WASHINGTON -- John Hagee, an influential Texas televangelist who endorsed John McCain, apologized to Catholics Tuesday for his stinging criticism of the Roman Catholic Church and for having "emphasized the darkest chapters in the history of Catholic and Protestant relations with the Jews."
Hagee's support for McCain has drawn cries of outrage from some Catholic leaders who have called on McCain to reject Hagee's endorsement. The likely Republican nominee has said he does not agree with some of Hagee's past comments, but did not reject his support.
In a letter to William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Civil and Religious Rights, Hagee wrote: "Out of a desire to advance a 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."
Donohue, one of Hagee's sharpest critics, said he accepted the apology and planned to meet with Hagee Thursday in New York.
"I got what I wanted," Donohue said in an interview. "He's seen the light, as they like to say. So for me it's over."
..."In my zeal to oppose anti-Semitism and bigotry in all its ugly forms, I have often emphasized the darkest chapters in the history of Catholics and Protestant relations with the Jews," Hagee wrote. "In the process, I may have contributed to the mistaken impression that the anti-Jewish violence of the Crusades and the Inquisition defines the Catholic Church. It most certainly does not."
Hagee has often made references to "the apostate church" and the "great whore," terms that Catholics say are slurs aimed at the Roman Catholic Church. In his letter, Hagee said he now better understood that the Book of Revelation's reference to the Catholic Church as "the apostate church" and the "great whore" are "a rhetorical device long employed in anti-Catholic literature and commentary."
He stressed that in his use, "neither of these phrases can be synonymous with the Catholic Church."
...Donohue said Hagee, by offering his apology now, may have defused a potential problem from the Arizona senator.
"Had this happened after Labor Day I think it would have been an insurmountable problem for McCain to reach out to Catholics," Donohue said. "Now, with this behind him, I think the raised eyebrows in the Catholic community will begin to normalize."
In a statement posted in the Catholic League's Web site, Donohue added: "What Hagee has done takes courage and quite frankly I never expected him to demonstrate such sensitivity to our concerns."
I bet Obama wishes that his pastor of 20 years Jeremiah Wright had written a letter like Hagee did.
Hagee didn't whine about being taken out of context.
Bill Moyers didn't sit down with Hagee for a sensational, media hyped interview and then go on the road acting as an apologist for him.
The lib media didn't declare themselves to be "Hagee-free zones."
No, Hagee expressed his "deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful."
Obama supporters, do you still see parallels between Wright and Obama, and Hagee and McCain?
4 comments:
At least we can still talk about Rod Parsley...after all, he's not yet apologized for some of the absolutely appalling things he's said.
Yes, you can still cling to Parsley.
I suppose it's only fair, given how some conservative folks have clinged to Jeremiah Wright.
Sure. Keep telling yourself that Parsley is to McCain as Wright is to Obama.
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