I think the weirdest part of this story is that Rev. Sharpton debated Christopher Hitchens. Is Hitchens debating everyone who asks?
The Rev. Al Sharpton, who recently urged that radio host Don Imus be fired for making a racially insensitive remark, said in a debate that "those of us who believe in God" will defeat Republican Mitt Romney for the White House. But Sharpton denied he was questioning the Mormon's own belief in God.(via)
Rather, the New York Democrat said he was contrasting himself with Christopher Hitchens, the atheist author he was debating at the time.
"As for the one Mormon running for office, those who really believe in God will defeat him anyways, so don't worry about that; that's a temporary situation," Sharpton said Monday during a debate with Hitchens at the New York Public Library's Beaux-Arts headquarters.
[...]
In a tape of the debate, Sharpton can be heard defending the role of religion in the civil rights movement and shunning any suggestion that there wasn't a religious underpinning to the efforts of its leader, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Then Sharpton spoke of Romney, although a tape reviewed by The Associated Press does not reveal why.
In a later interview with the AP, Sharpton denied questioning Romney's belief in God and suggested the Romney camp was trying to stir up a controversy because of their political differences.
"What I said was that we would defeat him, meaning as a Republican," Sharpton said. "A Mormon, by definition, believes in God. They don't believe in God the way I do, but by definition, they believe in God."
He said he was contrasting himself and other believers with Hitchens, who is the author of a new book, "God Is Not Great."
If he had said "those who believe in God," I could possibly buy his explanation but saying, "those who really believe in God," isn't directed at an unbeliever but those who say they believe but don't.
Here's a recap of the debate. I noticed that Sharpton avoided questions involving the Bible. Why wouldn't he debate the Bible? It seems a natural part of the debate topic.
Here's a link to an audio of the debate. I didn't get a chance to listen to it and won't until after finals. All my listening time is taken up with the digital recordings of my class. I listen to them while driving and cooking dinner :-) and I actually enjoy it!
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