They Said What? (Nov. 2019)

I have always been open to signs from God when it comes to balancing my desire to serve both my family and my country.

U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.), when announcing that he would be resigning from his congressional seat to spend more time with his family.

Associated Press, 8-26-19

These books present magic as both good and evil, which is not true, but in fact a clever deception. The curses and spells used in the books are actual curses and spells; which, when read by a human being, risk conjuring evil spirits into the presence of the person reading the text.

Rev. Dan Reehil, a pastor at St. Edward Catholic School in Nashville, informing the school that all Harry Potter books would be removed from its library.

The Tennessean, 8-31-19

Our country was founded on the view that a correct understanding of God and the human person is critical to preserving the liberty that we so enjoy.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, speaking at Hillsdale College in Michigan to celebrate the private Christian college’s 175th anniversary and the dedication of its newly completed Christ Chapel.

President Trump has really been on the side of evangelicals and we want to do everything we can to make him successful. And if that means having dinner or staying in his hotel, we are going to do so.

Sharon Bolan Yerby, Dallas evangelical minister.

The New York Times, 9-8-19

I would argue that this State Department — indeed, this administration — has relied on science far more than the previous administration, and I would argue more than any administration in history.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, after being asked at an event in Kansas if he supports the suppression of scientific reports from within the Department of State as it pertains to climate change and other topics.

MSNBC, 9-9-19

The goal is a bible for every child, not just a computer for every child.

Israeli Education Minister Rafi Peretz during a seminar. Israeli schools continue to spend more hours teaching the bible than almost any other country in the world. Israel allocates 14 percent of classroom time to religious subjects — the vast majority of this time is used to study the bible.

Faithwire.com, 8-29-19

Ma’am, It’s not because I’m good. It’s because I believe in Christ.

Judge Tammy Kemp to Amber Guyger, who was convicted of killing Botham Jean. Kemp left the courtroom and came back with a bible and handed it to Guyger, telling her she could have it because “I have three or four at home.”

Dallas Morning News, 10-2-19

It is odd to include a statement on religious freedom in a resolution about those who are not religious. . . . The religiously unaffiliated are not a coherent voting bloc. They are defined by what they are not, rather than by an affirmative characteristic. The problem with lifting up the religiously unaffiliated for praise is that, by the very nature of the category, the only thing you are praising is that they are not religious.

Michael Wear, in his column, “Why are Democrats embracing those with no religion?” after the Democratic National Committee passed a resolution recognizing the value of religiously unaffiliated Americans.

America magazine, 10-1-19