Rep. Todd Akin (AP Photo via DayLife)
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Faith leaders are responding to controversial comments made on a radio show last Friday afternoon by St. Louis Republican Rep. Todd Akin.
Speaking with Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins, Akin, a candidate for U.S. Senate, was asked about NBC Sports’ cutting the words “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance during coverage of the U.S. Open earlier this month.
“I think NBC has a long record of being very liberal and at the heart of liberalism, really, is a hatred for God and a belief that government should replace God,” Akin said. “So, they’ve had a long history of not being at all favorable toward many of things that have been such a blessing to our country.”
Faith groups and Democratic activists from across Missouri reacted to the comments over the weekend.
Faith Aloud, a counseling and advocacy group for reproductive health and rights, launched an online petition calling on Akin to apologize, and called the comment “an outrageous insult to all who follow their faith toward policies of compassion and justice, and is not befitting a member of Congress.”
Rev. Krista Taves of the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Chapel, said Akin must “know very little about liberals,” and suggested conservative policies hurt vulnerable individuals.
Vicky Trippe, a retired teacher and ProVote Activist from southwest Missouri, has heard this from political opponents before. In 2005, she launched a bumper and coined the phrase, “Because of my faith, I vote for Democrats.”
“It’s because of my faith in God that I’m a Liberal Democrat. And it’s through government programs like Medicaid, Social Security and Medicare, that we can most effectively take care of those in need,” Trippe said. “It’s through God’s teachings, and our love for God, that we see these programs as a tool of God, not hatred and certainly not as a replacement.”
email: eli [at] politicmo.com | phone: 417.597.3873 | twitter: @eyokley 
Akin is an idiot, that’s all.
While I dislike calling myself a “liberal” I’ve been voting for liberals for much of recent history because conservatives seem to be saying a lot of things just as inane as Akin’s comment. As a disclaimer, I’m also an atheist, but I have no hatred for Jehovah because I consider Jehovah to be as fictional as Zeus, Ganesha, and Thor. One doesn’t waste time hating mythological entities when it’s a lot more effective to show disdain for people that attempt to convert secular government into a theocracy.
I hate any so-called god that would create and nurture Todd Akin, but that doesn’t make me a liberal atheist.
WOW !! That’s all I can say about the crazy rantings of these Liberals parading around in Christian clothes to suggest that Christianity means taking from others to care for the lowest among us.
Did they actually ever crack open a Bible?
I think not because if they had then they would know that Christianity means individual faith and works and does not mean Collectivist craziness dreamed up by humanists trying to cloak themselves in Christianity by selectively spouting only a specific verse from the Bible.
Right on Vicky or rather Left on!
Thank you Rep. Akin for standing up for God, you are so right on! God made us and everything in our bodies, that especially includes our reproductive organs. You spoke the truth and don’t owe any one or any organization an apology! God’s word encourages us to be bold for Him, why would any so called Christian, including Obama, want to take God and Jesus out of prayer or our Pledge of Allegiance?!!! Those that would/have done so follow their own made up God and faith but NOT the God and Jesus of the King James Bible. How many thousands of babies have been murdered in the womb as a means of birth control because of promiscuity?!! Liberals show their true fruits by what they stand for and what they vote for and I certainly don’t see God of the Bible in their choices! Thank you, Virginia Stephenson, Rialto, CA
what is really happening in America.Believers let us rise and do the right thing and let us show the power of God
It takes guts these days to even stand up for God. It’s nice to hear someone with guts. Although I know that many churches and religions have done more hurt than good from over zealous tactics, exclusivism, and misunderstanding of what sin really is, still anyone standing up for a love of God is taking a big chance these days. God bless him.
For the liberals who are offended, I can understand, but I think he is meaning more the media and politicians who would like to get rid of God out of schools, out of whatever they can. Then we can be just like the Soviet communists and call each other comrade and live in complete tyranny. If you never have been to a hardline communist country, well you would understand. You won’t be able to go to the next town without a police permit. You don’t think it can happen here. Ha, you are only a few steps away.