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Kathleen Kennedy Townsend describes her understanding of an unconditionally loving God embracing all humanity versus a politically-defined God.
All you Stephen Colbert fans out there know that Stephen is always addressing his “Nation” — the Colbert Nation of supporters. A couple of nights ago, this Nation heard Kathleen Kennedy Townsend describe her understanding of an unconditionally loving God embracing all humanity versus a politically-defined God who is only concerned with abortion, gay rights and stem-cells. To her, one is a universal God, the other is a small, limited and highly niched one.
Townsend is promoting her latest book Failing America’s Faithful: How Today’s Churches are Mixing God with Politics and Losing Their Way. She was Colbert’s featured guest and really REALLY held her own with him, which is not easy to do. But I guess growing up with 10 sisters and brothers in a wildly rambunctious family (The Kennedys) has paid off. She held her own in the early dialogue skirmishes (rite of passage with Colbert) as he tried to throw her off her game (just to test her firmness, I figure). And THEN, at mid-point, Colbert let her roll as she was clearly resonating with the audience.
Why? Because Townsend was describing a spiritual foundation for caring for all humanity, whatever their needs are — the poor, the suffering — regardless of political affiliation. We all, as being created by God in His image and likeness (her words :-) ) have a responsibility to do this as this is a commandment, Love your neighbor as yourself (Yep, she quoted Jesus Christ!).
OK, here Kathleen Kennedy Townsend is on one of the smartest comedy-news shows (with kudos to the Daily Show) — former 2-term Lt. Governor of Maryland, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Clinton administration, a multi-generation DNA-infused Democrat — and she is basing her public service on the BIBLE….and the audience is applauding!!
I love this! Townsend wasn’t proselytizing her own brand of faith, she was espousing a way of life that most spiritual practices unite on…love thy neighbor as thyself. With this as your foundation, it informs your daily decisions about what to do, what to support, how to spend your money…even how to vote.
Right on Kathleen. Tell the TV audience how to ground their decision-making in a more expansive and inclusive and spiritual way, and tell the TV audience about the God of Love.
Read more from this blogger at Practical Spirituality .
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