Royce Kennedy

Members of Congress' Version of Christianity: How Christian Lawmakers Missed the Opportunity to Be Christ-like. Royce Kennedy

Reflecting upon the impeachment trial of former President, Bill Clinton, and remembering that the House Managers who conducted the trial were introduced on prime time television as "born again Christians" my interest was perked. I decided to watch the proceedings for the sole purpose of observing if these men would act the way we think Jesus would. The first thought that came to mind was the fact that the woman taken in the very act of adultery, under the Law of Moses should be stoned to death, and her accusers brought that fact to Christ's attention. We know she walked away from the presence of Jesus alive and well, only being told to go and sin no more. Another event that perked my interest was the fifty two million dollars White Water investigation that yielded nothing amiss against the Clintons. Because the trial was open to television cameras, before long it was evident that the accusers did not merely want to catch the president in a lie; obviously, they wanted to humiliate him in the meanest way, without giving any thought to the prestige of the Office of the President. The trial reminded me of the Merchant of Venice in which everyone wanted his pound of flesh, and the president sat in what looked like a pack of marauding hyenas closing in on a wounded deer or an antelope calf. Because of the current hostile political climate in Washington these days, I had to extend my work to cover what it means to be called a Christian Member of Congress. The theme and conclusion are within that context, and it is hoped that many politicians and private citizens alike will benefit from this work. It is intended for Christian lawmakers in Congress and every State House and Governor's mansion in the union; in fact to Christian politicians in every country on earth with a desire to honor Christ by an exemplary life. It is not intended to force religion on anyone, or to promote membership in any established Church. The hope