Warshawsky on Romney

Over at VFR Steven Warshawsky articulates almost my precise reaction to Romney's much anticipated faith speech upon reading it. I won't post the entirety of Mr. Warshawsky's thoughts here, but I will tease you with an excerpt:

Mr. Warshawsky writes:

But Romney's liberal multiculturalism went much farther than simply trumpeting the nation's religious diversity. In his speech, Romney took the next step and proclaimed the essential oneness of all religions. Thus, according to Romney, Americans of all denominations, regardless of theological differences, share "a common creed of moral convictions." Romney even claimed that these disparate religious traditions inspire him on a personal level. As Romney wrote, in what for me was the most ridiculous passage in the speech (emphasis mine; me too btw):

"I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were in my own: I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the Evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit among Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient traditions of the Jews, unchanged through the ages [apparently Romney hasn't attended any services in Reform synagogues!], and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims."

Only a few years ago, conservatives were ridiculing Al Gore for his use of the term "faith tradition." How is what Romney said in his speech any different? This passage, in my opinion, was disingenuous to its core--and reveals that Romney was much more concerned about pandering for votes than offering a serious public statement about religion in America.

Do read the entirety of Mr. Warshawsky's argument. It is very well thought out and reasonably articulated. It probably goes without saying, even on reading no more than the passage I've excerpted here, but it is much better done than anything I've put together as yet. And there's a lot more to it.