I suppose the former SBC's "voice of ethics" couldn't stand it any longer. With Franklin Graham passing out judgment for those voting the wrong way, Richard Land had to sacrifice his pledge.
Breaking a longstanding personal pledge, Southern Baptist leader Richard Land has endorsed GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, saying next weeks election is the most important since Abraham Lincoln's win in 1860 and he can no longer
stay silent.
Land is certainly no stranger to breaking things. In August 2012, Land suddenly retired from his post after 25 years as head of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. His retirement followed a reprimand and loss of his radio talk show for comments made concerning the Trayvon Martin case.
"In the run-up to the reprimand-retirement, Land was being investigated by the SBC for plagiarism relative to the Trayvon comments. I guess saints have to steal their ugly.
The Flexible Pledge
Prior to Rick Santorum dropping out of the Republican primary, Land suggested more than once that Santorum give way to Mitt Romney. Certainly, there was no endorsement there.
Apparently, there is elasticity to pledges in Rev. Land's world. Keeping faith with oneself is a relative matter. But, He can count. When offering consoling remarks directed at Santorum, Land said, "In eight years, he will be three years younger than Romney is now." here
Not to worry. Land seems more or less consistent at least with one thing..sorta. Land, on his retirement said, "I believe the culture war is a titanic spiritual struggle for our national soul and as a minister of Christ's Gospel, I have no right to retire from that struggle." Now, I believe in no uncertain terms he believes what he said in the moment he said that.here
In other pledge news:
Churchgoers in Kentucky, or at least the 800 who pledged to abstain from alcohol, tobacco, drugs and sex outside of marriage," in order to take advantage of Florida-based Medi-Share's Christian-only hybrid hospital insurance arrangement, were told the plan is going away. A Circuit Court Judge found the Florida firm does not comply with Kentucky Department of Insurance regulations.
The problem. Or, at least the one the court addressed. The pledgers may or may not understand that the plan does not guarantee coverage if they are hospitalized.
Oh yes, the slippery sound of the religious-right’s now you see me, now you don't, absolute certainty.