I've heard that she has been seen at Redeemer in NYC - Keller's church. Although, it's hard for me to believe she could sit under Keller's preaching and continually speak the way she does.

Coulter's okay in my book. If you haven't read Godless. It's a must-read.

I do like her quick wit and dead-on answers to some of these questions.

But I'm not sure about this:

"Most of the time, I’m an extraordinarily good Christian."

I dunno. It seems to strike me as...well..."un-humble". Can any of us make that claim accurately?

--"Although, it’s hard for me to believe she could sit under Keller’s preaching and continually speak the way she does."

Maybe that's why she prays for the souls of people who say she's never been there. Like, maybe she's aware of how much she needs to hear what Keller has to say even if she has trouble living his advice, but people either just can't believe that she would attend there or deny her presence because they don't want to be associated with her.

When you know you're just a wretch that God loves even though, it's that much harder to pray for brothers and sisters who unintentionally put a stumbling block in your path.

Or she could've just been rippin' on somebody. :)

I also agree with DK.

That one rubbed me wrong on first glance, but I think she was trying to get at the "I'm just a wretch" part. When we are humble enough to admit how wretched we are, it keeps our ego just enough in check.

But it really didn't come across that way if that was her intent.

I took her "most of the time, I'm an extraordinarally good Christian" statement to be a confirmation of the "wretch" statement preceding. In other words, based on her definition of what a Christian is (to believe that God saved a wretch like you), she has that thought and faith in the forefront of her mind most of the time.

That being said, I think she was pretty unsuccessful at communicating that if that was her purpose!

So often the topics and discussions in the public square are dominated by influential people who are at odds with the bible on foundational things. Ann Coulter has intruded into this arena with a viewpoint that is highly challenging (to conventional wisdom), well-informed, and overly acerbic for most tastes. At least she's swimming upstream. Her favorite Bible verses (there's a link at the end of the article) tend to present divine judgement and wrath. While this may strike many as simply in keeping with her offensive tone, it must be noted that they are in accord with the foundational principle that the fear of the Lord is the starting point of true knowledge and wisdom.
In regard to her statement about being a very good Christian I take her to mean that the depth of her sin greatly qualifies her for God's amazing grace and forgiveness. The story of the grateful woman and the self-righteous pharisee in Luke 7 teaches that those forgiven much, love much.

She reminds me of Alexander Hamilton, who was another American Christian who could be very vocal and despite being the great orator he was, could rocket his foot in to his mouth with astonishing speed.

Now, this was a man who resigned from office over an adulterous relationship (though not before paying blackmail money to the woman's husband and still seeing her after that) and died as a result of a duel. A very imperfect man, to say the least, but he was also passionate and steadfast in his faith. If there are any doubts that Ann is saved, then I'll give her the benefit of it.

Most of what I've heard of Coulter (admittedly not much) strikes me as a woman with a political agenda that she sees Jesus fitting into. Perhaps that's just her tone, but I find her implications that liberal cannot go with Christian offensive.

In the past few years I've learned that Jesus was far more liberal that I used to give him credit for. As a result I'm far more liberal than I used to be.

As far as her 'good Christian' comment, it fits with her brash style, but I took it in the context of her prior statement. Most of the time she "believe[s] with all [her] heart at every moment that God loved a wretch like [her] so much that he sent his only son to die for [her] sins." Not a bad statement, really.

Salguod
You said, "In the past few years I’ve learned that Jesus was far more liberal that I used to give him credit for. As a result I’m far more liberal than I used to be."

How so? Not that I don't agree with you (I found the same to be true to an extent) I just want to hear you expound a bit more on this.

Most of what I’ve heard of Coulter (admittedly not much) strikes me as a woman with a political agenda that she sees Jesus fitting into.

Only God knows.

Perhaps that’s just her tone, but I find her implications that liberal cannot go with Christian offensive.

Agreed on that point, but I think she is talking more about the rabid humanist/secularist flavor of liberal and she's speaking in generalities, which, admittedly, can be dangerous territory.

In the past few years I’ve learned that Jesus was far more liberal that I used to give him credit for. As a result I’m far more liberal than I used to be.

One of the rules a person needs to abide by when interpreting Jesus' political positions is to read the context. Sometimes we can read our modern political positions too much in to what Christ is saying about the culture he lived in. But I would also like to hear you expand on this statement.

My favorite answer:

As a journalist, do you long to have a sense of decorum? Or do you see your life’s vocation as primarily asking strangers utterly inappropriate personal questions?

I thought Ann's church statement was a knock on the Clintons. She has frequently made comments about their "church attendance" in New York....but I could be wrong.

I know I'm not supposed to. I know I'm supposed to think she's "over-the-top" and hateful, but I like Ann Coulter. And I like the interview.

I think it's obvious that she says she's a good Christian because she believes that Jesus would die for a wretch like her. And she "pretends" to attend a church in NYC because some people have accused her of not attending church at all.

Now Ann C absolutely drives me up the wall most of the time but this:

"What does it mean to be a good Christian, and do you consider yourself to be a good Christian?

To believe with all your heart at every moment that God loved a wretch like you so much that he sent his only son to die for your sins. Most of the time, I’m an extraordinarily good Christian."

made me very, very smiley indeed. Here, ladies and gentlemen, is someone who Gets It. So I'll have to change my opinion of her cos apparently my Dad thinks that, through the Cross, she's great! Funny old thing, the Bride of Christ.

I think the comment about pretending to go to church is in reference to several articles published that suggested that she was lying when she implied that she attended Redeemer in NYC. One of the reporter allegedly called the church and interviewed someone who reportedly said, "We don't know her."

The Lady surely Gets It.

Not only cerebral, not only witty, not only right, but righteous. Reading her comments added lots of weight to her stock in my book which heretofore depended only on having heard her on radio. Almost persuades me to get a copy of her latest book. (Will those who have read it tell us whether it is as cunningly funny as the quotes above from the email interview?)

I've read her book and yes, it is just as funny - and quite sharp.

As far as her 'extraordinarily good Christian' remark...well, as Roy said, Ann Gets It. The fact that she sees herself as a wretch whose life and soul have been paid for by God's love and Jesus' blood makes me think that the 'extraordinarily good' remark is either somewhat sarcastic (one of Anne's specialties) or a confident assessment after that moment in which He shines the light on our souls and shows us the awful - but wonderful - truth.

Really, only God knows this, but she appears to me to have politicized Christianity beyond all recognition, seriously. I mean, I understand the "good Christian" part was both true and snarky, but...there are theologically conservative believers that run a little liberal politically. I'm one of them, for example. And even the secular humanist liberals are made in the image of God. (Hate the ideology, love the liberal? I don't know.)

Needless to say, she rubs me the wrong way a little. :p But it's not up to any of us to declare what her spiritual state is. *shrug*

My personal preference is to avoid anyone who talks as sharp and nasty as she does.

Even if she's right. (and, she is certainly not left!)

I can't see how anything she says or does effects anything in my life at all. So why would I want to listen to her? She just angers people, and isn't there enough of that without egging people on?

She certainly doesn't represent as a woman with a 'gentle and quiet spirit'.

Whenever I happen upon her on TV, I want to stick my fingers in my ears and babble incoherently.

My husband likes her.

Not a big fan.

Her paraphrase quote answer to the first question misses something. The passage (I looked it up to be sure of what it says exactly) is Mt 7 13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." That's not the same as "Make every effort" or "many will try and will not be able to".

Her footnote makes no sense.

She's snarky and anything but humble (of course we all have sins we deal with) and if she is a Christian and one in the public eye I think she should work harder to be more Christ-like. Her answer to the "nicer" question was smug and full of hubris.

She did nail the last three (except for the "smiting liberals" thing, but I can accept that that was tongue in cheek)

For the record as a "liberal" (mainly in comparison to the crowd here) I can't stomach Moore either.

[...] Ann Coulter talks about her faith. Something is wrong here. I don’t know what, but something. [...]

Well, I think the definition of good Christian leaves a lot to be desired. Did Jesus not say, "take up your cross and follow me"? There's a little more than just believing Jesus died for your sins. There has to be a worship and treasuring of God Himself, not just an appreciation of His gifts.

And, don't Muslims believe in the "God of Abraham"? Is she just trying to get around saying Muslim?

[...] Ann Coulter Talks About Her Faith Over at Thinklings. Published Monday, 31 July, 2006 10:52 AM by Right Mind [...]

As a journalist, do you long to have a sense of decorum?

I guess I'm a predictable Anne-basher, but this line seems particularly ironic to me given the coarseness of her remarks in other contexts this week.

But maybe a commentator is different from a journalist.

We all are a different part of the body and have different gifts, callings, etc. I don't like the brashness of some of what she says, but maybe that's truly her purpose--to shake things up. She's single and wholly devoted to doing what she feels God-led to do with her life. There are some needed to quietly work behind the scenes, and there are anchormen (and women). And then there's Jerry Springer and Oprah. Both strive to enlighten the public about what's REALLY going on in the world today. (Chew on that for a moment!) Maybe she's a white Oprah with less concern for tact and her public image than what God has laid on her heart.

OK. I'm a bit late to the party, but here's my two cents . . .

I agree with the political viewpoint that Ann Coulter espouses in a general sense. That is, I am politically conservative to a fault. In fact, I consider myself a conservative first and a Republican only a distant second. I think that my political viewpoint falls more in line with the Consitution Party than with what the Republicans have become today.

I also applaud the fact that someone has the courage to willingly stand in the public eye, day after day, and state the things that she does, and not worry about the reprisals that she will inevitably have to deal with.

Having said that, I will also say that I do not especially care for Ann Coulter herself. I think that her bellicose attitude does absolutely nothing to further her cause. Her arrogant, even condescending, tone, add nothing to the debate, and as far as I've seen, only serve to drive away those that she is talking about. Her attitude and her personality do nothing but drive wedges between the conservative and liberal belief systems, and in the end all she winds up doing is preaching to the choir. Granted, maybe she'd be doing that no matter what, but still . . .

I think that the rather unpleasant disposition that she brings out when discussing a topic with people who disagree with her is repulsive. To act as though you are speaking to a second-grader in order to point out the fallacy of his belief is insulting. That is her stock in trade, though, and it is part of what has put her where she is today.

Do I think that she's a Christian? I don't have a good answer to that except to say that it doesn't matter what *I* think. It matters what God thinks. Nothing else.

Excuse me while I dismantle my soapbox. :-)

[...] Michael wrote: Ann Coulter talks about her faith. Something is wrong here. I don’t know what, but something. [...]

[...] There has been a bit of a blogosphere dust-up regarding exactly what Ann’s religious commitments might be. Based on my limited knowledge, it appears to me that Ann is either a cradle Christian occasionally returning to church or one who is in what some evangelicals might call modest “seeker” mode, though she certainly seems sold on some aspects of historic, orthodox Christianity. She’s read more than a few things, articulates the content very well, but when she gets to the experiential side, she seems, shall we say, somewhat less than convincing. [...]

It seems that the only thing that Ann is good at is being irrelevant. Does it matter at all that she is a self proclaimed "Good" Christian? Does it matter that she is a Christian at all?

If faith in a concept that no one alive can prove is the measure of worthiness to enter heaven then it would seem no matter what you name as God: Vishnu, Zeus, Mercury, Venus, ....that god entity could be a portal to enter heaven if there is a heaven. If there is a heaven we all go there. If there is no heaven, so be it. If we choose the wrong god as our portal what then?

An honest to goodness athiest qualifies to go to heaven.

Christianity like every other religion is a conjecture become a club of sorts. If you believe in a singular all powerful God then you believe that God must have created everything and everyone. If you don't believe in God it does not matter because if there is a God then you are part of God's creation. God would not send the creation, he-she made into a pit. The pit would also be part of creation.

Casting non believers into eternal damnation would assume that an all knowing God made a mistake by act of creation.

Does God make mistakes? Or is Ann Coulter just a convenient shill making a fine living off her public displays.

God to be God does not need Ann Coulter's opinion, judegment and worship or anyone else's for that matter.

"God to be God does not need Ann Coulter’s opinion, judegment and worship or anyone else’s for that matter."

I completely agree with your last statement. He is God, whether you or I worship him or believe in him or not.

He is eternal, self-existent, and his ways are higher than our ways, and beyond our comprehension.

You ask some excellent questions. Feel free to stick around in our little corner of the blogosphere - maybe we can talk :-)

Ann Shickelgrubber! Heil! (Shickelgrubber was Adolph
Hitler's real last name............)

Ann the Scam Shickelgrubber is just that - a scam!

She's a sell-out. I doubt that she even believes most of what comes out of her filthy sewer. She's just an act - in it ONLY for the money. She's a failure at everything else - mainly a failure at being a human being - so she whores herself via the media.

Interestingly, her ilk like Limbaugh and others do EXACTLY what they criticize Hollywood for - make money at the expense of people's ignorance and stupidity. I guess it's not what you do, it's who you are that makes it OK.

Anyone who takes anything Ann Shickelgrubber has to say seriously needs some serious professional help

If I was single I'd love to be Ann Coulter's boyfriend or husband. She's very smart as well, out of my league. The woman is a Christian folks, no doubt.

I think Annie is just one of those people that's goofin' on everyone. By this I mean she likes to say outrageous things just to see what kind of response she gets. There are too many people who take themselves way to seriously these days (both liberal and conservative) and sometimes it can be fun to get these people stirred up. She not a political pundit or a serious christian but funny as he**. I don't take people like her too seriously but do find them pretty entertaining.