I know this is not allowed, but I am absolutely DISGUSTED

[Ferrets are Cool]

with NYC Mayor Eric Adams (D). JFC, leave your fucking christian viewpoints at home and don't tell me you can't govern without bring your damn GOD into the equation.

“Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state. State is the body, church is the heart. You take the heart out of the body, the body dies,” Adams said at the main branch of the New York Public Library, where religious leaders from around the city were seated.

“I can’t separate my belief because I’m an elected official. When I walk, I walk with God. When I talk, I talk with God. When I put policies in place, I put them in with a God-like approach to them — that’s who I am,” he said.

“I ... will always be a child of God, and I won’t apologize about being a child of God,” he added.

[Scrivener7]

1. I totally agree. What's with this guy?

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. I'll allow it!

Not that I'm in charge, but ... yeah. This was atrocious.

If you're getting spanked for saying so, I'll go down with your proverbial ship, FAC.

[Ferrets are Cool]

7. Morning Hugh!!

[Hugh_Lebowski]

8. Morning mate!

[BlackSkimmer]

131. Right beside ya!

[50 Shades Of Blue]

3. K & R!

[Delphinus]

4. It disgusts

me as well.

[NewHendoLib]

5. Count me in with your disgust

[Bettie]

6. It bothers me when the desire for a theocracy

comes from both sides.

Have your religion, believe in it, use it in your life, but in the end, it isn't everyone's belief, so it doesn't belong in government.

[Caliman73]

79. This is exactly true.

No one is saying that he can't be a "child of god", just don't impose your beliefs or "having to believe" on anyone. I was a believer and now I am not. My morals, ethics, and behavior have not changed (except I don't go to church anymore). I am not out killing, stealing, hurting others, etc... not because "god will punish me" but because I do not want to create a world where that is acceptable. Do I have the impulse to hurt people? Yes. I am human. I get angry, especially when someone else is being hurtful. However, I refrain from hurting others because it doesn't resolve the problem and just causes more pain.

You can have morality and law without religion and the Constitution actually demands it.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

98. well said

[BOSSHOG]

103. I may have a backwards attempt at a solution

I think it’s fair to say that organized theocrats will not stop in their attempts to get their way in the land of the free. Okay. Let’s do away with the separation of church and state. Then turn loose the assessors. A tax bill may give them pause. Imagine the property tax bill nationwide the Catholic Church would get. A recovering Catholic can think whimsically. Can’t he?

[BeyondGeography]

9. He only takes money from godly donors too

https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2022/07/17/real-estate-executives-adams-reelection-account-00046269

[Kaleva]

10. Doesn't matter to me. NYC voters will decide.

[femmedem]

69. Our democracy isn't absolute. We have safeguards to protect the minority from the majority.

Separation of church and state is one of those safeguards. I am an atheist and as a child I would have wanted to be protected from pressure to pray in school, regardless of what the majority votes for.

Edited to add: it wasn't in the OP, but his full remarks included, "When we took prayer out of schools, guns came into schools."
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/new-york-playbook-pm/2023/02/28/eric-adams-when-we-took-prayers-out-of-schools-guns-came-into-schools-00084832

[True Blue American]

73. I am with all of you, so I guess

We are all bad. Absolute separation of Church and State!

[Kaleva]

80. Are you a NYC resident?

https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/faithquotes.htm#:~:text=The%20will%20of%20God%20prevails,thing%20at%20the%20same%20time.


Lincoln turned out to be an okay president

[femmedem]

84. No, I'm not. But I object to any politician eroding the separation between church and state.

If it can become the norm in NYC, it can become the norm anywhere in the U.S.

To be clear, I don't object to politicians citing their faith as motivation for their own actions. I don't object to politicians talking about their own faith. But I do object when they move from citing their own faith to wanting to impose their own faith--or faith in general--on the public as a matter of policy. I see his suggestion that there should be prayer in public schools and his objection to the separation between church and state as threateningly unAmerican.

[BOSSHOG]

108. Let's not erode the separation of church and state

Let’s do away with it. Theocrats love the separation. They are experts at playing the victim. The want their prayer in public schools. The want to codify their religious beliefs like banning abortion. They want tax money supporting their schools. They adore their tax exempt status. Do away with the separation, turn loose the assessors and we might see what real freedom looks like. Or maybe, probably we’ll see what theocrats prioritize. I’m betting on the latter. I’m crazy you say. Theocrats violate and ignore the separation at every opportunity. So why have it? Or give them a damn good reason for wanting it upheld, by god.

[keithbvadu2]

115. What will they say/do when it is not their version of Christianity in charge?

What will they say/do when it is not their version of Christianity in charge?


http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/americas-true-history-of-religious-tolerance-61312684/?no-ist= ;

Madison also made a point that any believer of any religion should understand: that the government sanction of a religion was, in essence, a threat to religion. "Who does not see," he wrote, "that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other Religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other Sects?" Madison was writing from his memory of Baptist ministers being arrested in his native Virginia.

[Kaleva]

130. Personally, it doesn't bother me

It hasn't happened so I'm not going to spend time worrying about a non-event.

[Walleye]

11. All of these Christian nationalist should be asked a question when they run for office

Which is supreme, US constitution or the Bible? I’d like to see them answer it. It’s so stupid, theocracies never thrive.

[BOSSHOG]

106. I appreciate the idea

But they would all lie. Replacing the constitution with their holy book is the end game. If they have to sin to make that happen, then so be it, for them.

[Prairie_Seagull]

12. Did he run on this platform? Or did he leave this huge plank out?

I don't know the laws of NYC but this is recall territory in my west coastal state opinion.

[MrsCoffee]

14. He said god told him to run.

Or god told him he would win or some baloney.

So there's that.

[former9thward]

105. Recalls are not allowed in New York.

[Prairie_Seagull]

110. Thanks for the heads up.

[LakeArenal]

13. Then be a priest not a politician.

Walk out with god.

[calimary]

56. THIS! SOOOOOO much This!!!

Last I checked, we were NOT a theocracy.

[Emile]

15. If he can't separate the two he needs to resign.

[ItsjustMe]

16. All thinking men are Atheists." - Ernest Hemingway

“I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.” – Richard Dawkins

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect, has intended us to forgo their use.” – Galileo Galilei

“You don’t need religion to have morals. If you can’t determine right from wrong then you lack empathy, not religion.” – Kane

“I don’t want to believe. I want to know.” – Carl Sagan

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.” – Christopher Hitchens

“Belief is the death of intelligence.” – Robert Anton Wilson

“God is an ever-receding pocket of scientific ignorance.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson

[ShazzieB]

95. One of these things is not like the others. 😉

Last edited Thu Mar 2, 2023, 01:08 AM - Edit history (1)

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect, has intended us to forgo their use.” – Galileo Galilei

Galileo isn't arguing in favor of atheism, unlike a lot of the others. He's saying that we're not required to choose between believing in the existence of a supreme being and making full use of our "sense, reason, and intellect." That's the page I happen to be on myself.

I don't have a problem with atheism in theory, but whenever someone says (or implies) that atheism is a requirement for making full use of one's intellectual capacities, it gets my back up just a tad bit. I don't agree with that, any more than I agree with those who say I'm going to burn in hell if I don't do religion a certain way.

There's one other quote here that I agree with wholeheartedly:

“You don’t need religion to have morals. If you can’t determine right from wrong then you lack empathy, not religion.” – Kane

I could not agree more. Furthermore, to paraphrase Rachel Maddow, looking at what someone does will tell you a lot more about that person than listening to what they say.

[summer_in_TX]

104. Well said, Shazzie!

[soldierant]

109. Both well said and insightful.

A whole lot of soi-disant chriatians would do well to listen to Galileo at least.

[stopdiggin]

117. who-heartedly endorsing everything here

and still find Adam's statement to be - intentionally inflammatory populism? And offensive in utterly rejecting any church/state barrier. If he (legitimately) doesn't know better .. He should.

[qazplm135]

123. so does this apply to Obama?

Is he not a thinking man?

[PCIntern]

17. This morning on the Keith Olbermann podcast

He was exhorting the powers that be to “help us”.

[lapfog_1]

23. the mayor made "worst person in the world"

and the "help us" was sarcasm or hyperbole...

[PCIntern]

38. Of course...

[lark]

18. Sad that NY elected him.

They could have done so much better.

[Hotler]

19. The (D) must be for dominionists. nt

[Farmer-Rick]

20. If religion is the heart, they have a dark and putrid one.

Let's look at all the wonders religion has brought to mankind and supports. Witch burning, the inquisition, genocide (like in the old testament), the KKK (yup they are proud Christians), support of slavery, polygamy, child brides, child abuse, forced birth, hate.....lots and lots of hate. Hate of Jews, of LBGT+ folks, hate of black people, hate of the poor, hate of women, hate of different religions, hate hate hate.

What a dark and putrid heart religion has.

I will never be a child of any imaginary god and I won't apologize.

Yeah, this guy is scum.

[SledDriver]

21. Religion has actually convinced people

[SalamanderSleeps]

22. Why couldn't he just thank his family, friends, and supporters?

Does he not know how arrogant he is when he assumes that he knows all of the corners of the universe and has a special friend that speaks to him to make sure he gets things right?

New York is for everyone that lives there, not just people who lead because their "in good" with an imaginary construct.

[wnylib]

24. He's out of line, of course.

But I have to wonder why he is being so open and
in-your-face about this.

Does he believe that it will play well with enough NYC voters to win another election? Doesn't seem to me that it would work in a large cosmopolitan city.

[Dorian Gray]

90. I am not an eric adams fan

for many reasons. BUT...
in this case he was speaking to a roomful of religious folks.

I also don't have a problem with him speaking about his religion. He doesn't make laws in nyc. We have legislators who do that. He's not imposing his religion on anybody.

Now if you're going to criticize him, do so for him being all talk and no action. Dude likes the limelight a lot. Says a lot of things. Doesn't actually get stuff done.

(I am a NYer. I voted for him over the republican candidate. But on the primary, he was NOT in my top five, and I'm feeling pretty vindicated right now.)

[wnylib]

92. As long as he is not imposing his religion on anyone,

he is free to talk about his own beliefs.

But making statements about not separating religion and government is contrary to the first amendment.

[Dorian Gray]

93. I'm going to speak pretty bluntly

Eric Adams speaks out of his ass most of the time.

I just roll my eyes and move on.

[Freethinker65]

25. Personally walking and breathing without belief in God for decades.

Adams can believe a unicorn lives in his heart and the moon is made of cheese, it is how he manages the city he was elected to be mayor of that matters.

[brooklynite]

26. Why do you say this is "not allowed"

Too many people assume any critique of a Democrat is "bashing". There's no rule I'm aware of that legitimate criticism isn't acceptable.

Do not post disrespectful nicknames, insults, or highly inflammatory attacks against any Democratic public figures. Do not post anything that could be construed as bashing, trashing, undermining, or depressing turnout for any Democratic general election candidate, and do not compare any Democratic general election candidate unfavorably to their general election opponent(s).

[markodochartaigh]

70. I think that the person who posted this has reason

to be cautious. This is the comment that got me kicked off Daily Kos:
"I think that faith clearly does have something to do with gun violence. It is a positive correlation. And having grown up around evilgelicals I'm not surprised. I remember hearing "Kill them all, let god sort them out." used in the context of many wars and US military interventions. I heard more than one Christian say that they hoped that they would die soon because heaven would be so much better. I remember reading that support for the death penalty even if some innocent people would be killed was around 70%; and then finding out that indeed most of the Christians that I asked were indeed for the death penalty even if innocent people were put to death."

I'm only posting it here so that others can learn from my experience.

[GGoss]

27. He's Also Not Following Christ's Teachings...

Jesus taught, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men … but when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen.”

[msfiddlestix]

28. I'm so totally with you. I'm glad I didn't have to hear it, my BP would be through the roof

I can't afford to monetarily support Freedom From Religion foundation , but I support their mission and their work.

[Roc2020]

29. Hey I'm all for talking yelling

and even screaming about God. But you know might actually do some good in people's lives....Walk and Live Godly works. Anyone can talk mayor.

[sarisataka]

30. Strange, I don't recall similar venom

In response to other speeches were a person spoke about their faith

Biden's faith comes through in speech, quoting Catholic hymn and Bible verse

In closing his victory speech Saturday night, President-elect Joe Biden, the nation's second Catholic president after John F. Kennedy, recalled the Catholic hymn "On Eagle's Wings," a song he said was important to his family and his deceased son Beau, who died of brain cancer in 2015.

"It captures the faith that sustains me, which I believe sustains America. And I hope and I hope I can provide some comfort and solace," he told the crowd before reciting the hymn. "And he will raise you up on eagle's wings, bear you on the breath of dawn. Make you to shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of his hand."

Biden ended with this: "And now, together — on eagle’s wings — we embark on the work that God and history have called upon us to do."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/07/joe-bidens-faith-comes-through-speech-quoting-hymn-bible-verse/6210854002/

In fact I can't recall a single post of criticism...

[Gore1FL]

35. Well, here is one for you:

I think it is disgusting when politicians leverage religion for any purpose during a political speech.

[sarisataka]

37. Did you make that comment

When Biden made his speech? Or in response to any of his (many) other references to God and his faith in Presidential speeches?

[Gore1FL]

40. Any time religion comes out of his mouth it applies.

I don't care if it is genuine belief or if it's playing to the audience. Religion has no place in U.S. politics.

[ramen]

42. I'm not seeing the comparison between Biden's and Adams' ccomments.

Biden said his faith informs his work for the country. Adams said that church and state are inseparable, which is not how I like to hear our side speak of religion.

Granted, his audience was faith leadership, but I don't want any politicians of any party to further blur church and state lines in this environment.

[treestar]

51. it seemed to me when reading that sentence

it was just for him they were inseparable. He walks with God, and I suppose the voters knew who he was on that score, and they voted him in. Really religious people can't stop talking about God and that would include if they go into politics.

Doesn't mean he has any way to force religion on anyone. He is "witnessing" and maybe wants you to discover Jesus and be saved, but he's in the US, so he can only try - no law can be passed that can force it.

[sarisataka]

55. The last quote

"And now, together — on eagle’s wings — we embark on the work that God and history have called upon us to do."

Is tying governing and religion fairly closely.

But I don't remember anyone posting how they were disgusted, that Biden should keep the bullshit to himself or having a dark and putrid heart.

[ramen]

76. Those are not things that I'm saying of either politician, to be clear.

My read on that last sentence you quoted falls under "faith informs my work" and is fundamentally different from what Adams said. I just want a politician's personal religion as far away from our laws and governmental actions as possible. If their beliefs inspire good governance then that's a win-win.

[Iris]

88. He also implied he was taking action on behalf of God

[bluesbassman]

62. Put it in context with the rest of Adams' speech.

Adams spoke of a direct correlation between removing prayer from schools and school shootings. Forget about how absurdly stupid that theory is and focus on the fact that he was advocating for the abolition of the separation of church and state. That’s why he’s being sprayed with venom. Biden said nothing even remotely comparable, and that’s why he didn’t suffer the same treatment.

[sarisataka]

67. Did he advocate

For changing public school curriculum to include religious education? If so, I will strongly oppose that.

If he is expressing a personal opinion, while referencing his beliefs, but not promoting imposing any beliefs on anyone then they are not dissimilar.

[bluesbassman]

82. Here's the bottom line for me...

I read the entire speech transcript, and it does contain multiple references to God’s intervention in Adams’ rise to Mayor. Adams speaks of his faith in terms of his service to the God who selected and facilitated his rise. He shows a complete disregard for the idea of a separation of Church and State. He spoke of his wish that everyone would follow his spiritual viewpoint. That is an Evangelical theocratic viewpoint and simply doesn’t belong in a secular government. Adams is dangerous for Democracy.

On the other hand, Biden spoke of his faith, which inspired and sustained HIM. He never said we should all be following the same path. He gets the separation idea and why it’s there.

[Celerity]

114. Great reply. nt

[Hugh_Lebowski]

140. +1 (nt)

[HUAJIAO]

75. WOW !I have never seen that before!

blechkk

[iemanja]

101. Did Biden say there should be no separation between Church and State?

No, he did not.

[SunSeeker]

119. Exactly. Biden respects the First Amendment. nt

[intheflow]

126. Yeah, Jimmy Carter is also vocal about his faith but

this post is the atheist equivalent to RW ravings against atheists.

[Glorfindel]

31. "Child of God" - where have we heard that before?

"Well I came across a child of God, he was walking along the road
and I asked him tell where are you going, this he told me:
Well, I’m going down to Yasgur's farm, going to join in a rock and roll band.
Got to get back to the land, set my soul free.
We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon,
and we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

Well, then can I walk beside you? I have come to lose the smog.
And I feel like I'm a cog in something turning.
And maybe it's the time of year, yes, and maybe it's the time of man.
And I don't know who I am but life is for learning.
We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon,
and we got to get ourselves back to the garden.

By the time we got to Woodstock, we were half a million strong,
and everywhere there was song and celebration.
And I dreamed I saw the bombers jet planes riding shotgun in the sky,
turning into butterflies above our nation.
We are stardust, we are golden, we caught in the devil’s bargain,
and we got to get ourselves back to the garden."

-Joni Mitchell

[treestar]

48. thank you

didn't know that lyric about billion year old carbon, though I've heard the song by two different artists at least 500 times. If not more.

[sarchasm]

54. 💙

[MiHale]

32. When god stands up for a live press briefing...

broadcast on all networks telling us that he/she (god) backs theses same policies and why then maybe I’ll be ok with it.

But what if god apologizes to us for you being a progeny of him/herself?

[twodogsbarking]

33. Keep your bullshit to yourself.

[edhopper]

34. He was elected with a large black voting block

He is losing popularity among other NY voters and hopes to shore up his vote with the black community. It's cynical as hell.

[treestar]

46. DU can forget

how very religious a good number of black people can be. It's a refuge from racism too most likely (yeah I know Jesus isn't white or black, but that's not the point, it is the spiritual point and the self boost it can give a lot of people).

[edhopper]

64. I wasn't criticizing black people for belonging to churches

Just how cynical and calculated this tactic by Adams is.

I don't think he believes the bullshit he said.

[SpamWyzer]

36. I, personally

do not take offense at people being "spiritually-minded", I also don't mind faith in all the many forms it exists. I do find it problematic to cite "God" in political speech and to be motivated in your public office by specific religious beliefs. The mayor is not required to leave his faith at the door, but he ought be more considerate of the fact that religion as politics doesn't produce democratic and civic progress when chained to antiquated dogma and subjective interpretations of divine interest in human affairs. Be a "child of God", but keep in mind that you serve a secular constituency.

[patphil]

39. Our founding fathers were right to separate church and state.

Even Jesus said to, "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's"; strong implication that earthly matters and heavenly matters are two separate issues.
Obviously leaders have to have a moral code, and that should guide them as they lead...love, compassion, empathy, inclusion of and respect for everyone, and all that.
But that's where it ends.
Religion is a private matter, and shouldn't be the driving force of government policy.
Once elected officials believe they are doing God's work, they feel they have divine right to do whatever they believe God is telling them to do. This can, and often does, lead to some of the most oppressive and brutal totalitarian governments.
Look at Iran, and, to a lesser extent, Israel. And now look at our own government.
God's will is almost never what the people who claim to follow it are doing. I mean, how would they know? To me, it certainly looks and feels like something else; something self-serving.

[bucolic_frolic]

41. Home of the melting pot

and he's proselytizing

[relayerbob]

43. So, you hate Rafael Warnock and Jimmy Carter, too?

I don't know the guy, and frankly, don't much care about him or NYC politics, but judge him by his actions, not by some statement in a speech.

[GusBob]

78. When Warnock went all in for God in his victory speech

because he was a minister or something, folks around here were perfectly fine with it. Like praise Jeebus!

But when Mike Huckabee done it, or this guy, Holy rolling shit on fire folks went cray. Ironic, hey?

Religion and politics brings out hypocrisy in many I reckon

[NowISeetheLight]

83. The Reality Is

I think people like Warnock are talking about how their religion affects their life... they don't want to put laws into effect based on it that we all have to live by. Huckabee on the other hand is like Rick Santorum. He wants a religious theocracy with America as a Christian Nation.

I have no problem with politicians being religious. Heck, I believe in God... I just don't believe what man SAYS about God... and what I believe sure shouldn't be put into law that everyone has to follow. Leave God out of lawmaking.

[SunSeeker]

122. Warnock never said he can't separate church and state. Never.

What people have a problem here with is Adams is basically saying that separation of church and state, the first clause of the First Amendment, is something he can't do:

“Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state. State is the body, church is the heart. You take the heart out of the body, the body dies,” Adams said at the main branch of the New York Public Library, where religious leaders from around the city were seated.

I can’t separate my belief because I’m an elected official. When I walk, I walk with God. When I talk, I talk with God. When I put policies in place, I put them in with a God-like approach to them — that’s who I am,” he said.

Warnock thanking God or praising God is very different than Adams saying, "Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state." In that quote, Adams sounds more like Herschel Walker than Raphael Warnock. As Garrison Hayes of Mother Jones noted in describing the Warnock v. Walker matchup:

During recent trips to Georgia to visit family and friends, it became clear that in addition to voting red or blue, voters will be choosing between two wildly different visions of Christianity itself, as embodied by these two dramatically contrasting candidates: One, whose religious lineage traces directly from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement; the other, who preaches the gospel of right-wing Christian nationalism, where the waters between church and state are muddy and the topics of conversation revolve around incendiary culture war politics. Mother Jones readers don’t need me to point out which is which.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/12/walker-warnock-georgia-run-off-senate-christianity-belief/

[uponit7771]

137. +1, people are purposefully ignoring this part

[Hugh_Lebowski]

139. Implying one doesn't believe in separation of church and state is taking it to another level

People can believe in God, be religious, whatever.

But don't say you don't believe in that separation ... as a Democrat.

[Stuart G]

44. Eric Adams just lost his next election..(If he doesn't resign first)

[treestar]

45. It's his opinion, and he has freedom of speech

You can't insist people not say certain things. You don't have to agree with him on everything. Especially if he has similar views on the issues. His religion does not matter and he can't force it into his decisions as a mayor. If he blabs about it, that's just something he can do, as you can go on about whatever you believe.

[spanone]

49. ...K&R...

[Evolve Dammit]

50. I agree.

[CrispyQ]

52. Nobody's asking anybody to apologize about being a child of God,

we just want you to shut up about it. Keep your fucking religion to yourselves & stop trying to force it on society.

[bdamomma]

89. You know

when I was growing up you would NOT bring up religion or politics, it was a private thing. Now it's in our faces.

[Stuart G]

53. He can say what he wants but, "NO MAKING SURE" as Mayor that "OTHERS, MUST Walk with God"

First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[fleabiscuit]

57. He is deluded. nt

[jcboon]

58. No state religion

There's a big difference between establishing a state religion and a politician expressing their faith.
The government must allow for the free exercise of all religions or lack thereof.
Many great political thinkers were people of faith:
Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Dorothy Day. Malcolm x,
Jimmy Carter, Reinhold Niebuhr, Walter Reuther.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Among the unbelievers we can count Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
I stand with Bonhoeffer any day.

[ecstatic]

59. In fairness, he was speaking to religious leaders

Adams said at the main branch of the New York Public Library, where religious leaders from around the city were seated.

My first question would be: Does he say that type of thing when speaking to general audiences?

The comment about separation of church and state was inappropriate, but the other part of what he said, in my opinion, is just common sense.

Even though a lot of elected officials may not admit it, their personal beliefs and their interpretation of how their beliefs should be executed in the real world (compassionately? harshly? not at all?) plays a role in their decision-making. It is part of who they are. Don't go by what they say they believe, go by what they do. That's when you get to see what someone really believes.

[brooklynite]

77. Why is that "fair"?

First, I might ask why the NYPL is holding an "interfaith breakfast". Second, its no more acceptable a statement for a public official, even if its what the audience wants to hear.

[ecstatic]

100. Fair enough.

Ideally, politicians should say the exact same thing to every audience.

At first glance, the interfaith breakfast seems like a platform for community leaders to come together to solve problems. Right or wrong, if you preside over a congregation of 500+ people, you're considered a leader. When it comes to people who "lead" hundreds or thousands of people, the only options are CEOs of large corporations, school principals/presidents, elected leaders, religious leaders and celebrities. It wouldn't surprise me if all of those categories of leaders have some sort of event every year.

[themaguffin]

60. It pissed me off to and a BIG red flag. jfc, why can't NY have a good gov & NYC mayor??

[Rebl2]

61. If you can't

separate your religious beliefs from the political office you are running for, please do not seek political office. Some people cannot separate how they think from their religious beliefs because it so much a part of their life and thinking. I suggest those people become ministers or seek some other job and don’t run for political office.

[maxsolomon]

63. He doesn't understand the concept of separation

His faith can inform his ethics and governance. But there are many faiths. There is not supposed to be an official faith whose beliefs dictate policy.

[FoxNewsSucks]

65. Couldn't agree more.

I'm sick of the attacks on church/state separation, and the forcing of a narrow brand of christofascism on all of us.

[hay rick]

66. The remarks quoted are ambiguous and do not constitute an attempt at an establishment of religion.

All the Democratic agnostics and atheists I know rush to embrace Judeo-Christian values whether they believe in the existence of God or not. The "no separation of church and state" is an awkward and pandering usage, but there is no mention of sect or scripture.

I do not share the outrage.

[PatSeg]

68. Oh for Pete's sake

Not every thought or idea that pops in one's head needs to be publicly expressed. I don't think Eric Adams is really cut out for politics.

Well, at least he is telling the voters who he is and what he really believes.

[Tree Lady]

71. We just need all christians to be like

Jimmy Carter and the world would be a good and fair place.

He never said anything like that, had no need to because he actually lived what he spoke about, wow imagine that if people actually lived the goods things they say they believe in!

[malthaussen]

72. Why so defensive, Mayor? Who's asking you to apologize?

That first quoted sentence, though, raises warning flags. Body and heart, forsooth? Such analogies are dangerous.

-- Mal

[Joinfortmill]

74. Separation of church and State... I'm done.

[muriel_volestrangler]

81. I think you're right to be disgusted - this is cult-level stuff

It is disgusting that a Democrat and his "adviser" are so anti-First Amendment:

Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a Christian chaplain and one of Adams's closest advisers, took the stage and declared, "We have an administration that doesn’t believe in [separation of church and state]. ... [The mayor] is definitely one of the chosen."
...
“Ingrid was so right,” Adams said, which apparently even shocked the religious leaders assembled for the breakfast at the New York Public Library. “Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state. State is the body. Church is the heart. You take the heart out of the body, the body dies.”
...
He continued on with the idea that God, like an all-powerful Leo McGarry, was responsible for his political rise. He claimed he implements his policies, such as cracking down on the homeless, with a "godlike approach."

“I strongly believe in all of my heart, God said, ‘I’m going to take the most broken person and I’m going to elevate him to the place of being the mayor of the most powerful city on the globe,’” Adams said, sounding perfectly sane and rational. “He could have made me the mayor of Topeka, Kan.”

https://www.wonkette.com/eric-adams-proves-that-our-prayers-for-a-normal-nyc-mayor-remain-unanswered

"One of the chosen"? That's Trump-level bullshit. And dissing Topeka, just to prove what an arrogant jerk he is.

[bdamomma]

85. makes

me to give a donation to

https://ffrf.org/ftod-cr/item/14736-ron-reagan

[Silent Type]

86. He was talking to religious leaders. Does Adams sound like this otherwise?

[Nictuku]

87. There is something about that guy I don't like

I've seen him on Morning Joe a couple of times. And I just didn't like him.

I wouldn't be surprised if he switched parties.

[Rhiannon12866]

91. It's also against the law.

[Ferrets are Cool]

94. Thank you ALL

Love me some DU.

[Stuart G]

96. I AM NOT DISGUSTED...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217691633

[republianmushroom]

99. like the posting

[Aviation91]

102. Church & State

I don't give a damn what Eric Adams says, the Founding Fathers meant for there to be a separation of church and state!
I don't like him anyway!

[SouthernDem4ever]

107. He should resign since he can't govern from an equal perspective

The same goes for all the RWNJ Whackadoodles in Congress that use the same tact.

[live love laugh]

111. Whose God Eric?

[Justice matters.]

113. Maybe the gawd who brings in big donations...

[DFW]

112. He puts policies in place with a «God-like approach?»

Either explain with specific evidence what a « God-like approach » is, and how you KNOW it’s God-like, or please resign. I have relatives, including a daughter and her family, living in NYC, and I don’t want them governed by some wannabe Ayatollah.

[stopdiggin]

116. certainly lost my vote. I don't put up with this kind of crap

no matter what party you spring from. Offensive. Profoundly ignorant. And anti-American.

[SunSeeker]

118. Sounds like he chose the wrong profession.

He should have been a preacher. Then he would not be violating the 1st Amendment.

[Warpy]

120. You talk like that, buddy, that aint god you're talking to

"Nuff said.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

121. "State is the body, church is the heart." ???

Since when? Your bar mitzvah?

[GreenWave]

124. How was the decision made which religion of several thousand?

Merely crawled out of womb and blindly accepted nearest one?
First and last name of deity still a mystery?

[intheflow]

125. Context is everything.

He was addressing clergy, of course he talked about his faith! 🙄 Jimmy Carter has said very similar things, now let’s see you post this same thing about him.

[muriel_volestrangler]

128. That's bollocks. Jimmy Carter is not arrogant. He doesn't claim God raised him to office

He doesn't put down other places (see Adams' remark about Topeka), he doesn't say the separation of church and state should end. And he doesn't bullshit about the end of prayer in schools causing the rise of guns in schools - which is not just offensive, it's mindnumbingly dumb too.

And "he was addressing clergy" is no excuse. If it's bullshit, it's bad, whomever he said it to. Adams should not be sucking up to clergy with anything he wouldn't dare say to the general public.

Why are you asking DUers to attack Carter? Do you love Adams so much?

[intheflow]

132. What the actual fuck?

Adams was talking to clergy. I believe his comments are taken completely out of context, and the OP couldn't even be bothered to post a link to the source. I invited an attack on Carter to underscore the hypocrisy and broad-brush assumptions against Christians. There are many Christians who live their faith out loud and with integrity, and they are also Democrats. See: Carter, MLK, Biden, Warnock. Your comments implying I'm some kind of troll are way out of line.

[muriel_volestrangler]

133. So are you saying you haven't actually heard or read all that Adams said?

Here's a link, already in this thread: https://www.wonkette.com/eric-adams-proves-that-our-prayers-for-a-normal-nyc-mayor-remain-unanswered

"What the actual fuck" is a good reaction to what Adams, and his adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin, said.

This is not about Adams "living his faith out loud and with integrity", it's about him attacking the First Amendment, unlike all the people you list. It's also about him being arrogant, and just not the kind of Christian that they are.

"Context" does not excuse this.

[intheflow]

135. All his responses were "I" statements.

He said he was faithful and that there’s no separation of church and state to him, as he practices his faith. He never suggested he would abuse/not serve New Yorkers who aren’t Christian. He was speaking “the language of faith” to clergy. They all understood the difference between personal belief and his remarks were not a referendum on making NYC a theocratic city.

As he recounted in Living Faith, he broke them into “three key questions” for God’s guidance, essentially: (1) “Are the goals I am pursuing appropriate?” (2) “Am I doing the right thing based on my personal moral code, my Christian faith, and the duties of my current position?” (3) “Have I done my best, based on the alternatives open to me?”
^^ Notice the “I” statements. IOW, you’re mad at Adams for saying out loud what Carter practiced in silence. I stand by my opinion that hating on Adams for statements taken out of context is the atheist version of the far right railing against atheists.

BTW, I am an atheist but I prefer not lumping all the Christians together. But thanks for the link.

[muriel_volestrangler]

136. No, he didn't say "to him" about church and state. He just stated it.

He is not "the state", so "State is the body. Church is the heart" is not about him. "When we took prayers out of schools, guns came into schools" is not an "I" statement. It's just stupid. And right-wing.

There's no "context" here that mitigates his crappiness. Other Democratic politicians manage to talk about their faith without this BS. He's saying what so many Republicans say.

[Warpy]

134. He was arrogant enough to sell poor women out on abortion

which is one reason he lost in 1980. I know a lot of women who voted for Anderson, instead.

Years of building housing for those poor people changed him profoundly and eventually he broke with the Southern Baptists over their rabid sexism. He'd seen the damage it did to abandoned women and children.

His presidency was remarkable for two things: the US was not involved in any military actions during it and he made the tough decisions about the runaway OPEC inflation that eventually stabilized the economy. However, he was arrogant and blinded by religion during his presidency.

I lived through those years. I can't conflate the remarkable man he became with the man he once was. I saw both.

[SunSeeker]

138. No other Democrat has said they can't separate church and state. None of them.

What people have a problem with here is Adams is basically saying that separation of church and state, the first clause of the First Amendment, is something he doesn't care about and can't do:

“Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state. State is the body, church is the heart. You take the heart out of the body, the body dies,” Adams said at the main branch of the New York Public Library, where religious leaders from around the city were seated.

I can’t separate my belief because I’m an elected official. When I walk, I walk with God. When I talk, I talk with God. When I put policies in place, I put them in with a God-like approach to them — that’s who I am,” he said.

Carter has never said that. Nor has Warnock. Warnock thanking God or praising God is very different than Adams saying, "Don’t tell me about no separation of church and state." In that quote, Adams sounds more like Herschel Walker than Raphael Warnock. As Garrison Hayes of Mother Jones noted in describing the Warnock v. Walker matchup:

During recent trips to Georgia to visit family and friends, it became clear that in addition to voting red or blue, voters will be choosing between two wildly different visions of Christianity itself, as embodied by these two dramatically contrasting candidates: One, whose religious lineage traces directly from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement; the other, who preaches the gospel of right-wing Christian nationalism, where the waters between church and state are muddy and the topics of conversation revolve around incendiary culture war politics. Mother Jones readers don’t need me to point out which is which.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/12/walker-warnock-georgia-run-off-senate-christianity-belief/

[no_hypocrisy]

127. Big difference between being charitable, forgiving, wise, and loving

and ascribing those attributes to a belief in God (any God). That sets up a false dichotomy of "Us and Them" with the latter being immoral, criminal, disreputable, dangerous, and worthy of being persecuted.

[Happy Hoosier]

129. Anyone who would say that does not deserve to be called a "Democrat", IMO.

If he can;t separate his duties as a Constitutional elected official from his religious beliefs, then he is, IMHO, unqualified for the job.