Why No Catholic (or ELCA Lutheran) Should Support Michele Bachmann

Pope Benedict XVI (who is not the anti-Christ)

Michele Bachmann rose to national prominence with her Oct. 17, 2008 remarks on MSNBC’s “Hardball” with Chris Matthews, when she said she was “very concerned” that Barack Obama “may have anti-American views” — specifically citing Obama’s association with liberation theologian Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: You put three words together — liberal, leftist, and anti-American. How do they all fit together, those three terms — liberal, leftist, and anti- American?

MICHELE BACHMANN: Well, that’s a good descriptor for Jeremiah Wright. It’s a perfect descriptor for Bill Ayers. And those are friends and people that Obama has pointed to as his mentors. In his book, Barack Obama had pointed to Jeremiah Wright as one of his mentors, and also Father Pfleger as one of his mentors. Two of the three mentors are Father Pfleger and Jeremiah Wright. Now, these are very strange, anti-American mentors.

Thou hypocrite, Michele Bachmann, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye (Matt. 7:5, KJV).

Yes, for Bachmann to criticize Barack Obama for attending the church of the “anti-American” Jeremiah Wright (incidentally, a U.S. Marine) is rank hypocrisy, considering that for many years she’s been sitting in the pews of a church that professes that the Pope is the anti-Christ.

Here’s the key doctrinal statement and central tenet of the fundamentalist religious sect (WELS) that Bachmann embraces:

“This teaching [of the supremacy of the pope] shows forcefully that the Pope is the very Antichrist, who has exalted himself above, and opposed himself against Christ.” …

“We hold … that this teaching rests on the revelation of God in Scripture which finds its fulfillment in history. … Since Scripture teaches that the Antichrist would be revealed and gives the marks by which the Antichrist is to be recognized (2 Th 2:6,8), and since this prophecy has been clearly fulfilled in the history and development of the Roman Papacy, it is Scripture which reveals that the Papacy is the Antichrist.”

In an October 28, 2006 televised debate sponsored by WCCO — when Bachmann first ran for Congress (against Patty Wetterling) — Bachmann vehemently denied that it was her church’s position that the Pope was the anti-Christ:

Pat Kessler, WCCO: We’ll start with Senator Bachmann. Religion and politics that has crept into this campaign over and over again. The Minneapolis-based Star Tribune reports today, Senator, that the church you belong to is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, which, it says, regards the Roman Catholic pope as the anti-Christ. Is this true, do you share the views of your church, and why should any Catholic in the Sixth District vote for you if it is true?

Bachmann: Well that’s a false statement that was made, and I spoke with my pastor earlier today about that as well, and he was absolutely appalled that someone would put that out. It’s abhorrent, it’s religious bigotry. I love Catholics, I’m a Christian, and my church does not believe that the pope is the antichrist, that’s absolutely false.

Source: The Bachmann Record

Note: Mainstream Lutheran churches (e.g., ELCA) do not subscribe to Bachmann’s belief that the Catholic Pope is the anti-Christ.

It’s very interesting that Bachmann said, “that’s a false statement that was made…. my church does not believe that the pope is the antichrist, that’s absolutely false.” [Click here for documentation from Bachmann’s own church that proves she is lying.]

It’s Bachmann’s typical pattern to deny her own words and accuse others of making false statements when she’s confronted with her lies. She pulled the same stunt after her Oct. 17, 2008 “anti-American” rant. Here’s the transcript and video:

Transcript from “Hannity & Colmes”

November 18, 2008

ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: Let me ask you very quickly. You’ve said you were concerned during the campaign that Obama had anti-American views. You said the news media should do a penetrating exposé and take a look at the views of the people in Congress and find out if they’re pro- or anti-America.

MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA CONGRESSWOMAN: Actually, that’s not what I said at all.

COLMES: Well, I’m just — I’m reading your exact quote.

BACHMANN: Actually that’s not what I said. It’s an urban legend that was created. That isn’t what I said at all.

COLMES: We have — it’s on tape. I have the tape on my Web site, Alan.com …. Your exact words were “take a great look at the views of the people in Congress, find out if they’re pro-America or anti-America.” Do you really want that kind of …

BACHMANN: Well, what I said is that I’m not qualified to say whether members’ views are pro- or anti-American. That’s not my job to do that.

COLMES: But you want it looked into by the media.

BACHMANN: The mainstream media needs — no, what I — that’s not at all what I said. What I was talking about is the mainstream media doing their job.

COLMES: Should the media do a penetrating exposé and take a look at the views of people in Congress, find out if they’re anti-America or pro-America? What would you say?

BACHMANN: Well, and what I said is do your job. That’s what it came down to.

COLMES: All right, Congresswoman.

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Related reports on this site

Michele Bachmann Leaves ‘Antichrist’ Church (July 16, 2011)

Bachmann Fails Truth Test (Nov. 20, 2010)

Michele Bachmann’s Abortion Lie (March 24, 2010)

Bachmann Finalist for Liar Award (Dec. 15, 2009)

Bachmann’s ‘Anti-American’ Rant (Oct. 18, 2009)

Bachmann Caught in Lie (Again) (Sept. 15, 2010)

Michele Bachmann ‘Lies in Christ’ (Aug. 31, 2009)

Bachmann Bears False Witness (Nov. 20, 2008)

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: One Year Ago — November 1, 2009

Bachmann Stunt Back to Roots

Bachmann: House health care bill is ‘Crown Jewel of Socialism’
(Ben Frumin, TPM LiveWire, Talking Points Memo, Nov. 1, 2009)

One year ago today, I reported that Rep. Michele Bachmann, calling on supporters to descend on Washington to protest health care reform, resurrected “the Ghost of Political Stunts Past” and noted that Bachmann pulled similar publicity stunts five years earlier while crusading in the Minnesota state Senate for a Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Two Years Ago — November 1, 2008

Write-in Campaign: Day 14

Two years ago today, on the 14th day of my write-in campaign against U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District, I noted blogger Eric Zaetsch’s pointers for casting a write-in ballot and reported ongoing political wrangling and violence in Iraq.

Iraqis wave national flags as they chant anti-U.S. slogans during a protest in Baghdad, Nov. 1, 2008. People took to the streets to protest against a pact that would allow U.S. forces to stay in Iraq for three more years. (Photo credit: Mohammed Ameen / Reuters)