Bachmann’s testimony differed little from others she has offered on Sunday mornings in Iowa churches throughout the campaign. Relying heavily on her her first decade of life in Iowa, and how the values she received as an Iowan influenced the remainder of her life, Bachmann tells the story of how she became religious — not just a church-goer, which she has been throughout her life, but how she came to accept the Christian faith as something that should be present in every aspect of her life.

“Even though I was doing nothing wrong — I wasn’t drinking, smoking or chasing boys — I still had a wicked heart,” Bachmann says of her 1972 teenage self before she and a group of three friends entered an abandoned and unlocked Minnesota church and stood before the alter confessing their sins.

“We got up. I walked home to our little apartment, and I bowed before my bed. I said to God, ‘All I know is that I’m a different person. … I will radically abandon my life to you, Lord,’ Bachmann said to those gathered in Osceola.

She added that 2 Corinthians 3:17 is her scripture, or the “scripture of my life.” That verse reads, “Now the Lord is that Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Calvary Bible Church is an independent Bible Church that operates without a denomination, but in fellowship with Midwest Church Extension and IFCA International. It is one of a dozen churches throughout the state that function in such a manner.

All member churches are required to agree with IFCA International’s doctrine. In part, that doctrine believes “man is totally depraved.” That is, the churches believe and preach that man was created in the image and likeness of God, but, due to original sin (Adam in the Garden of Eden), all people have inherited a sinful nature, are alienated from God and are unable “to remedy [their] lost condition” without turning to God. Bachmann spoke directly to this belief when stating that although she had personally done nothing wrong, she had “a wicked heart” that had not yet been turned over fully to God. Likewise, during her testimony, she notes that everyone is “born in sin,” a phrase which also follows this specific doctrine.

Additions to her earlier testimonies came during a subsequent question-and-answer period. The questions were offered by Floyd, senior pastor at Calvary Bible who endorsed Bachmann in August, and appeared to follow an ongoing series at the church entitled, “God’s Place in America’s Future.” Floyd first asked Bachmann if she, during the course of her duties as president, would be willing to lead the nation in prayer.

“I think that a president doesn’t lose their First Amendment right to freedom of speech and expression and religious worship and liberty,” Bachmann responded. “I would be most pleased to do that — to lead the nation in prayer. … I think it is time that people of faith stand up and not be fearful and stand for our faith because that’s one of the freedoms that our founders bled and died for to give to each one of us.”

Reminding those in attendance that she was not there to make a political speech, Bachmann noted that she has “been very concerned about the actions of the current president” toward Israel.

“I think it is absolutely vital that we support Israel,” she said.

“We are blessed as a nation — we know that was told to us in the Old Testament — we are blessed as a nation when we bless Israel; and also we need to be praying for the peace of Jerusalem.”

The third and final question from Floyd was regarding the education on children. Specifically, Floyd wanted to know, “who’s responsibility do you think it is to educate children and who gave them that responsibility?”

“The responsibility to educate children belongs to the parents. God has given children two parents and God has given that responsibility to parents,” Bachmann said.

Audio of the question and answer exchange between Floyd and Bachmann is included below.

The full event was recorded by C-SPAN, which anticipated airing its footage on television Sunday night. An exact time and channel can be found on the C-SPAN schedule.

Several members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation were quick to respond to President Obama’s Monday night speech on military action in Libya. Rep. John Kline called for more clarity while Rep. Betty McCollum said the Libyan people must remove Qaddafi. Rep. Michele Bachmann, always prepared to throw verbal bombs at the president, said that “President Obama is taking sides with Palestine over Israel” by supporting NATO action in Libya.

“This is a radical departure from United States foreign policy and the president did it unilaterally without consultation with Congress,” Bachmann said in a post-speech interview with Fox News. “President Obama is taking sides with Palestine over Israel.”

Rep. Betty McCollum released this statement following Obama’s speech:

“I support America’s limited role in the international effort to protect Libyan civilians from being massacred by the tyrant Qaddafi. I agree with President Obama that standing idly by while Qaddafi made good on his edict to slaughter 700,000 Libyans in Benghazi – including women, children, and the elderly – would be an unacceptable blow to America’s values and the security of the region. However, the success of the rebels’ military campaign to remove Qaddafi from power is in the hands of the Libyan people, not the United States.”

Rep. John Kline sent this statement before Obama’s speech (his office hasn’t released a followup reaction):

“I remain deeply concerned that the President committed valuable U.S. military resources to war without conveying to the American people – including our troops – our stated objective in Libya. Tonight, the President must clearly define that mission in no uncertain terms. As a 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps, I respect the Commander in Chief and support our troops in their efforts, but the President must speak with greater precision and clarity about his vision for protecting Libya’s civilians from the fury of a terrorist dictator and whether that includes removing Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi from power.”

Here are Thomas’ comments:

And here’s what Bachmann wrote:

Once again the liberal media has shown its true colors! The White House media dinosaur, also known as Helen Thomas has called on Jews to leave Israel and move back to Poland and Germany. This anti-Semitic sentiment has no place in our public discourse. I call upon her employer, Heart Corporation to dismiss her at once! The White House needs to revoke her press credentials immediately.

Her apology is not sufficient, considering her many previous negative sentiments against Israel. Her language is offensive, vulgar and intolerant.

Photo: mccollum.house.gov

Reps. Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison offered sharp criticism of Israel’s response to a flotilla sent to bring supplies to the Gaza Strip on Monday. The flotilla was detained and 10 activists on board were killed by Israeli troops. McCollum called the incident “preventable,” and Ellison said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the bloodshed.

The following is McCollum’s statement issued on Tuesday evening:

“While the U.S. supports Israel’s security, it is impossible to comprehend or make excuses for Israel’s decision to confront and kill civilian activists. This unnecessary and preventable incident demands a comprehensive investigation by the international community fully supported by the United States.”

Ellison released this statement on Tuesday:

I am deeply shocked and saddened by reports that at least 10 civilians have been killed, with dozens more injured, in a raid as Israeli armed forces intercepted a convoy carrying humanitarian supplies and construction materials to the people of Gaza.

I extend my condolences to the families of those killed and I wish a full and rapid recovery to all injured parties, including both participants on the flotilla and Israeli soldiers.

Israel should grant the detained and injured individuals immediate access to their families and to legal counsel. Israeli authorities should also disclose where the injured have been hospitalized.

Leaders on all sides should take immediate steps to ensure that this incident does not escalate into a broader round of violence in the region.

This tragedy did not need to happen. This event is the result of the ongoing, counterproductive blockade on Gaza. The blockade punishes ordinary citizens, and strengthens Hamas’ control over commerce. I am concerned for Israel’s security and an undernourished and unemployed Gazan population does not promote this goal.

There should be a full investigation by responsible parties regarding how this incident occurred.

As President Obama stated last year in his speech in Cairo:

‘Israel must also live up to its obligations to ensure that Palestinians can live, and work, and develop their society…the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza does not serve Israel’s security.’

I urge President Obama and other international leaders to take this tragedy as a catalyst to end the blockade on Gaza. All parties must come together to move toward a durable peace in the region.

“While the world decries the actions of Israel, I think it’s imperative that the United States stand strong with their ally,” Bachmann wrote in the Hill. “I support Israel’s position to stop and inspect peace missions headed to Gaza for national security purposes and the U.S. should reiterate our support for Israel and stand by them throughout the peace process in the Middle East.”

Meanwhile, a coalition of peace and pro-Palestine groups are planning a protest on Tuesday evening at Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office to urge the United States to stop sending military aid to Israel.

The Coalition for Palestinian Rights (CPR), Women Against Military Madness (WAMM), AntiWar Committee (AWC), International Jewish anti-Zionist Network – TC (IJAN-TC), MN Break the Bonds (MN BBC), Teachers Against Occupation (TAO) released a statement that read in part:

Israel’s criminal actions cannot be permitted to continue. The United States directly supports Israeli atrocities with billions of dollars of military and economic aid every year. All of our Senators and Congressional representatives have supported this aid. This must stop. We call for an immediate end to U.S. ties to Israel. Specifically as people in Minnesota, we call for an end to Minnesota economic ties and financial support of Israel’s atrocities.

“They didn’t seem to have any knowledge about the hell and damage the rocketing was causing on the other side of the border. They didn’t seem to — they were like, oh isn’t it like little pop rockets? I think they actually used the term bottle rockets. They didn’t seem to know. How much damage is being inflicted over there. And how much terror is being inflicted over there.

And when I asked them, do you know any Israelis? None of them did except for one and that one met one when she went to Texas on like a year abroad. The only one who got to know one was the one who went to Texas. It threw a chill through me. Because how do myths about people crop up? When you don’t know them.”

TCJewFolk posed the question: “Does being pro-Palestinian automatically mean a politician is anti-Israel? Can someone be friendly and sympathetic to both sides?”

Here’s Ellison’s response:

Rep. Keith Ellison. Photo: Flickr

During his trip to the Middle East, Rep. Keith Ellison told Arab News, a publication in Damman, Saudi Arabia, that Israeli settlements in the West Bank violate international law and are condemned by the United States.

“The East Jerusalem expansions are not in accordance with international law,” Ellison said in an interview. “East Jerusalem is a land that was acquired by conquest and occupation, and UN resolutions are clear; international law is clear – you cannot use warfare to expand your territories and colonize another country.”

He continued, “This is by no means a controversial statement. The US condemned it; the Quartet condemns it, and Saudi Arabia has condemned it. I think most people in Israel want to have peace with the Palestinians, but the current government in Israel is unfortunately not representing that view.”

The Republican Jewish Coalition is the same organization that recently hired former Sen. Norm Coleman. Bachmann’s appearance on Feb.1 is part of a whirlwind of national events for Bachmann in February. Next up: she’s keynoting the Take Back Washington North Dakota event in Bismarck this Friday night.

Here’s a transcript of some of her remarks at the RJC event:

I am convinced in my heart and in my mind that if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States . . . [W]e have to show that we are inextricably entwined, that as a nation we have been blessed because of our relationship with Israel, and if we reject Israel, then there is a curse that comes into play. And my husband and I are both Christians, and we believe very strongly the verse from Genesis [Genesis 12:3], we believe very strongly that nations also receive blessings as they bless Israel. It is a strong and beautiful principle.

Right now in my own private Bible time, I am working through Isaiah . . . and there is continually a coming back to what God gave to Israel initially, which was the Torah and the Ten Commandments, and I have a wonderful quote from John Adams that if you will indulge me [while I find it] . . . [from his February 16, 1809 letter to François Adriaan van der Kemp]:

I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation. If I were an atheist, and believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing the nations. If I were an atheist of the other sect, who believe or pretend to believe that all is ordered by chance, I should believe that chance had ordered the Jews to preserve and propagate to all mankind the doctrine of a supreme, intelligent, wise, almighty sovereign of the universe, which I believe to be the great essential principle of all morality, and consequently of all civilization.

. . . So that is a very long way to answer your question, but I believe that an explicit statement from us about our support for Israel as tied to American security, we would do well to do that.

The rankings (pdf) were “based on [Congress members'] support for an American foreign policy in the Middle East that best serves the national interest and brings a swift end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Ellison, a Democrat, was the only legislator to score 12 points on 4 key measures. Democrats Reps. Betty McCollum and James Oberstar and Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann each made the list as well, with 6 points, 2 points and one point respectively.

Here are the rating criteria:

1. House Resolution 34, which passed on January 9, 2009

The resolution passed during Israel’s invasion of the Gaza strip and at the height of international criticism as well as domestic public outcry decrying Israel’s human rights abuses during the invasion that resulted in the death of more than 1400 Palestinians in the span of three weeks. House Resolution 34, essentially, assured Israel of its right to defend itself and lay the blame for the death of civilians squarely on Hamas, absolving Israel of any responsibility during the bombardment. There was no mention of Israel’s illegal use of cluster bombs and white phosphorus in the highly dense Gaza strip.

The voting for House Resolution 34 was given double the weight of House Resolution 867, another vote used to score Congressmen on this issue, due to the large amount of pressure that AIPAC and other pro-Israel lobbies put on Congress, as well as, the small number of dissenting lawmakers. The five Nay votes were given four points, the 38 Congressmen who abstained or voted present were given two points, the 390 Yea votes were given zero points.

2. House Resolution 867, which passed on November 3, 2009

House Resolution 867 demanded that President Obama’s administration “oppose unequivocally any endorsement or further consideration of the ‘Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict’ in multilateral fora.”

The text of the resolution was so full of factual errors and misrepresentations of the Goldstone report that both Congressmen Keith Ellison and Brian Baird felt compelled to write critiques of the resolution. Richard Goldstone, the South African judge who authored the report, took the unusual step of issuing a paragraph-by-paragraph response to the report, addressing its inaccuracies and willful omissions. The 36 who voted Nay were given two points, the 52 who voted present or did not vote were scored 1 point, while the 344 Yea votes were given zero points.

3. Congressional visits to Gaza

While largely a symbolic action, a few Congressmen visited the Gaza strip since the invasion by Israeli in January of 2009. These visits show an interest in the plight of the Palestinians living in dismal conditions in Gaza for more than a year now, where little is allowed to enter the strip, including basic necessities such as medical supplies and building material.

Due to the meaningful significance of this gesture, the Congressmen who went to Gaza in the name of human rights, equality, freedom, and justice are recognized in this report. Although as many as 8 members of the House might have made the trip to Gaza in the past year, ANewPolicyPAC was only able to confirm 4 members due to the reluctance of others to announce their plans to visit the strip. Congressmen Keith Ellison, Brian Baird, Stephen Lynch and Bob Inglis were all given four points for making the trip to Gaza.

4. Open Letter to End the Siege on Gaza

The Congressional letter to end the siege on Gaza was signed by 54 members of the House and was addressed to President Obama, stating that “the unabated suffering of Gazan civilians highlights the urgency of reaching a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and we ask you to press for immediate relief for the citizens of Gaza as an urgent component of your broader Middle East Peace.” The letter was a clear indication by a still small but determined minority in the House of Representatives to push for real reform in America’s foreign policy in the Middle East and to finally implement our longstanding positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The 54 Congressmen who signed the letter were each given two points for their brave stance, while the leaders of the initiative, Congressmen

Source: Wikipedia

Democratic U.S. Reps. Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum, and James Oberstar sent a letter urging President Obama late last week urging him to use diplomatic pressure to resolve the blockade affecting Gaza. Spearheaded by Ellison and Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., the letter acknowledges the difficult position facing Israel and notes that the blockade is strengthening Hamas. Fifty members of Congress, as well as a number of religious groups and denominations, have signed on to Ellison’s letter.

“The unabated suffering of Gazan civilians highlights the urgency of reaching a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and we ask you to press for immediate relief for the citizens of Gaza as an urgent component of your broader Middle East peace efforts,” the letter urges. “The current blockade has severely impeded the ability of aid agencies to do their work to relieve suffering.”

Among the groups supporting the letter: J Street, The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF), The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP), The American Near East Refugee Association (ANERA), The Methodist Church, The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), and Rabbis for Human Rights.

“We also sympathize deeply with the people of southern Israel who have suffered from abhorrent rocket and mortar attacks,” the letter states. “We recognize that the Israeli government has imposed restrictions on Gaza out of a legitimate and keenly felt fear of continued terrorist action by Hamas and other militant groups. This concern must be addressed without resulting in the de facto collective punishment of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip. Truly, fulfilling the needs of civilians in Israel and Gaza are mutually reinforcing goals.”

The full letter:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama,

Thank you for your ongoing work to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for your commitment of $300 million in U.S. aid to rebuild the Gaza Strip. We write to you with great concern about the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

The people of Gaza have suffered enormously since the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt following Hamas’ coup, and particularly following Operation Cast Lead. We also sympathize deeply with the people of southern Israel who have suffered from abhorrent rocket and mortar attacks. We recognize that the Israeli government has imposed restrictions on Gaza out of a legitimate and keenly felt fear of continued terrorist action by Hamas and other militant groups. This concern must be addressed without resulting in the de facto collective punishment of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip. Truly, fulfilling the needs of civilians in Israel and Gaza are mutually reinforcing goals.

The unabated suffering of Gazan civilians highlights the urgency of reaching a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and we ask you to press for immediate relief for the citizens of Gaza as an urgent component of your broader Middle East peace efforts. The current blockade has severely impeded the ability of aid agencies to do their work to relieve suffering, and we ask that you advocate for immediate improvements for Gaza in the following areas:

* Movement of people, especially students, the ill, aid workers, journalists, and those with family concerns, into and out of Gaza;

* Access to clean water, including water infrastructure materials,

* Access to plentiful and varied food and agricultural materials;

* Access to medicine and health care products and suppliers;

* Access to sanitation supplies, including sanitation infrastructure materials;

* Access to construction materials for repairs and rebuilding;

* Access to fuel;

* Access to spare parts;

* Prompt passage into and out of Gaza for commercial and agricultural goods; and

* Publication and review of the list of items prohibited to the people of Gaza.

Winter is arriving and the needs of the people grow ever more pressing. For example, the ban on building materials is preventing the reconstruction of thousands of innocent families’ damaged homes. There is also a concern that unrepaired sewage treatment plants will overflow and damage surrounding property and water resources.

Despite ad hoc easing of the blockade, there has been no significant improvement in the quantity and scope of goods allowed into Gaza. Both the number of trucks entering Gaza per month and the number of days the crossings have been open have declined since March. This crisis has devastated livelihoods, entrenched a poverty rate of over 70%, increased dependence on erratic international aid, allowed the deterioration of public infrastructure, and led to the marked decline of the accessibility of essential services.

The humanitarian and political consequences of a continued near-blockade would be disastrous. Easing the blockade on Gaza will not only improve the conditions on the ground for Gaza’s civilian population, but will also undermine the tunnel economy which has strengthened Hamas. Under current conditions, our aid remains little more than an unrealized pledge. Most importantly, lifting these restrictions will give civilians in Gaza a tangible sense that diplomacy can be an effective tool for bettering their conditions.

Your Administration’s overarching Middle East peace efforts will benefit Israel, the Palestinians, and the entire region. The people of Gaza, along with all the peoples of the region, must see that the United States is dedicated to addressing the legitimate security needs of the State of Israel and to ensuring that the legitimate needs of the Palestinian population are met.

Sincerely,

Members of Congress

Arizona
Raul Grijalva

California
Lois Capps
Sam Farr
Bob Filner
Barbara Lee
Loretta Sanchez
Pete Stark
Michael Honda
Lynn Woolsey
Jackie Speier
Diane Watson
George Miller

Connecticut
Jim Himes

Indiana
Andre Carson

Iowa
Bruce Braley

Kentucky
John Yarmuth

Maryland
Elijah Cummings
Donna Edwards

Massachusetts
Michael Capuano
William Delahunt
Jim McGovern
John Tierney
John Olver
Stephen Lynch

Michigan
John Conyers
John Dingell
Carolyn Kilpatrick

Minnesota
Keith Ellison
Betty McCollum
James Oberstar

New Jersey
Donald Payne
Rush Holt
Bill Pascrell

New York
Yvette Clarke
Maurice Hinchey
Paul Tonko
Eric Massa

North Carolina
David Price

Ohio
Mary Jo Kilroy
Marcy Kaptur

Oregon
Earl Blumenauer
Peter DeFazio

Pennsylvania
Chaka Fattah
Joe Sestak

Vermont
Peter Welch

Virginia
Jim Moran

Washington
Jim McDermott
Adam Smith
Jay Inslee
Brian Baird

West Virginia
Nick Rahall

Wisconsin
Tammy Baldwin
Gwen Moore

Virginia
Glenn Nye