FPN President Asks Governor to Clarify Broad Religious Condemnation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 20, 2002
NEWS CONTACT: Joe Glover – 434-846-0500

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA ““- Just one day after earning praise from religious leaders for signing “In God We Trust” legislation, Virginia Governor Mark Warner made an anti-religious quip during a college graduation ceremony.

An Associated Press article quotes Governor Warner, speaking to graduates of the University of Virginia, saying, “one of the greatest threats facing our world comes from those who believe they are acting out God’s will, no matter what religion they practice.”

FPN President Joe Glover criticized the statement, saying, “He obviously intended to slap religious conservatives in the face before what he thought to be a not-so-conservative audience.”

Glover said, “It was an offense to people of faith throughout the Commonwealth.” He said, “I’m shocked that the Governor would make such a blatantly anti-religious statement in public. It was just too broad. I hope he believes Virginians who strive to do God’s will by feeding the poor and helping their neighbors are not any type of threat to society.”

According to the AP, Warner extolled the values of liberal education, saying “‘reason and free inquiry,’ can give people the perspective needed to ‘navigate these troubled waters’.”

Glover said, “What’s interesting is that the same Warner who inferred the virtue of bypassing God’s will for ‘reason and free inquiry’ is the same Warner who, the day before, signed a bill to post ‘In God We Trust’ in public schools.”

Glover called on the Governor to clarify his remark saying, “He really needs to explain what he meant and what he didn’t if he’s going to retain the respect of God-fearing people in Virginia.”

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For more information related to this story, see:

FPN President Asks Governor to Clarify Broad Religious Condemnation

AP ARTICLE QUOTING GOVERNOR WARNER’S ANTI-RELIGIOUS STATEMENT

Virginian-Pilot news story on ‘In God We Trust’ Law

Richmond Times-Dispatch on ‘In God We Trust’ Law

Roanoke Times on ‘In God We Trust’ bill

News & Advance on ‘In God We Trust’ bill

Governor’s Statement on bill signings, including ‘In God We Trust’

Family Policy Network:
http://familypolicy.net/