New Ala. gov: Just Christians are his family

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley told a church crowd just moments into his new administration that those who have not accepted Jesus as their savior are not his brothers and sisters, shocking some critics who questioned Tuesday whether he can be fair to non-Christians.

"Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother," Bentley said Monday, his inauguration day, according to The Birmingham News.

The Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday called Bentley's remarks shocking.

"His comments are not only offensive, but also raise serious questions as to whether non-Christians can expect to receive equal treatment during his tenure as governor," said Bill Nigut, the ADL's regional director.

[Read more: The First Amendment, explained]

Speaking at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church after the official inaugural ceremony, Bentley told the crowd that he considered anyone who believed in Jesus to be his brothers and sisters regardless of color, but anyone who isn't a Christian doesn't have that same relationship to him.

Click image to see photos of Ala. Gov. Robert Bentley

AP/Dave Martin

"If the Holy Spirit lives in you that makes you my brothers and sisters. Anyone who has not accepted Jesus, I want to be your brothers and sisters, too," Bentley said.

After his speech, Bentley said he did not mean to insult anyone.

Responding to questions about it, Bentley's office released a statement Tuesday saying he believes "he is the governor of all of Alabama."

"The governor clearly stated that he will be the governor of all Alabamians â€" Democrat, Republican and Independent, young, old, black and white, rich and poor. As stated in his (inaugural) address, Gov. Bentley believes his job is to make everyone's lives better," the statement said.

Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, told The Birmingham News he wasn't sure how Bentley's remarks were intended.

"Does it mean that those who according to him are not saved are less important than those who are saved?" Taufique said. "Does he want those of us who do not belong to the Christian faith to adopt his faith? That should be toned down. That's not what we need. If he means that, I hope he changes it. We don't want evangelical politicians. They can be whatever in their private life."

The official with the Anti-Defamation League, which fights discrimination against Jewish people, said it sounded like Bentley was using the office of governor to advocate for Christian conversion.

"If he does so, he is dancing dangerously close to a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids government from promoting the establishment of any religion," Nigut said.

___

Associated Press Writer Bob Johnson in Montgomery contributed to this report.

If the Holy Spirit lives in you that makes you my brothers and sisters. Anyone who has not accepted Jesus, I want to be your brothers and sisters, too," Bentley said.

After his speech, Bentley said he did not mean to insult anyone.


He was just stating the truth.  I do not see that he discriminated against anyone.  He did not say anything about not treating someone differently "if" they do not believe his way (BTW - the true way) In fact he said that he wanted to be their brother and sister as well.  He was inviting them to come to Christ.   We as Christian are to make a stand on God's word and to get the message of salvation out into this lost world.  That is just what he did.   

 *****ie, the very fact that you don't understand why his words are both discriminatory and alarming indicates that you do not understand the issue. The man is free to believe and speak as he chooses, the governor of a state is not.

These kind of holy-rolling, back woods statements are not helping your side. Xians will only be tolerated as long as they are not perceived as a threat. This idiot just threatened an entire state. You want to rush Armageddon, elect a few more fools such as this. Your fantasy stops at my civil rights and this baboon has crossed a Federally mandated line. 

actual I agree with you on this point - The man is free to believe and speak as he chooses, the governor of a state is not.   You atheist people have made it to where Christan are not allowed to take a stand on the word of God because of man laws and mans rules. 

You do understand, don't you, that the separation of Church and State dates back to a little document called the CONSTITUTION which was written by WHITE MEN most of whome were RELIGIOUS and wanted to ensure that people would be free to worship as they chose without interference from the government?

No. You probably don't. Because your tinfoil hat appears to be on a *might* too tight, Cupcake. You seem to have forgotten that God = Love...not demonizing other religions and people who don't worship exactly the way you do.

now, be a good Christian and turn the other cheek. Go on, shoo.

You do understand, don't you, that the separation of Church and State dates back to a little document called the CONSTITUTION which was written by WHITE MEN most of whome were RELIGIOUS - There you go you just proved my point.  Man laws and mans rules.  Just because the men were RELIGIOUS does not mean they were born again God fearing Christians.  If they were they would have made the law a little differently. 

Oh, they were pretty god-fearing - check out the famous sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" sometime if you want to, you know, ACTUALLY LEARN SOMETHING...but they passionately believed, as do most of the people posting here, that human beings have the right to decide what (if) to worship and the government should not interfere with that BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.

That means....you get to decide what you want to believe, and I get to decide what I want to believe. And if we disagree, the government can't tell either one of us we're wrong, or force us to worship differently.

Which is why it is SO WRONG that this Alabama Governor brought religion into his inauguration. His faith, deeply held though it may be, needs to stay the FUCK out of my government.

Hey, just to make this fun for me - every time you post something that makes me ashamed you're using the word "Christian" to describe yourself, I'm sending the people who want to build a Muslim center in Lower Manhattan $5.

So...you ready to turn the other cheek NOW, or do you want to double down, Cupcake?

such anger - why?

send all the money to who ever you want. 

relax!!  dont get so bunched up.......

so you can not deal with the conversation so you like the other atheist want to just start with the name calling and whatever but guess what - i do not mind.  it hurts my feeling - NONE. 

 You want to talk name calling you squatty little toad? Really? How about when you told the absolutely beautiful and xian, Nicci that she was so ugly that maybe your dog would date her?

How about when you told Lithia that her mother and brother were burning in hell?

How about all the people you cursed to hell?

Yeah, tell me about name calling and I will repost all your posts calling people names. Do you really want to go there? Are you tanked up enough to get into a ******g contest with me you bitter and wretched little worm?

Feeling brave, does jebus have your back? Are you sure? 

Go ahead, run your mouth, I'll make sure your real words get posted.

u need medicine.  i think ur blood pressure is sky high