Spare us the Sunday School lesson, Lindsey!

Quoting Scripture is a time honored tradition among politicians of all persuasions. In most instances, it is a benign exercise, peppering an otherwise innocuous rhetorical flourish with a little divine flavor. Lately, however, the "ardent, practicing Catholic" Nancy Pelosi has carried shameless political piety to a new level, claiming Jesus, "the Word made flesh" as her example of values in pursuing public policies, while supporting public policies which further the killing of unborn children. But she is no longer alone in calling upon Jesus to defend the indefensible (as opposed to the defenseless). Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina, sorry to say), in his speech supporting the nomination of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, was not content to rest his decision solely on his understanding of what "the Framers [of the Constitution] envisioned for someone to serve on the Court" (which would have been a sufficient rationale). He also found it necessary to invoke an even more ancient source.

“But at the end of the day, those of us in the Senate have to understand that every branch of government includes human beings and there is a rule that stood the test of time,” said Sen. Graham in an August 3 Senate floor speech. “I didn't make this one up. It was somebody far wiser than I am, somebody far more gifted than I ever hope to be, somebody I put a lot of trust in.

“It is called the Golden Rule,” said Graham. “‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ That is probably one of the most powerful statements ever made. It is divine in its orientation, and it is probably something that would serve us all well if we thought about it at moments such as this. "

"Human beings," Senator Graham, include countless unborn children who, because of people like Elena Kagan being placed in positions of authority, never had a chance to enjoy the blessings of life and liberty. Spare us the Sunday School lesson, Lindsey, and read the rest of Jesus' words in that particular passage of Scripture (Matthew 7.12-14). It might cause you to think again about the fateful decision you have just made.

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."