A 'Spiritual But Not Religious' Democrat Speaks
By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
You don't often hear American politicians who hail from the burgeoning "spiritual but not religious" demographic discuss their beliefs, but Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski's did yesterday on National Public Radio. Here's what the two-term Democrat said:
I must admit, I may not be as religious but I'm very spiritual—and I believe if there is a God, this is where he lives. He's on the river, he's in the mountains—this is what it's all about.
I would be interested to hear from believers if this take on God is compatible with their own views, or whether it hews closer to nature worship. Spiritual but not religious folks: What do you think?
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Kulongoski
The rest of the column by Steve Duin of The Oregonian:
Kulongoski appointed Goldschmidt to head the Higher Ed board -- not the Department of Education, as Mullmann claims -- because he (a) didn't care that Goldschmidt raped a 14-year-old girl; or (b) didn't think the story would ever become public. Now the Kulongoski apologists are arguing the governor couldn't possibly have been that stupid or immoral.
Wanna bet?
To understand why Kulongoski has long insisted Leonhardt never told him about Goldschmidt, rather than the slightly more plausible explanation that he just doesn't remember a 16-year-old conversation, we need only review state law and the Bar's rules regarding the mandatory reporting of child abuse.
Attorneys are mandatory reporters. According to Bar guidelines, they "must report any 'reasonable suspicion' of child abuse according to Oregon law."
Kulogonski can't admit that Leonhardt told him about Goldschmidt's child abuse because he never reported that abuse to the proper authorities.
I never would have guessed that terse denial -- or outright lies -- would serve Kulongoski as well as it did. But as one veteran of Bar politics reminded me Friday, the Bar is forever lobbying the governor's office on such issues as judges' salaries or updated facilities, so there's not a chance in hell that the Bar would come down hard on the man.
I've talked to enough people to know that Kulongoski isn't fooling anyone. It's no coincidence that his approval ratings have floundered. But it is still disappointing that the Bar refused to even interview Leonhardt, a thoroughly persuasive and believable witness.
Kulongoski
Our "spiritual" governor:
Kulongoski is a Liar and the Oregon State Bar Couldn't Care Less
By Steve Duin
December 28, 2007, 3:31PM
Lars Larson called me this afternoon with the news: The Oregon State Bar has decided to take no action on coimplaints that the governor of Oregon "failed to tell the truth about when he knew of an illegal sexual relationship" between Neil Goldschmidt and a 14-year-old girl.
Larson and James Johnson of Newberg filed separate complaints regarding Ted Kulongoski's truthfulness. The Bar announced its decision to keep its head firmly buried in the sand in a Dec. 28 letter, released in the infamous media lull between Christmas and the New Year's holidays.
The Bar's investigation was so cursory and superficial that its general counsel never interviewed either Fred Leonhardt or Kulogonski in person.
Leonhardt has long argued that he informed Kulongoski of Goldschmidt's sexual abuse/statuatory rape on at least two different occasions, and passed a lie detector test to that effect during a state agency's investigation into the ethics and standards of Multnomah County Sheriff Bernie Giusto.
Chris L. Mullmann, an assistant general counsel with the Bar, reasoned that Leonhardt and Kulongoski have "differing recollections of events that occurred more than a decade ago," but argues that both "are credible in their recollections."
That's a fascinating conclusion: Leonhardt and Kulongoski have both proclaimed the other a liar and Mullmann finds both conclusions reasonable.
Never mind that various other aspects of Leonhardt's story have been confirmed by a half dozen witnesses. Kulongoski, meanwhile, has lied about the duration of his friendship with Leonhardt, as I reported in a Nov. 20 column.
Unlike the governor, Leonhardt's truthfulness has been documented by a polygraph machine and confirmed by the polygraph operator. Yet Mullmann blithely and cavalierly dismisses that fact, noting that "the court issued an exhaustive and unanimous opinion concluding that polygraph evidence is not admissible in any civil or criminal trial or any other legal proceeding which is subject to rules of evidence. For that reason, I give little weight to the polygraph evidence."
How convenient. I wonder if this is a good time to remind everyone that Mary Oberst, Kulongoski's wife, was on the bar staff from June 1985 through February 2004.
Just when you think the Bar's argument can't get any worse, Mullmann notes the following:
Governor Kulongoski contends that if he had known of the illicit relationship, he never would have appointed Governor Goldschmidt to head the Oregon Department of Education. Governor Kulongoski also contends that under those circumstances, he would not have been urging Governor Goldschmidt to remain in office. These contensions support Governor Kulongoski's recollection of events.
That is unbelievable. That's the laughable Kari Chisholm defense, named in honor of the Democratic errand boy who runs the Blue Oregon Glee C
GOD IS
God is a spirit and those who worship and believe worship in spirit and truth. Adam was a tri-pod man: body , mind and soul(spirit) The spirit is the image of God that is spoke of in the bible. It is in that image that image that truth is found. We can please God only by faith. Faith allows for flesh(body) and mind to submit to a higher authority. It is trust. You believe even though you don't see. We all know know oxygen is in the air and we breathe because it is. We have faith that when we step out of our home, car, office, etc.. we will be able to breathe. That is the type of faith God asks us to have in Him. His word, Genesis to Revelation, tells us the good, bad and ugly of yesterday, today and tomorrow of those who did and did not beleive and the consequences they suffered with and without faith. It tells of the creator all things who gives man free choice to choose whether they will live eternally in hell or heaven. He is the Father of creation and as a good Father He has rules and regulations for His children. Chastisement is a necessity because of role as Sovereign.The flesh is weak but the spirit man wants to do right. When the flesh, spirit and God become a three fold cord in our life we then line up with the beginning stage of salvation. (We admit with our mouth we sin, repent (seek forgiveness) and give our lives to God. No one knows or loves us like He does (We are created in His image) He gave His only begotton Son,Jesus that we might have eternal life with Him in Heaven. Then we can begin our relationship with Him. We will get to know His word, His will and His ways. If you don't seek a relationship with Him then faith is hard to understand. If married couples never talked, spent time with one another, experienced good and bad times and still had a desire to continue in the relationship then their marriage would only be a facade and most likely end in divorce or misery for both. I know God as a father, friend, a provider, a protector and a great and mighty healer. Men have sought my life, given up on my life and told me my life meant nothing but God has always been there for me. Nothing or no one can make me doubt there is a Great and majestic God whose name is Jesus. I dare you to try Him. Spend time around the fire of Christianity, enough time will bring the heat of salvation.
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