MIXING POLITICS AND RELIGION INEVIABLE!
In the 1960 presidential election, John F. Kennedy effectively took the issue of his Catholicism off the table by convincing voters that his religion wouldn’t affect how he would govern as President. Any religion worth practicing will impact all of a person’s life, so while Kennedy’s argument worked with the voters, it was simply not true. A person of faith will evaluate circumstances through the prism of that faith- whether they are a Christian, Muslim, Jew or atheist. To not recognize that simple logical principle is to be naïve about the human mind and heart. People of differing faiths can be effective leaders, but ignoring the impact of their faith on their decision-making is foolish.
Beliefnet.com is a website that tracks how often the current crop of 2008 presidential candidates invokes God or religion while on the stump. According to the group Republicans talk about religion more while campaigning than Democrats. That’s consistent with Pew Research’s study on religion and politics. According to Pew, Americans believe that Republicans are more “friendly” toward religion by a two to one margin. Only thirty percent of Americans believe that Democrats are “friendly” toward religion. Specific candidates who invoke religion the most were McCain and Huckabee on the “R” side and Obama on the “D” side.
On Sunday, Senator Obama, fresh from his ten-day Iowa “faith tour,” started his “40 days of Faith and Family in South Carolina. Obama told a packed crowd at the Redemption World Outreach Church, “I am confident we can create a Kingdom right here on Earth.” It was unclear who Obama thought would be king, but it is likely he considered himself the crown prince. Obama has been trying to distinguish himself from Hillary within the South Carolina black community. Black voters account for half of Democratic primary voters in the Palmetto State. The statewide newspaper in South Carolina did a poll that showed sixty six percent of blacks in South Carolina say their religion means a great deal to them. Talking to reporters outside the church Sunday, Obama said, “I think it’s important particularly for those of us in the Democratic Party to not cede values and faith to any one party.” Just what are Obama’s values?
Barack Obama is a member of a church in Chicago that has been accused of reverse racism. His pastor is the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. Obama’s church embraces what it calls a "Black Value System." Wright went in 1984 with Louis Farrakhan to visit Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi,. Does Obama have the same views on Israel as his radical pastor? Why hasn’t he faced the same scrutiny as Republican Mitt Romney on his religious views?
Romney is a dedicated Mormon, but has embraced the JFK strategy of not talking about his religion when he campaigns. Romney says, “My religion is for me and how I live my life,” he declared. “I don’t impose all my faiths and beliefs on you.” For example Romney notes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t approve of booze and he doesn’t drink, but he will not be pushing for a new constitutional amendment banning alcohol. Romney is an attractive candidate whose honesty, integrity, intelligence and character are beyond question. He has a great deal of appeal to conservatives, but there is a block of voters who refuse to consider him because he is a Mormon. The primary reason is they believe Romney would let his religion influence his decisions and they are right. It’s unavoidable. A candidates religion, education, and life experiences definitely influence their decision making process. But not just Romney will be influenced by his religion. So will Obama, Huckabee, McCain, Giuliani, and the rest. But only Romney and to a lesser degree, Huckabee, have been questioned about their faith.
Conservative elected officials who profess their faith publicly threatens the liberal media. They understand leaders are influenced by their faith- just like the liberals will be influenced by their religion. Ann Coulter wrote a book entitled, “Liberalism is a godless religion.” In the book, Coulter says that liberals are as even more dedicated to their religion of liberalism than Christians. They filter every decision they make through the prism of liberalism, just as conservatives base their decisions on their values and principles.
When you make your decision on who you will support, every candidate’s religion -or lack of it- should be a consideration in your decision. It will be in theirs.
In the 1960 presidential election, John F. Kennedy effectively took the issue of his Catholicism off the table by convincing voters that his religion wouldn’t affect how he would govern as President. Any religion worth practicing will impact all of a person’s life, so while Kennedy’s argument worked with the voters, it was simply not true. A person of faith will evaluate circumstances through the prism of that faith- whether they are a Christian, Muslim, Jew or atheist. To not recognize that simple logical principle is to be naïve about the human mind and heart. People of differing faiths can be effective leaders, but ignoring the impact of their faith on their decision-making is foolish.
Beliefnet.com is a website that tracks how often the current crop of 2008 presidential candidates invokes God or religion while on the stump. According to the group Republicans talk about religion more while campaigning than Democrats. That’s consistent with Pew Research’s study on religion and politics. According to Pew, Americans believe that Republicans are more “friendly” toward religion by a two to one margin. Only thirty percent of Americans believe that Democrats are “friendly” toward religion. Specific candidates who invoke religion the most were McCain and Huckabee on the “R” side and Obama on the “D” side.
On Sunday, Senator Obama, fresh from his ten-day Iowa “faith tour,” started his “40 days of Faith and Family in South Carolina. Obama told a packed crowd at the Redemption World Outreach Church, “I am confident we can create a Kingdom right here on Earth.” It was unclear who Obama thought would be king, but it is likely he considered himself the crown prince. Obama has been trying to distinguish himself from Hillary within the South Carolina black community. Black voters account for half of Democratic primary voters in the Palmetto State. The statewide newspaper in South Carolina did a poll that showed sixty six percent of blacks in South Carolina say their religion means a great deal to them. Talking to reporters outside the church Sunday, Obama said, “I think it’s important particularly for those of us in the Democratic Party to not cede values and faith to any one party.” Just what are Obama’s values?
Barack Obama is a member of a church in Chicago that has been accused of reverse racism. His pastor is the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. Obama’s church embraces what it calls a "Black Value System." Wright went in 1984 with Louis Farrakhan to visit Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi,. Does Obama have the same views on Israel as his radical pastor? Why hasn’t he faced the same scrutiny as Republican Mitt Romney on his religious views?
Romney is a dedicated Mormon, but has embraced the JFK strategy of not talking about his religion when he campaigns. Romney says, “My religion is for me and how I live my life,” he declared. “I don’t impose all my faiths and beliefs on you.” For example Romney notes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t approve of booze and he doesn’t drink, but he will not be pushing for a new constitutional amendment banning alcohol. Romney is an attractive candidate whose honesty, integrity, intelligence and character are beyond question. He has a great deal of appeal to conservatives, but there is a block of voters who refuse to consider him because he is a Mormon. The primary reason is they believe Romney would let his religion influence his decisions and they are right. It’s unavoidable. A candidates religion, education, and life experiences definitely influence their decision making process. But not just Romney will be influenced by his religion. So will Obama, Huckabee, McCain, Giuliani, and the rest. But only Romney and to a lesser degree, Huckabee, have been questioned about their faith.
Conservative elected officials who profess their faith publicly threatens the liberal media. They understand leaders are influenced by their faith- just like the liberals will be influenced by their religion. Ann Coulter wrote a book entitled, “Liberalism is a godless religion.” In the book, Coulter says that liberals are as even more dedicated to their religion of liberalism than Christians. They filter every decision they make through the prism of liberalism, just as conservatives base their decisions on their values and principles.
When you make your decision on who you will support, every candidate’s religion -or lack of it- should be a consideration in your decision. It will be in theirs.
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