Two topics avoided at all costs at family gatherings — religion and politics — were the ones that Rep. Gordon Denlinger (R-99th) faced head on at a community forum at Garden Spot Village Monday evening.
Denlinger began the evening talking about his own spiritual journey.
With a mother who was Lutheran and a father who was Mennonite, where did the Denlinger family worship on Sundays? At a United Methodist church, of course.
He "went forward" during a revival service when he was 8. "That was the beginning of the journey of faith for me," Denlinger told a group of more than 100 people attending the community forum.
Denlinger attended the conservative Bob Jones University, majoring in accounting. Shortly after graduation, he married and moved to Atlanta, where Denlinger and his wife connected with a Southern Baptist church.
When he moved back to Lancaster County to take a job with Graco, Denlinger's views had become more Calvinistic, and he began to attend Westminster Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder. Five years ago, Denlinger helped start another Presbyterian church, Covenant Reformed.
"After 46 years, however, I still can't determine if God is a Republican or Democrat," Denlinger said.
When Denlinger was sworn in to office seven years ago after the death of Rep. Leroy Zimmerman, he said he did an amateur study of human nature on the floor of the state House of Representatives.
Among the leaders who sat in the front of the room wearing $2,000 suits was Rep. Mike Veon, "a real power broker," Denlinger said.
When the pay raise fiasco finally came to a head, Veon was the only one not to vote to repeal it, he said. "The public rewarded him by voting him out of office, and we learned a lot about him that was truly shocking," Denlinger said.
Veon has since been convicted of using taxpayer money for campaign purposes and faces a jail sentence of up to 73 years.
"I'm sure he started out with good intentions, but he will spend his retirement years behind bars," Denlinger said.
Why do breakdowns in personal and professional ethics occur? Because of his faith, Denlinger believes it is due to "original sin" or the sinful nature of man that is traced back to Adam in the Garden of Eden.
"We have a natural predisposition to do the wrong thing," he said.
When he first was elected to the House, Denlinger had breakfast with former Democratic House Speaker Bill DeWeese (who also was charged in Bonusgate) and asked him, "Do you believe in original sin?"
DeWeese said he didn't, but instead insisted people are essentially good, despite problems they have along the way.
That belief is at the core of all of the policies DeWeese put into practice in the House, Denlinger said.
"What is the answer? We need the transforming, redeeming work of Jesus Christ. That's unusual for a politician to share with you," Denlinger said. "It's impossible to pass laws (for the good of the people) if there is no belief in anything larger than ourselves."