Gingrich and Forgiveness
By Shaun Kenney | Saturday, March 26th, 2011 | Catch-All
Often times in the political world, comments remain with the personality long after they were said. The criticism of the “Lidless Eye” of both the Internet and the punditry class hold a great deal of sway… and it is probably an apt criticism.
Newt Gingrich may or may not be the first person that comes to mind when you consider such a person. This is a man who has divorced three times, and in one instance served divorce papers as his wife was recovering from cancer. Not exactly the paragon of moral virtue we have (somewhat hypocritically) asked of our politicians.
Which is why this story in Politico regarding Gingrich’s conversion to Catholicism is so interesting. Real or fake? Sure, the cynic inside you just screamed “FAKE!” — but take a closer look:
The former House speaker was asked by Associated Press reporter Mike Glover, “You’ve been married three times. You’ve had messy divorces. You’re campaigning in a state where the Republican Party is dominated by Christian conservatives. How do you get past that?”
Gingrich replied, “I think you don’t get past that. I think you tell the truth and I think you share your life’s experiences and you admit that you’ve had weaknesses and that you’ve had failures and you’ve gone to God to seek forgiveness and to seek reconciliation and then people make a decision.”
Its easy to stay inside the din of politics and utterly condemn those who have strayed. Heck, it seems as if our entire system of entertainment is geared towards voyeuristic gossip aimed at the foibles and faults of others.
Every once in awhile, it’s worth stepping back and realizing that the roots of Christian culture demand the opposite. St. Paul was a violent man before his conversion. St. Matthew was a tax collector — which in the time of Christ was a cross between the IRS and a payday lender. St. Simon was little more than a political consultant (and a Zealot to boot). Those who Christ saved in the New Testament were often the dregs of society — beggars, lepers, Samaritans, prostitutes, tax collectors, the idle rich.
So when we find instances like New Gingrich or others in the public arena, why not let the angels of our better nature guide us, rather than the tabloids?
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About the author
Shaun Kenney is the Chairman of the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors, former Communications Director for the Republican Party of Virginia, and an active blogger since 2002. Shaun lives in Thomas Jefferson's backyard with his wife, six children, and a modest attempt at a farm in Kents Store, Virginia.
Comments
9 Responses to "Gingrich and Forgiveness"
Shaun,
It is not the divorces that make Newt so odious, it is the hypocrisy. By all accounts, he was having an affair with a young staffer while still married to and living with Marianne. At the same time, he was leading a rather moralistic charge to impeach President Clinton for getting a hum-job in the Oval Office from a young staffer. This shameful over-reaching nearly created a Constitutional crisis.
Since we are citing the Bible here, let me remind you of what Jesus commanded in John 8:7. “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”
Key elements of forgiveness in the Catholic Church are remorse and contrition. Has Newt ever apologized to Clinton? Has he ever apologized to the Republican Party for giving the Democrats a talking point with a half-life of 25 years? Has he ever apologized to us for throwing the business of the nation into turmoil for months? As the old saying goes, I will forgive Gingrich when the Jews forgive Hitler.
All of that is not for your or I to say. If he has asked for forgiveness and repented… who are you or I to continue to condemn him?
Doesn’t mean I have to vote for him. But it does mean that I get to offer him a fair shake without prejudging the outcome.
I can forgive him.
I can’t vote for him.
Shaun, Newt doesn’t want our forgiveness ~ he wants our votes.
His exploratory committee is sheer hubris. Agree with HisRoc; it’s not the divorces that are so repugnant; it’s the hypocrisy AND the icky details. TMI!
Americans just don’t elect known serial philanderers and dead-beat dads to high office. And, re my opinion on his most recent conversion, well …considering Newt was raised Lutheran and became a Southern Baptist shortly before entering Georgia politics, … it’s not a big stretch to call it ‘suspect’. I seem to recall an amazing %age of convicts also find Jesus – just prior to to parole hearings.
When Newt earns Marianne & Jackie’s forgiveness – he can have mine.
HisRoc, it is not our place to decide we won’t forgive, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:36-38 (in Context) Luke 6 (Whole Chapter).
However, we can make a decision that if a person has shown a lifetime of lacking in character and judgement, we don’t have to be their friend, associate with them and we certainly don’t have to vote for them. I hope he has his soul right with God now, awesome, but there are consequences for his snake in the grass life he’s lived.
Everyone has failed in life. In reality politicians are no different than the rest of us.
However, there are more trustworthy men we could be asking to lead us in my personal opinion. Or at least we don’t hear about their moral failures.
When you learn a snake is a snake.. pretending its a turtle will only get you bit.
Personally forgiving him, and asking him to represent me, and lead the entire nation are two very different things indeed.
When looking for a President who will be the most powerful man in the world I would like to see a history of honesty, trustworthiness, and stability. Newt has a history of lies, cheating and every other thing I don’t want to see in my President. I will never never never vote for that dirt bag.
On the subject of forgiveness, that is an issue between him, his creator, and all the people he has hurt.
Kathy,
It is not my place to judge Newt Gingrich–only God has that authority. However, if Newt wants me as a voter to forgive and forget his transgressions, then that is another thing.
As Jay D so aptly commented, it isn’t our forgiveness Newt wants–it is our votes. And he will never get mine. No one is perfect, but Newt is beyond the pale. There was a time when people like him were ostracized by polite society for such moral failings and hypocrisy. The fact that he thinks that he can seek the Presidency speaks volumes about his self-absorbed, narcissistic personality disorder.
Not to worry. Newt is not going to get nominated. Even without the personal issues I don’t think he would be nominated. I think Polk was the only Speaker to get nominated and even he was a dark horse. He was also about as opposite to Newt as anyone can be.
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