Romney challenges Perry to reject Reverend Jeffress; Perry says no

In a clash that smacks of religious bigotry, that could cost Mitt Romney the election, Romney today called on Rick Perry to reject Reverend Jeffries for saying Romney's religion was un-Christian, and a cult.   Perry refused to do it.  The AP reports:

"I would call upon Gov. Perry to repudiate the sentiment and the remarks made by that pastor," Romney said at a news conference in Lebanon, N.H., hours before a GOP presidential debate.

Perry, through a spokesman, refused to disavow the pastor, Robert Jeffress, who heads a 10,000-strong Baptist congregation in Dallas.

Romney's challenge on a highly charged, emotional issue raises the specter of religious bigotry and brings into sharper focus the difficulty Romney faces in appealing to evangelical Christians, a bed rock of Republican support.

Religious bigotry in the form of Reverend Jeffress is taking the day, and encouraging Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain to also refuse to say that Mitt Romney is a Christian.   Michele Bachmann says the beauty of this country is that we're tolerant of all faiths–except for Mitt Romney's, of course.

Dakota O'Leary

Dakota O'Leary is a freethinker, and often sassy, scholar of theology and literature. She got her Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Theology from the State University of New York College at Buffalo, and her Master of Arts degree in Theology and Literature from Antioch University-Midwest. She is a contributing writer focusing on eschatology, biblical prophecy, and general religious news. Dakota is a co-host of the God Discussion radio show, offering insight to the news stories of the week. We like to call her "our in-house Biblical prophecy expert" as her articles on eschatology have received over 200,000 views on God Discussion.

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