month. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/117 "2011-01-20T16:42:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Do you just not realize how far away the first paragraph and the second are? And how far either of them is to what the guy said? > > The stuff you are angry about is your own interpretation of what the guy said, not what he actually said. I’d be upset, too, if the guy said something about only serving his brothers in Christ. But he didn’t say that: you inferred it. You bought the intent of those who gave the out-of-context quote hook, line, and sinker. > > You know what: I believe you aren’t my brother in Christ. You aren’t a Christian, therefore you’re not my brother. You are my neighbor, my fellow man, and I believe are loved by God, just as much as anyone else. And I am obligated not to treat you any differently than anyone else. But you just don’t get the brother classification. It’s no more offensive than a black person telling me that I’m not his brother. You are putting words into his mouth. That would have changed the meaning and impact of what he said. He didn’t say “brother in Christ”, he stated who was and was not his brother and sister. And I do not believe for one minute that if it had been said by a Muslim, Jew, Atheist, or Catholic it wouldn’t have created a shitstorm. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/118 "2011-01-20T16:49:58Z")
We ain’t his brothers? That’s heavy. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/119 "2011-01-20T16:50:25Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Well, that’s just too fucking bad. He’s the Governor, and everything he says in public - and an open church service is public - is a valid target of scrutiny. It’s is no secret that he is an Evangelical Christian. It is no secret that Evangelical Christians, as an element of their faith, believe that it is their job to convert everyone who is not an Evangelical Christian. He was simply stating his faith in a religious ceremony in his own church. It seems like you folks are all knicker twisted not for what he _believes_, but that he has the audacity to _assert his beliefs_, said beliefs being _no secret_ to any fucking person who has a fucking clue what the fucking Governor is all about. Why all this outrage now? Would you rather he lie about it? > [@](#): > > Nothing, just like the OP. The OP suggested that the South had all the crazy politicians, and that the North should have just let us go. I was merely pointing out that the North is well supplied with loony politicos as well. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227/120 "2011-01-20T17:24:51Z")
Are we sure he’s not upset about a lack of inbreeding? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alabama-gov-says-non-christians-not-his-brothers/568227.md?page=7)