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February 20, 2012 in Nation/World
Santorum clarifies comments on Obama
WASHINGTON – Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum denied Sunday that he has questioned President Barack Obama’s Christian faith, but said the president holds an environmental belief “that elevates the Earth above man.”
Santorum was quoted Saturday as telling an audience in Ohio that although he accepts the president’s Christianity, he believes Obama adheres to “some phony theology. Not a theology based on the Bible. A different theology.”
Asked about that statement Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Santorum framed the issue as a disagreement over global warming and how “radical environmentalists” care for the Earth.
“I accept the fact that the president’s a Christian,” he said. “I just said that when you have a worldview that elevates the Earth above man, and says that, you know, we can’t take those resources because we’re going to harm the Earth by things that frankly are just not scientifically proven, like for example that politicization of the whole global warming debate, this is just all an attempt to centralize power, to give more power to the government.”
He added: “I’m talking about the belief that man should be in charge of the Earth and should have dominion over it and should be good stewards of it.”
An Obama campaign adviser told ABC’s “This Week” that the Republican candidate went “well over the line” in his comments about the president’s theology. Robert Gibbs, a former White House spokesman, said it was time “to get rid of this mindset in our politics that, if we disagree, we have to question character and faith.”
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Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on February 20 at 12:48 a.m.
Whew. For a minute there, I \was worried that Santorum’s explanation would make his earlier remark seem less silly.
Diana on February 20 at 3:09 a.m.
Keep it up, RIck. You’ll have the bagger vote sewn up before you know it.
Santorum(R) for Ayatollah 2012.
JanB on February 20 at 6:23 a.m.
Leave it to Rick to trot out 19th century theology.
Jeffrey_Grey on February 20 at 6:36 a.m.
JanB,
“19th Century”? Try again.
The Catholic Church put Galileo on trial for the heresy of putting science ahead of faith back in 1633. That would therefore align Sen. Santorum with some of the great minds of the 17th Century.
rosehips on February 20 at 7:07 a.m.
Yeah, Obama is an environmentalist. And I’m the Queen of England.
C’mon, Rick. Make it believable, at least. geez.
JBlim on February 20 at 7:19 a.m.
Yeah, I always suspected Obama was one of those “Earth above man” types. I say man above dog! That’s good enough for us common folk.
richardch on February 20 at 7:43 a.m.
Obama is a secular fundamentalist.
theone31 on February 20 at 7:52 a.m.
Mr. Santorum wants to be our POTUS? Yet every time he talks to us, all he can talk about is Religion, never about jobs or our economy, the things we really need help fixing. I can’t help but feel he has nothing constructive or of value to say about these issues. This is why all he talks about is Religion. And mostly challenges the faith of others, claiming that his is stronger, better, than anybody Else’s is. How can someone who only seems to know about religion, bring us any relief or solutions for our troubles?
stitch on February 20 at 9:24 a.m.
You theone31..Amen..
“I’m talking about the belief that man should be in charge of the earth and have dominion over it”, excluding of course “radical environmentalists” and those who are politically involved in the global warming debate..The global warming debate, “This is just an attempt to centralize power, to give more power to the government” Look at it in simplistic terms Rick, NO EARTH, NO MAN.. And what the hell does this have to do with Obama being a Christian.. I won’t resort to name calling, but I find you very disturbing sir…
detroitdude on February 20 at 10:19 a.m.
I happen to like the fact that Obama doesn’t come out every day and beat me over the head with the Bible and what he interprets it to mean.
All this Santorum guy has is his Bible and creepy obsession with gay sex.
Seagraf on February 20 at 10:22 a.m.
The more Rick talks, the more I understand why PA voters threw him out by huge numbers.
He can spin it all he wants, but he would be a dangerous President, unless you think a theocracy run by some sort of Christian taliban would be good for the country.
mtharves on February 20 at 11:25 a.m.
Jeff,
Let’s go back to 1480 and the Spanish Inquisition while we’re dating Santorum’s belief system. He’d fit right into that mindset.
Seagraf,
I totally agree.
Diana on February 20 at 11:38 a.m.
Santorum on contraception: “It’s not OK because it’s a license to do things in the sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”
And this guy thinks he can be the leader of the free world.
stitch on February 20 at 12:33 p.m.
Another infamous quote.. “The question is-and this is what Barack Obama didn’t want to answer-is that human life a person under the Constitution? and Barack Obama says no. Well if that person-human life is not a person, then I find it remarkable for a black man to say, were not going to decide who are people and who are not people”..
Take off the blinders Rick, contraception/right to choose is not a black or white issue.. A President waana-be has to be able to step out of their narrow minded perception of the perfect world, and expand their ability to relate to the 75%.. Your not even close..
Please, somebody stand up and make a case for this guy…
SMARTGUY on February 20 at 12:42 p.m.
So if man has dominion over the earth, there is no such thing as pollution, Feel free to dump whatever you want, where ever you want, fill the rivers with sewage, God won’t mind.
detroitdude on February 20 at 12:44 p.m.
“Santorum on contraception: “It’s not OK because it’s a license to do things in the sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”
Sorry, Mr. Frothy, I have no desire for you to make my sex life as dull and boring as yours might be.
“Please, somebody stand up and make a case for this guy…”
They can’t, even the most ardent sufferers of Obama Derangement Syndrome can’t come to this man’s defense. What I find disheartening is that our candidates on all sides are so lackluster that Mr. Frothy even gets a forum to spew his nonsense. Is it 2012, or are we on our way back to 1220??
jane on February 20 at 5:41 p.m.
Wow, finally some consensus on these forums, no one likes the anti-christ Santaliban candidate. Amen.
JBlim on February 20 at 6:19 p.m.
He seems like a nice fellow. Let’s not be too hard on him until after he’s nominated.
greenlibertarian on February 20 at 10:59 p.m.
There’s nothing anti-religion with the concept of caring for Nature’s God the Creator’s creation.
Care of Creation is about
pursuing a God-centered response
to the environmental crisis.
We think that the people
who believe God made the world,
should be passionate about
taking care of it.
http://www.careofcreation.net/
JanB on February 21 at 5:31 a.m.
@ Jeff
You are correct - in my pre-caffeine haze I was just thinking in terms of the role of religion in US history.
I actually spent a year at a British university studying the Enlightenment so am not unfamiliar with the
Church’s long history of suppressing rational thought!
Cheers!
slamdunk on February 21 at 2:01 p.m.
His next remarks shatter all records of stupidity…comparing Obama’s policies to Hitler….this man is completely on the moon. However, he does wear a nice sweater-vest….that and his crooked grin should endear him to the Idahole crowd.
reservedparking on February 21 at 3:50 p.m.
On the moon? He moving there with Newt?