Pro-Clinton Clergy Won't Play Nathan to Bill's David

Tooley, Mark, Insight on the News

It's one of the most famous Old Testament stories. The great King David commits adultery with Bathsheba and then sends her soldier husband to his death at the front lines to reserve the beautiful woman for himself. The prophet Nathan confronts his monarch over the sin with the indicting words, "Thou are the man!"

Clerical defenders of Bill Clinton in the wake of the Monica Lewinsky scandal have taken to likening the president to the Hebrew king. David, whom Clinton supposedly resembles, was a godly man who momentarily fell from grace but dramatically repented, seeking public and divine forgiveness.

But largely missing from responses to the Clinton scandals by religious leaders has been any Nathan-like denunciation of Clinton's adultery, deception and abuse of power. True, there have been exceptions. …

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Publication information: Article title: Pro-Clinton Clergy Won't Play Nathan to Bill's David. Contributors: Tooley, Mark - Author. Magazine title: Insight on the News. Volume: 14. Issue: 37 Publication date: October 12, 1998. Page number: 28. © 1999 News World Communications, Inc. COPYRIGHT 1998 Gale Group.

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