Bentley: Christians are 'Brothers and Sisters'

Fox News reported that Alabama Governor, (Republican) Robert Bentley, who has only been in office three days, is facing a lot of criticism for a remark that he made to a crowd at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Bentley remarked that if they have not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior then they are not his brother or his sister.

The Southeast regional director of the Anti-Defamation League told Fox that Bentley should understand the impact of his remarks.

Alabama Images

Fox includes:

Bentley was sworn in shortly before he spoke at the church where the late civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was once a pastor. According to The Birmingham News, during his speech he said it was important for Alabamians to ''love and care for each other." He also told the crowd he is color blind. But just minutes later, he went on to say if they don’t have the same ‘daddy’ then they are not brothers and sisters.

"There may be some people here today who do not have living within them the Holy Spirit," Bentley said during his speech. ''But if you have been adopted in God's family like I have, and like you have if you're a Christian and if you're saved, and the Holy Spirit lives within you just like the Holy Spirit lives within me, then you know what that makes? It makes you and me brothers. And it makes you and me brother and sister."

Bentley's director of communications, Rebekah Manson got in touch with Fox on behalf of Bentley and explained that he had no intention of offending anyone by his remarks.

The First Amendment gives him the right to express himself, but that doesn't mean that people don't have the right to be offended by what he says. Freedom of speech doesn't remove freedom of thought.

Gene Policinski is the executive director of the First Amendment Center and he says that Bentley needs to keep in mind that his office represents all faith. Fox quotes:

“When a politician might reveal his beliefs, it is creating an impression,” Policinski said. “Religion is a part of many peoples’ lives, but there is an implication when a particular faith receives favorable or disfavorable treatment. It is a very difficult line to draw, but it is one any politician has to be aware of.”