On CNN's AC360 on Monday, Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker revealed her own ignorance of Christian teachings, as she targeted Senator Ted Cruz for something "astonishing" he recently said at a campaign stop: "I don't think there's any chance Ted Cruz can win a general — and here's why....He said...'It's time for the Body of Christ to rise up and support me.' I don't know anyone who takes their religion seriously who would think that Jesus should rise from the grave and resurrect himself to serve Ted Cruz. I know so many people who are offended by that comment." [video below]
Parker went on to assert that "if you want to talk about grandiosity and messianic self-imagery...Ted Cruz makes Donald Trump look rather, sort of, like a gentle little lamb." The former CNN host also contended, "I don't see independents falling in line behind Ted Cruz."
The liberal writer interjected her point about the Republican presidential candidate near the end of a panel discussion segment. Parker first noted that the "Quinnipiac poll found that...the most likely people to go to caucuses believe that Ted Cruz is the more likely — correct me if I'm wrong on this — the more likely to be able to win a general election." She added, "I think that's completely wrong," and continued with her attack on Senator Cruz over the "Body of Christ" comments.
It should be pointed out that correspondent Trip Gabriel correctly interpreted the Texas Republican's remarks in a January 10, 2016 item for the New York Times: "When he [Cruz] took the stage...at a theater in Winterset [Iowa], he said the key to Republicans' taking the White House was simple, and would not require a compromise with moderates. 'We have to awaken and energize the body of Christ,' he said, referring to faith-driven voters." That's precisely what Senator Cruz meant — or more generally, the overall community of Christian believers throughout the world.
Parker also failed to realize that it is an essential Christian belief that Jesus already rose from the grave after dying on Mount Calvary. As St. Paul put it his First Letter to the Corinthians, "If Christ be not risen again, your faith is vain, for you are yet in your sins."
Moments later, the columnist claimed that "the evangelical community...may disagree with what I just said, and may see it as less offensive than I did." That's probably right, because they knew what Cruz meant by "the Body of Christ."
The transcript of the relevant portion of the panel discussion segment from the January 11, 2016 edition of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360:
KATHLEEN PARKER, SYNDICAL COLUMNIST, WASHINGTON POST: Anderson, I'd like to make another point—
ANDERSON COOPER: But Kathleen — go ahead — yeah.
[CNN Graphic: "Battle For The White House: Iowa Dead Heat As Trump, Cruz Clash"]
PARKER: I think it's — the same Quinnipiac poll found that, I think, more — the most likely people to go to caucuses believe that — that Ted Cruz is the more likely — correct me if I'm wrong on this — the more likely to be able to win a general election. And I think that's completely wrong. I don't think there's any chance Ted Cruz can win a general — and here's why. One observation — I don't know — this seems to have slipped through the cracks a little bit, but — but I — you know, Ted Cruz said something that I found rather astonishing. He said, you know, 'It's time for the Body of Christ to rise up and support me.'
I don't know anyone who takes their religion seriously who would think that Jesus should rise from the grave and resurrect himself to serve Ted Cruz. I know so many people who are offended by that comment. And, you know, if you want to talk about grandiosity and messianic self-imagery, I think he makes — you know, Ted Cruz makes Donald Trump look rather, sort of, like a gentle little lamb. I think—
COOPER: Kathleen, do you think Donald Trump can win a general?
PARKER: Well, I think he — I don't think he should, but I think he has a better chance in a general election, because he's not so far right as — as Ted Cruz. You see that his support comes from people who are very conservative — the evangelical community — many of whom may not — you know, may disagree with what I just said, and may see it as less offensive than I did. But, you know, I think that the middle-of-the-road people; moderates; more liberal Republicans would find that, kind of, a little much. And I know that — you know, I don't see independents falling in line behind Ted Cruz.
