In 2007, rightwing media star Ann Coulter said Jews need to be “perfected” by becoming Christians.
Coulter made the remarks during an appearance to promote her new book on CNBC’s The Big Idea. Host Donny Deutsch had asked Coulter if “it would be better if we (Americans) were all Christian” and she responded: “Yes.”
“We should all be Christian?” Deutsch repeated.
“Yes,” Coulter responded, asking Deutsch, who is Jewish, if he would like to “come to church with me.”
“We should just throw Judaism away and we should all be Christians?” Deutsch asked, pressing Coulter further.
“Yeah,” Coulter responded. “That is what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews.”
Now I realize that what Coulter said is nothing more than old-fashioned, unvarnished Christian doctrine– although it’s rarely expressed so openly these days. And it doesn’t prove she is antisemitic.
But her latest outburst has a decidedly nastier tone. Her target is Barry Lynn, an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and the head of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Many conservative Christians like Coulter disapprove of the efforts of Americans United to draw a sharp line between religion and government (especially when it comes to prayer in public schools).
Coulter wrote:
Then there’s Barry Lynn, alleged “Christian minister,” whose stock in trade is to denounce any mention of religion anyplace, anytime. Look, I’m a Christian minister, but even I have to admit that the sight of a kindergartner praying is terrifying to most folks. (The first person to post Barry Lynn’s bar mitzvah photos or birth announcement (mazel tov!) wins a free copy of my latest book, Guilty: Liberal ‘Victims’ and Their Assault on America.)
There are reports on the Web that Lynn was born Jewish and converted. Whether true or not, this apparently raises doubts in Coulter’s addled mind about whether he can be considered a true Christian. (Lynn’s rather amusing response is here.)
I wonder if she has similar suspicions about someone else who was born a Jew.
(Hat tip: Adam Holland)