God and Hillary Clinton: A Spiritual Life, by Paul Kengor, published Sept. 18, 2007: on Principles & Values

Bill Clinton: 1955: attended church on his own accord at age 9

By the mid-1950s, the only religious education that Bill Clinton had received came from two years in a Catholic grade school, a subject on which virtually nothing has been written. But starting in 1955, the 9-year-old began to wear a suit on Sunday mornings and walk alone to Park Place Baptist Church. The pastor, Reverend Dexter Blevins, said the boy was there “every time the door opened.” The boy sensed, maybe from observing the behavior of the two immature adults in his small universe, that it was important that he go to church in order to “to try to be a good person.”

His mother agreed with her young son’s decision to find God, encouraging him to go every week, even though she and her husband made it only on Christmas and Easter.

The claim will shock his detractors today, but there were some who thought that the young Clinton would grow up to be a minister.

Bill Clinton: Part of his “New Democrat” included religious Democrats

A moderate Democrat must, of course, be a religious Democrat. Bill Clinton noted during the campaign that he was such a Democrat. “I pray virtually every day, usually at night, and I read the Bible every week,” he said. He added that he believed strongly in “old- fashioned things” like the “constancy of sin, the possibility of forgiveness, the reality of redemption.” While these words might sound hollow from some candidates, from Clinton they were in line with his long-established beliefs and life experiences.

Bill Clinton: Still angry at Ken Starr for tawdry details

President Clinton did say he was “solely and completely responsible,” though that stand-up statement seemed to fall by the wayside as he tore into Starr.

Yes, Starr had reported some tawdry personal material. Yet, Bill Clinton, publicly and under oath, had denied the relationship with Lewinsky. Starr had a legal and ethical duty to find and report the details. To this day, Bill Clinton remains angry at Starr.

Bill Clinton: 1996: faith community most scandalized by Easter liaison

The incident has hardly been forgotten, especially among observant Christians. Detractors and skeptics of Bill’s faith never cease to bring it up, always eager to denounce Bill as a hypocrite.

Bill Clinton: Familiar with Bible & has genuine faith, say his pastors

In an interview for this book, Wogaman confirmed that Bill, not Hillary, was the impetus. Wogaman confirms that Bill, in addition to his regular church attendance, was meeting once a week with personal spiritual counselors.

Even before the Lewinsky scandal, Campolo says he and Clinton “would get together about once every five or six weeks for a couple of hours.“

Wogaman said they discussed how important faith is in forming our lives. The minister said that through these experiences, he learned that Clinton’s faith was genuine, though Wogaman did carefully concede that ”you can never entirely read into the heart of a person.“

In his first session with the God Squad, Bill opened his Bible and read his favorite passage from Isaiah. Wogaman perceived that Clinton was ”very familiar with the Bible.

Hillary Clinton: 1963: called Saul Alinsky “great seducer” of young minds

Hillary would later describe Alinsky as a “great seducer” of young minds. In truth, Jones’s goal in introducing his acolytes to Alinsky could not have been all that religious, since Alinsky was a well-known and committed agnostic Jew. Hillary was among those taken in, so intrigued and impressed by Alinsky that she would later write her college thesis on his strategies.

Hillary Clinton: Early character development: standing up to a bully

The next time Hillary was confronted by the brat, who had been encouraged by a pack of boys, the Rodham girl shocked everyone by punching Suzy, knocking her off her feet. The boys stood there, mouths agape, as the stunned tyrant fell to the ground. The triumphant Hillary sprinted back to her house.

It was an important moment for Hillary and one that Dorothy would later come to recognize as crucial to the development of her daughter’s character. The altercation with Suzy changed the way Hillary interacted with everyone--especially the boys. Dorothy Rodham said: “Boys responded well to Hillary. She just took charge, and they let her.”

Hillary Clinton: Sought pastoral guidance on doubts about capital punishment

The topic had long provided Bill with a good issue to help position himself a moderate. Jones discussed this issue with Hillary when Gov. Clinton was once considering whether to commute a capital sentence. Hillary “agonized” over the decision, and consulted Jones. Jones told her, “I believe there is such a thing as punitive justice; that’s part of the whole concept of justice. And I think some people have forfeited their right to life because of the heinous deed that they’ve committed.” In response, says Jones, Hillary told him, “Well, I think I agree with you.”

However, says Jones, it was evident that Hillary “was struggling with the question of could she conscientiously as a Christian say that. There was uncertainty. I attribute that to her faith.”

Hillary Clinton: Dealt with Bill’s infidelity via counseling & Book of Psalms

Hillary’s pastor in Little Rock, Dr. Ed Matthews, says that Hillary was very much in personal crisis, suffering a broken heart, and sought solace in the Book of Psalms. Bill eventually agreed to meet with Dr. Matthews and Hillary for counseling.

Hillary Clinton: Sincere Christian & lifelong member of religious left

Hillary Clinton: The politics of meaning: individuality is part of society

“Why is there this undercurrent of discontent? This sense that somehow economic growth & prosperity, political democracy & freedom are not enough? That we collectively lack, at some core level, meaning in our individual lives & meaning collectively? We are, I think, in a crisis of meaning. What does it mean in today’s world to pursue not only vocations, to be part of institutions, but to be human?

We need a new politics of meaning. We need a new definition of civil society which answers the unanswerable questions, as to how we can have a society that fills us up again and makes us feel that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.“

Hillary Clinton: Amalgam politics: make labels irrelevant

To a degree her plea was valid, but it was also disingenuous, as she could have candidly admitted that she was not a conservative Republican. This trend would continue throughout Hillary’s career, as she consistently lunged for the rhetorical middle and tried to frame herself as a moderate.

When it is suggested that she sounds as though she’s trying to come up with a sort of unified-field theory of life, she says, excitedly, “That’s right, that’s exactly right!” The First Lady was seeking a way to marry conservatism and liberalism, capitalism and state-ism, to join together the myriad state, religious, social, economic, and class problems into one idea that could be addressed by her theory.

Hillary Clinton: Old-fashioned Methodist; reads Book of Resolutions & Bible

The piece began by noting that Mrs. Clinton had been called many things. Yet, long before she was a Democrat, a lawyer, or a Clinton, wrote Woodward, Hillary Rodham was a Methodist. Woodward noted that she talked like a Methodist, thought like one, and even desired to reform society like a well-schooled Methodist churchwoman. “I am, she affirmed, an old-fashioned Methodist.“

Mrs. Clinton said she kept a copy of The Book of Resolutions of the United Methodist Church, along with the Bible. She told Woodward, ”I think that the Methodist Church, for a period of time, became too socially concerned, too involved in the social gospel, and did not pay enough attention to questions of personal salvation and individual faith.“ This was odd coming from Hillary, who took Methodism’s social gospel more to heart than any other religious teaching.

Hillary Clinton: Strong identification with Eleanor Roosevelt

On 2/21/93, Hillary mentioned imaginary discussions: “I thought about all the conversations I’ve had in my head with Mrs. Roosevelt this year,” saying she had asked Eleanor questions like, “How did you put up with this?“

To many people, it was fitting that Hillary identified with Eleanor. In April 1995, Jean Houston proposed that Mrs. Clinton ”search further and dig deeper“ for her connections to Mrs. Roosevelt. Houston had Hillary close her eyes, and envision herself in a room with Eleanor, a room where she was free to talk about whatever she wanted.

Pundits ridiculed Hillary; quoting Eleanor was great, but communing with her ”spirit“ was something else entirely.

Hillary Clinton: Endured Monicagate through faith and inward spirituality

Nonetheless, she turned inward. Her press secretary stated, “Clearly this is not the best day in Mrs. Clinton’s life. This is a time she relies on her strong religious faith.” Hillary elaborated, announcing, “I’m not sure I would have gotten through it without my faith.”

There were in fact spiritual sources that Hillary tapped at this time, taking guidance from certain ministers. One such was civil rights leader Jesse Jackson.

Hillary Clinton: 2000: campaigned heavily in African-American churches

Hillary appeared behind the podium [at one church in Harlem]: “She’s gonna win,” declares the pastor. “And we are going to come out in droves for her.” Nobody doubted that black voters prefered Hillary over Rick Lazio. But black turnout is unreliable.

Source: God and Hillary Clinton, by Paul Kengor, p.194-204 Jul 18, 2007