Two Willmar ministers were caught not being forthright with their audience at a January meeting. Their behavior is not something either should be proud of.
Sen. Dean Johnson apologized Friday for stating at a January meeting of local ministers that three state Supreme Court justices told him they would not deal with the Minnesota's marriage law.
Johnson was right to apologize. In the heat of a serious discussion, he said something he should not have. We do not like it when anyone, especially a politician, "embellishes."
Brent Waldemarsen, senior pastor at Harvest Community Church of God in Willmar, has not apologized for secretly recording the conversations of Johnson and the other ministers in attendance at the New London-Spicer Ministerial Association.
Waldemarsen should apologize as well.
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The controversy has enveloped Johnson this week after a St. Paul columnist reported that the senator had been recorded at a local ministerial meeting, speaking about the gay marriage issue. Johnson said that Supreme Court justices had told him they would not overturn the state's 1997 Defense of Marriage Act, which bars same-sex marriage in Minnesota.
Johnson said Friday his statement was "not completely accurate" and he apologized to both the public and his fellow senators. He had already apologized Wednesday to the Supreme Court justices for raising a question of their impartiality.
Waldemarsen told the West Central Tribune on Thursday that the fact he didn't tell Johnson or the other ministers that he was recording the meeting should not "overshadow the fact that Senator Johnson said some things that should not have been said."
Well, neither should the facts of what Johnson said overshadow the fact that Waldemarsen, a minister, was deceitful to Johnson and other fellow ministers.
Waldemarsen was deliberately deceptive to all those attending the January meeting. This minister chose to attend a meeting of fellow ministerial colleagues with the specific intention of secretly recording the proceedings. This was wrong and is behavior unbecoming and unacceptable for any minister.
We do not believe that Johnson's wrongful action is any excuse for Waldemarsen's behavior, just as Waldemarsen's deceitful action is not an excuse for Johnson's behavior.
Johnson has apologized for his actions to his colleagues and the public. We are still waiting for Waldemarsen to apologize to his colleagues and the public.
The practice of "the ends justify the means" is not a very Christian practice. We call on all individuals -- locally and around the state -- to choose their words and actions carefully and wisely as discussion of the marriage amendment continues during this Legislative session.
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Winning the political battle over the marriage amendment does not and should not justify any means of behavior to win the outcome of your choice.
