THE QUESTION

McCain, Parsley and Islam

John McCain's spiritual guide, televangelist Rod Parsley, calls Islam a "false religion" that should be "destroyed." Should McCain renounce Parsley? Will Islam be an issue in this year's U.S. presidential election?

Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham on April 6, 2008 4:58 PM
FROM THE PANEL

Pop Quiz: Who Would You Renounce?

Sally Quinn | You be the judge on whether the ministers who made these "offensive remarks" should be renounced.

Posted by Sally Quinn, on April 8, 2008 8:32 AM

Islam as a Political Football

What worries me is that the very flap over Obama’s former pastor miseducates the public as to both the place of preaching in congregational leadership and the relationship between pastor and parishioner.

Posted by Willis E. Elliott, on April 8, 2008 7:40 AM

McCain, Parsley, Islamophobia and Politics

With increasing numbers of Muslims living in Western countries, Islam is no longer something that happens "over there" but a phenomenon that these preachers must cope with in their own backyards.

Posted by Pamela K. Taylor, on April 8, 2008 6:31 AM

McCain, Parsley, Hagee, and Apocalyptic Foreign Policy

He should not only reject their extremist beliefs he should reject their endorsements. No candidate should seek, celebrate, or even accept endorsements from religious leaders.

Posted by Welton Gaddy, on April 8, 2008 5:38 AM

Candidates Victims of 'Gotcha'

Denouncing, renouncing, and distancing have become such common activities that they lose their effect.

Posted by Martin Marty, on April 7, 2008 4:38 PM

McCain's Hate Problem

John McCain should immediately renounce Rod Parsley not only for his astounding hate mongering against Islam, but also for his extreme views on a range of issues including his denunciation of separation of church and state.

Posted by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, on April 7, 2008 9:43 AM

Just Another Deflection

The real question is to us regular Americans. What do we do when our religious leaders preach hate and divisiveness?

Posted by Irwin Kula, on April 7, 2008 8:05 AM

Violence Against Innocents Should Be Renounced

There's nothing particularly shocking about calling Islam a false religion. If I were a devout Muslim, I would believe that a Christian who believed in the substitionary atoning death of Christ on the cross and the resurrection, as I do, believed in a false religion.

Posted by Charles "Chuck" Colson, on April 7, 2008 4:00 AM

Parsley's Mindset Not All That Needs to Change

The persistent and pervasive perception on the Muslim street is that America has its sights set on the Islam – and people like Parsley only reinforce this fear. Renouncing Parsley is important, but a more fundamental shift must follow if the new American president is to be taken seriously.

Posted by Feisal Abdul Rauf, on April 4, 2008 1:30 PM

More Faith-Based Tomfoolery: McCain And His Anti-Muslim Spiritual Guide

The true mystery is why the majority of Americans, having had a recent look at the goofy views of many clerics--yes, "spiritual advisers" to candidates for the highest office in the land--still regard faith as an essential qualification for the presidency.

Posted by Susan Jacoby, on April 1, 2008 3:27 PM

Parsley's Opinion No Threat to Islam

Numerous Islamic leaders advocate killing Jews and Christians. They state their intention to wipe out those faiths. They claim they have a mandate from Allah to do this. And we're worried when one American preacher says Islam must be wiped out?

Posted by Cal Thomas, on April 1, 2008 2:50 PM

McCain's Islamic Problem Isn't a Preacher Problem

McCain does have an Islamic problem, because Rev. Parsley's view that Islam is a false religion is a view that millions of Americans agree with.

Posted by Deepak Chopra, on April 1, 2008 1:59 PM

Parsley's View Dangerous, Divisive

Pastor Parsley unfortunately demonstrates a level of ignorance that is both dangerous and divisive in understanding the faithful and historic connection between the three great Abrahamic, monotheistic religions of the world, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Posted by John Bryson Chane, on April 1, 2008 12:07 PM

Time to Renounce the Renouncing

We should collectively denounce and renounce denouncing and renouncing.

Posted by Brian D. McLaren, on April 1, 2008 1:56 AM

FEATURED COMMENTS

JoeT: I have marvelled at the pundits who attack Obama for spending so many years in the pew and defend McCain for his associations with religious...

lepidopteryx: I think any time a religious leader makes the comment that another religion needs to be eradicated, that person has crossed a major line. It...

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