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PDF versionFaith and presidential politics
by Maureen Fiedler on Oct. 19, 2011
An op-ed column in this morning's Washington Post caught my eye. It was titled "Why a Candidate's Faith Matters," and the author is Robert Jeffress, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas. Several days ago, when he introduced Rick Perry at a public event, he referred to Mormonism (the faith of both Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman) as a "cult." At the time, he was quite rightly criticized for religious bigotry.
Had he been introducing candidates in 1960, I wonder what he would have said about John F. Kennedy and his Catholicism.
In this column, Jeffress not only defended his remarks, he claimed that religion should play a role in deciding on a candidate for president. He acknowledges that Article VI of the Constitution says that there shall be no religious test for public office, but says that refers to government litmus tests, not individual judgments.
He says that religious faith "defines the essence of who we are," and so he personally gives preference to Christians (presumably evangelical ones) although he says that is not his only criteria for a voting decision. He even admits that he might wind up having to vote for Romney.
Of course, his criterion relegates whole faith groups to "second choice" status … Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, agnostics, atheists, etc. This qualifies as bigotry that has no place in American political life, either for individuals or the nation.
Religion is relevant in choosing someone for public service ONLY when someone's religious practices or ideas have a direct bearing on the office they are seeking, or the service they seek to perform.
For example, it makes a difference if an Orthodox Jew will not work on the Sabbath, even in a national emergency. (This was asked of Sen. Joseph Lieberman in 2000 when he was Al Gore's running mate; he made clear that there were exceptions when it came to Sabbath observance).
It makes a difference if a candidate like Michele Bachmann is willing to read St. Paul literally and "submit" to her husband in public decisions. In this case, who is really the candidate? (She was actually asked that question in one of the presidential primary debates, and she instantly interpreted that passage to mean that she and her husband "respected" each other. Biblical literalists had to have been horrified as Bachmann offered a "feminist" interpretation.)
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But a candidate's faith is relevant ONLY if it connects with public policy, or conduct in office, in some way. Even with issues like abortion, gay marriage or the rights of workers to form unions … issues where the views of candidates are often rooted in their religion, it is the policy preference, not the candidate's faith, that should be the deciding factor. Many Catholic candidates, for example, do not follow formal teachings of their religion in policy decisions, and the same is true in other faith traditions.
So in general, religious faith is irrelevant -- and it should be irrelevant -- when it comes to running for office. It doesn't matter if someone believes in transubstantiation, or worships at a Mormon temple, or prays facing Mecca five times a day. It's not relevant if someone worships at a synagogue, or a Sikh gurdwara or an Episcopal cathedral.
What is relevant is honesty, integrity, competence, experience and intelligent policy positions. And a person of any faith, or no faith, can meet those criteria.
Again, I find it bizarre that
Again, I find it bizarre that a pastor who does not believe in the Real Pressence challenges the orthodoxy of anyone else. What is more interesting is the issue of religion and crossover voting among Catholics. Santorum is not shy about parading his Catholic, pro-life voting record. Gingrich, a recent Catholic, is a bit more reticent about it, probably because the folks back home in Georgia (he is now a New Yorker) might not like the fact that he traded up.
FAITH,POLITICS & MONEY
FAITH,POLITICS & MONEY .........Maureen, many thanks. You must know that money, not faith, drives politics. Faith is only a false facade rolled out quadrennially for US presidential elections by opportunistic prelates and preachers who make a "devil's bargain" with unscrupulous candidates and their donors, who will trade future access for current votes. For example, even the pope and US bishops are gearing up to steer the election to a right-wing "no-more-taxes-on-the-rich" candidate, who will not let the Bush tax cuts for the rich expire at the end of this year. If the Bush tax cuts expire, the top 1% of American taxpayers face billions in increased taxes, finally paying their fair share. The 1% is happy to make large tax-deductible contributions to the Vatican and US bishops' and evangelical extremists' political fronts, to get these hypocritical "Christians" to roll out their anti-gay, anti-abortion and similar political tamborines to misguide their flocks. For wealthy Catholic supporters of the Vatican's allies like Opus Dei, the Knights of Malta, the Leadership Roundtable, FADICA, LEGATUS, et al., a million dollar tax deductible contribution stands to yield several million dollars in saved taxes each and every year the Bush tax cuts remain in effect. For more on the pope's involvement, please see the comment under the heading "WALL STREET OWNS DC and the RCC" accessible at http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/wall-street-protests . I spent over 30 years as a lawyer in Wall Street's highest echelon and know what really happens. Please read the cited comment, as well as those crosslinked in the comment.
Maureen they are all
Maureen they are all excellent points, and I rue the day that Austraia has a Catholic President. As it stands today, loyalty to the Church and political correctness is the rule of thumb.
As a Commonwealth with a past Catholic Prime Minister, the Church was never brought to account, neither voices from Catholic affiliated connections as in NGO"s Human Rights..etc: across the whole spectrum, on the horrendous crimes committed against Catholic children, vulnerable adults, or the rights of children born to clergy, many religious having skeletons in their own cupboards.
Loyalies remain, albeit maybe dormant until called upon, offers made, too good to refuse: political support.
As a Catholic and having seen with my own eyes how the system works, I'm afraid I would personally never completely trust one, or anything we were signatory to either, as proven with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child.
Sister Maureen comments are
Sister Maureen comments are precious!
As an European, I was one of those who felt Mr. Obama's election as a breath of fresh air and a source of hope to America and the World: perharps you didn't noticed, but he was aclaimed all around Europe as if he was our President... Later, the mess of current American politics disheartened me and many other Europeans, now plunged in a deep crisis, that started with the casino-like-practices of Wall Street and the 2008 finantial meltdown. Now, I begin to feel hope again. The Occupy Wall Street movement is a source of inspiration for all. I think a new America, faithfull to his traditions, is emerging, and ready to take once more the leadership of global democracy. Sister Maureen's arguments about the so much needed separation between "God" and politics are so self-evident that should be obvious to all. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and the Catholic hierarchy is also playing the dirty game of money and power. Thank you sister for your sanity!
Let me share with you and your readers something that made me really proud: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmEHcOc0Sys A marine sargeant who faced 30 agents who were abusing the OWS protesters... Such an inspiring moment! Thank you America!
Religion and politicians:
Religion and politicians: please see e.e. cummings' poem "after, of course, god..."
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