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Southern Baptists run down Clinton

United States President Bill Clinton has drawn heavy flak from the Southern Baptists Convention, the 15.8 million-member denomination that includes Clinton as a member.

The denomination's newspaper quoted its leader on Wednesday as saying that President Clinton ''has very few convictions.'' He also accused the Clinton administration of distorting Christian evangelism as religious hatred.

According to USA Today, Paige Patterson, the president of the Southern Baptists, said he was offended by White House spokesman Joe Lockhart's comments during a December 16 press briefing.

The Baptist Press reported that Lockhart was asked about a Baptist campaign to pray for and share the gospel with Hindus, Jews and Muslims. ''I think the president has made very clear ... his views on religious tolerance, and how one of the greatest challenges going into the next century is dealing with intolerance, dealing with ethnic and religious hatred, and coming to grips with the long-held resentments between religions,'' Lockhart said. ''So I think he's been very clear in his opposition to whatever organisation, including the Southern Baptists, that perpetuate ancient religious hatred,'' he added.

''I would say that the president or his press secretary or both have once again demonstrated that the one thing for which they have no regard is truth,'' Patterson added.

EXTERNAL LINK :
Southern Baptist leader blasts Clinton

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