Ben Carson’s Candor

On September 20 on Meet the Press, Republican presidential candidate, Dr. Ben Carson, was asked a “Gotcha!” question: “Would you support a Muslim candidate for President?” His answer has unleashed an angry firestorm of criticism from numerous left wing celebrities, Muslims, and even from the White House. It’s the season.

Carson said he “absolutely would not support” a Muslim being elected President of the United States. He explained that Islamic Sharia Law is completely incompatible with the principles upon which our country is established that are enumerated in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. (And, I might add, that are laid out in the Bible.) If a Muslim thoroughly repudiated Sharia Law, Carson added, then he would have no problem. But he hastened to say that in Shia Islam there is a provision called Taqiya which enables and encourages a Muslim to lie to achieve his goals.

The left is apoplectic. Carson has been called a bigot. He’s been told to drop out of the race, that he’s not fit to be President. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have made sure to comment derogatorily. Every pro-Muslim group has received prominent air time on MSNBC or CNN. And CAIR, which likes to pose as a Muslim civil rights group but which actively supports the terrorism of Hamas, can hardly contain itself. CAIR is coddled by the White House which marched lockstep with the Muslim group and released a suspiciously timed statement condemning the hypocrisy of Dr. Carson.

Even Dr. Carson’s friends among Conservatives have weighed in. Some have disguised their derision by observing that the Constitution specifically states that there may be no religious test for a person to be President. And Dr. Carson should know that, they say. Well, Dr. Carson does know that. But Sharia Law is not merely a religious tenet. It is an authority that purports to transcend the American Constitution and overrules it. A person who swears on the Koran the oath to protect and defend the constitution is openly declaring that he is bound by a higher authority than the Constitution. That is what Dr. Carson says we may not allow.

Others have responded that he should have brushed the question away. Charles Krauthammer opined that the proper answer would have been, “This is a hypothetical situation and I won’t answer the question. There are no Muslims presently on the horizon who are even distantly considered as a candidate for President.” By that means Dr. Carson might have avoided the entire controversy.

But that is not Carson’s way. He will tell you the truth and he will not run from it. After all, Dr. Carson first came to the nation’s attention when at the National Prayer Breakfast a couple of years ago, with President Obama sitting beside him, he declared to the assembly that ObamaCare was the worst thing to happen to medical care in this country. President Obama sat there silent, his lips pursed into a tight line that betrayed his anger.

It reminds me of the time at a White House State dinner to honor Mother Theresa, when the diminutive nun stood at the podium and turned to President Bill Clinton, the most powerful man in the world, and wagged her bony finger in his face and lectured him that abortion is evil. And the President of the United States on that occasion had to sit there and take it.

There is something about the truth that we in our hyper PC world have forgotten: Truth is the most potent force in the world. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) Truth is anchored in God. His power and authority stand behind it. In its path evil and falsehood are mowed down. Proverbs enjoins us, “Buy truth, and do not sell it.” (23:23)

It is past time for those of us who believe in absolute truth to boldly speak it without considering the consequences. The great Puritan divine Matthew Henry observed one time, “The Moon continues to shine even though the dogs bark at it.” The liars and the purveyors of falsehood will howl with shock and outrage when the truth is spoken. But the man or woman who dares to utter truth bravely and boldly will discover that in the end, he will stand and they will fall. Let us speak clearly until falsehood lies vanquished in the streets! Hang in there, Dr. Carson.