Hagee to apologize to Catholics
posted at 12:30 pm on May 13, 2008 by Allahpundit
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He thought about it a little more, chatted up some Catholic friends, and decided that no, in fact, the Church isn’t the “great whore” named in Revelation. Whew!
“Out of a desire to advance greater unity among Catholics and Evangelicals in promoting the common good, I want to express my deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful,” Hagee wrote, according to an advanced copy of the letter reviewed by Washington Wire. “After engaging in constructive dialogue with Catholic friends and leaders, I now have an improved understanding of the Catholic Church, its relation to the Jewish faith, and the history of anti-Catholicism.”…
Hagee met with 22 Catholic leaders in Washington, D.C. on Friday to apologize for his comments, according to a source familiar with the meeting. Despite the McCain’s condemnation of Hagee’s anti-Catholic remarks, the campaign had no role in that meeting or Tuesday’s apology, according to the source who said it was something Hagee did because he felt it was necessary…
Hagee’s letter explains some of the harsh words he has used when describing the Catholic Church. “I better understand that reference to the Roman Catholic Church as the ‘apostate church’ and the ‘great whore’ described in the book of Revelation”—both terms Hagee has employed—“is a rhetorical device long employed in anti-Catholic literature and commentary,” he wrote.
Anyone at all here believe that Team Maverick didn’t use a little muscle on this? It’s not just that they want to try to put this to bed to eliminate the tu quoque when they go after Obama on Wright this summer, it’s that Hillary’s been beating Obama consistently among Catholics (by 27 points in Ohio and 40 points in Pennsylvania) and they don’t want Hagee stopping any of those disgruntled blue-collar Clintonites from becoming McCainocrats in November. McCain already admitted last month to Stephanopoulos that accepting Hagee’s endorsement was “probably” a mistake; I wonder if the campaign didn’t issue an ultimatum telling him either to repent or face the humiliation of having the endorsement formally rejected.
Exit question: Does this mean he’s rethinking his position on the End Times, too?
Update: A counterfactual to chew on: If McCain did reject Hagee’s endorsement, wouldn’t that put extra pressure on them to name Huckabee as VP in order to heal the resulting rift with evangelicals?
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This guy apologized. Not sure if he is sincere.
Wright hasn’t apologized. Far from it, he’s lashed out some more. And I believe that Wright is absolutely sincere in everything he’s been quoted saying. How’s that for a ‘tu quoque?’
wise_man on May 13, 2008 at 5:04 PM
AP, yah just gotta be kiddin’!
Disgruntled Democrats indeed…how yah gonna keep the disgruntled Republicans from staying home; would be my question?
J_Gocht on May 13, 2008 at 5:06 PM
St. Mc may have more of a President Bush problem than a Rev. Haggee problem?
J_Gocht on May 13, 2008 at 5:34 PM
Hagee is a freak. So is Wright. Modern politicians should not consort with any religious leaders like these… Hagee and Wright dare to call themselves Christian leaders… that is the miracle.
lexhamfox on May 13, 2008 at 5:48 PM
This Catholic seconds your sentiment.
Branch Rickey on May 13, 2008 at 6:21 PM
Had a talk with a guy just like the old Hagee today, such intolerance the man spewed towards me about the Church’s dogmas and my faith. Yet he was just reciting from his anti-Catholic DOGMAS.
crabtree on May 13, 2008 at 6:22 PM
Indeed. McCain must walk the fine line of keeping the 25 to 41% of us who are supporters of Bush while also appealing to the independents and liberals who do not care for Bush. Hard to attack Bush and appeal to the independents without alienating voters like me. My advice to old Mc, forget about me. Go savage on President Bush. Perhaps you will convince enough of Hillary’s disaffected bitter clingers to join your cause that you can win in November. Instruct your moderate Republican army (think Danforth and Christine Todd Whitman) to put out the word that the movement conservatives have led the party off the cliff. This is what you folks have been saying all along. Besides when you insult Republicans you get great press, so continue it. Sure you aren’t going to raise a lot of money by biting the hand that feeds you, but Heck, Mc you ain’t getting squato from us “agents of intolerance” anyhow, so what is the loss. Go the distance, tear down the Republican coalition and claim the mantle of maverick reformer that you have been touting since GW kicked your ass in 2000.
Destroy the party Mc, its yours now.
Angry Dumbo on May 13, 2008 at 6:34 PM
If he was intolerant of you then shame on him. If he was intolerant of Rome’s faith plus works then good for him.
Tell me, when he recited from his anti-Catholic DOGMAS did he mention how evil and dispicable Roman Catholics are? Did his recitations include rising up over Roman Catholics and putting them in their place?
Please ask your dialoger where he got his anti-Catholic Dogmas. I’d like to see the official list.
shick on May 13, 2008 at 6:57 PM
Hillarious, I mispelled despicable.
shick on May 13, 2008 at 6:59 PM
shick,
I see I had you pegged. I correctly predicted that there would be allies of Haggee who wouldn’t like his apologies here. I see you’re wedded to some straw man’s idea of Catholicism, to use as your official bogeyman. If that makes you happy, then fine. But that kind of hatrid won’t get you very far with God.
Sydney Carton on May 13, 2008 at 7:28 PM
When is Huck going to apologize to Mormons?
WasatchMan on May 13, 2008 at 7:34 PM
The Pope’s astronomer understands the possibility of alien life forms…is this a “bad day” for Catholics?
J_Gocht on May 13, 2008 at 8:30 PM
What truth lurks in…
Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, [he] says that the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.
J_Gocht on May 13, 2008 at 8:46 PM
So Shick, who’s your favorite theologian, Jimmy Swaggart?
Akzed on May 13, 2008 at 9:36 PM
For the record, I disagreed with 75% of what Haggee said before his recent apology. It’s likely not the 75% that you think.
What strawman argument have I presented? Please demonstrate.
And the accusation of hatred. That’s serious. Please demonstrate that as well. My whole family is held by the snares of Roman Catholicism and I love them and witness to them.
Nice trick by the way. Accuse me of building a strawman while making an efigy of me with “Hater” written on it.
shick on May 13, 2008 at 9:45 PM
So now John McCain is the antiChrist? Not satisfied with Manchurian Candidate, Valiant has to go full Monty.
funky chicken on May 13, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Any rift between McCain & some evangelicals would have little to do with dissing Hagee. He’s not that influential.
jgapinoy on May 13, 2008 at 10:13 PM
The schtick was boring then. It’s boring now.
corona on May 13, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Corona!
How are you? How are things going at Rev. Wright’s church?
shick on May 13, 2008 at 11:09 PM
That’s funny. Almost as funny as Sydney Carton thinking I was a Haggee supporter. And this coming from a commenter who said that I was caricaturing.
I had stated in a previous comment that I am a reformed Southern Baptist who agrees with the New Hampshire Baptist Confession (1833). I don’t know what happened to that comment.
But it’s easier to throw quick insults than to bother finding out where I really stand.
shick on May 13, 2008 at 11:17 PM
It seems unlikely that hotair would block me from posting comments. But it is strange that my rather long comment was removed and my next comment asking about it came back saying I couldn’t post comments.
shick on May 13, 2008 at 11:30 PM
I thought (from your remarks) that you might be Anglican? You make some insightful comments, even though I am more “evangelical” than you. It seems to me that today the (Conservative) Anglican Church is, perhaps, the most unifying (in the spiritual, rather than the organizational, sense) of all denominations (on the macro scale) in some regards. (I am not Anglican, btw.)
sanantonian on May 13, 2008 at 11:42 PM
It is clear to me that both you and akzed are two of the better informed, more thoughtful, and more erudite Protestants on this thread. It figures, you guys are duking it out online for all the world to see. The Catholics must sit back, have a beer, and enjoy the show as we Protestants duke it out. (Okay: It IS fun, i admit it!) :-)
sanantonian on May 13, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Note to all Catholics who are too angry to accept Hagee’s apology for remarks he has made — remarks, mind you, that killed or imprisoned no one. Is it not a TAD BIT hypocritical of you folks to reject Hagee’s extended olive branch while at the same time with a straight face asking the non-Catholic world to accept without question mere papal “apologies” for the (centuries-long) Inquisition (which, by the way, DID cost MANY people their lives, possessions, and/or freedom)? After the (completely unnecessary John Hagee/John McCain issue) Bill Donahue is now officially outed as a troublemaker — call him the white Roman Catholic version of “Rev. Al Sharpton.” Okay, Bill, we have your number, you religion hustler, you! ;-)
sanantonian on May 13, 2008 at 11:57 PM
O the bile!
Akzed on May 14, 2008 at 9:17 AM
I get no credit for asking?
So, your brand of Christianity began 1,500 years after the apostles. Interesting.
Akzed on May 14, 2008 at 9:19 AM
I was asking him to demonstrate the hate he was suggesting. I wasn’t showing my own opinion.
I give you credit for asking. I didn’t realize you were serious.
It seems that you know more about modern Roman Catholicism than Protestantism past and present. This is shown by your statement against my confession. A confession doesn’t mark when a church began. Its a doctrinal statement of beliefs.
The whole point of the Reformation wasn’t to start a new church but to bring the Roman Catholic Church back to the first century.
I noticed this. You give Catholics the benefit of the doubt at ever turn but not to Protestants. Catholics modernize their Catechism why can’t protestants?
I’ll ask again. What denomination, confession, catechism, etc. do you hold to? Or are you a relativist? I’m really curious.
shick on May 14, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Thanks for the kind words. I don’t doubt that Catholics enjoy this. It gives them a false sense of security in their so-called unified church. Visit Latin America someday and witness the Spiritism and voodoo integrated into its theology.
shick on May 14, 2008 at 10:37 AM
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