One of the problems with Ann Coulter is that when she is right she manages to offend folks. Take the most recent flap in which she said something correct in a way that sounds just awful.

Conservative author Ann Coulter finds herself in the middle of a firestorm once again after remarks on a CNBC television show in which she said Jews need "to be perfected" and suggested the nation would be better off if it were all-Christian.

Appearing on "The Big Idea" with host Donny Deutsch on Monday, she said Christians were tolerant of racial diversity but that it "would be a lot easier" for Jews if they were to become Christians.

Deutsch, who described himself as a practicing Jew on the show, was clearly dismayed by the remarks, which he called "hateful" and "antisemitic," according to a transcript published on the Web by Editor and Publisher.

Yep, that’s our Ann – managing to put her foot in her mouth even when she expresses a view that is well-within the realm of Christian orthodoxy.

The problem is, of course, that she said what she said in a way that does not communicate it well.

What she should have said is that we Christians believe that the coming of Christ as the Messiah perfected the Covenant of the Old Testament and transformed it into something new. That is, of course, the message of the New Testament, which emphasizes salvation by faith and not by a rigid adherence to the Law of the Old Testament. As such, Christianity can be legitimately said to be “perfected Judaism”.

However, Coulter is wrong in how she communicates one point. We as individual Christians are not perfected – indeed, as one pop theology cliché states, Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven. As a more abstract theological statement, coming from one of the great theologians of the Reformation, would have it that we are covered by Christ’s righteousness, but are not ourselves righteous due to our sinful human nature. That is why I consider Coulter’s way of phrasing her point to have been very sloppy, to the point of unintentional offensiveness – but it is not anti-Semitic.

This brings me to two other points that I view as quite important. The Christian Scriptures include Jesus’ call to “make of all disciples”. As such, it is our baptismal mission to preach to and convert others. It is our hope that every person will truly embrace Christ in faith – to come under the Covenant made perfect by the death and resurrection of God Made Flesh. And yes, that includes the Jews, who we were the first people to hear the Gospel message and many of whom, we are told in the Book of Revelation, will accept Christ as their Savior in the last days as they recognize that the words of the prophets are fulfilled in him. And those things, my friends, are essential elements of Christianity – not the “be nice to everyone, help others” notions of pop theology that I heard proclaimed as “Real Christianity” by some of the scripturally and theologically ignorant talking heads as I prepared for school today.

And IÂ’d like to close with the thoughts of commentator and blogger Debbie Schlussel, who is herself a proud observant Jew. She notes that she actually knows An Coulter, and based upon that knows that Coulter is not an anti-Semite. She also points out that the beliefs expressed by Ann Coulter should offend her fellow Jews no more than the beliefs of Jews should offend Coulter and others.

To wit: That we, as Jews, don't accept the full Christian Bible, and therefore, it's the Christian belief that we need to be fully accepting of it. She said "That is what we [Christians] believe we are--perfected Jews."

Why should that offend me? I've had brunch with Ann, and we've had many conversations through e-mail, etc. During all of that, she's never once told me she's offended that I believe that I am part of the Chosen People. To you far-left Jews and other uber-liberals who want to rush off and call Ann an anti-Semite, that means that we as Jews believe Christians and Hindus and Bahai Faithers (and definitely, Muslims) are not Chosen. Does that make me a religious bigot? Nope. It just means I actually believe in my religion. Just like Ann does. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Would that such common sense will prevail here – though given that Coulter (of whom I am not a great fan, by the way) has been the subject of an unrelenting witch hunt by liberals intent upon ridding the media of the popular columnist and commentator, I doubt that it will do so among those most intent upon stirring up another faux scandal involving a conservative pundit.

UPDATE: Jewish group says Christians can't claim their faith is correct without being anti-Semitic. Sounds mighty intolerant, anti-Christian, and bigoted to me. After all, they are daring to say that Christians are wrong in what they believe and need to believe something else to be correct -- just what they are condemning Ann Coulter for doing.

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Posted by: Greg at 10:26 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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