Do Voters Care About God?
I recently sent out my first column of the year for one of the campus papers here. This particular iteration is one that I wrote mostly because I get irritated by the way religion gets thrown around in presidential campaigns, and more significantly, that many get upset when candidates such as Perry and Bachmann demonstrate more than superficial religious faith.
We want to know that the President goes to the 11:00 service on Sunday, drops a couple of bucks into the collection plate, sings Great is Thy Faithfulness, and knows a few choice verses about how “the greatest of these is love,” and “blessed are the meek.” Voters expect what amounts to a watered-down Victorian Anglicanism in which our religion is public, but our faith is private.
Am I alone in thinking that a substantial body of the voting public really doesn't want candidates to have firm religious beliefs? Certainly the Religious Right cares, but the discomfort people have with the fact that some GOP candidates actually take their faith seriously bothers me. If you want your president to got to church, then fine. Don't be surprised when you find out he believes in things. You can't be a Christian on Sunday, but a secularist when you show up for work in the Oval Office, as so many seem to think. What? You mean Michele Bachmann's faith has guided her in making key life decisions? All I can say is that I wish I could say the same.
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Feb '11
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
The reason faith matters is that we want to believe our government isn't the most powerful entity in our lives. Placing God above government is more than just the proper capitalization of the "g".
Jun '10
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
Hello Eric, You wrote:
"Am I alone in thinking that a substantial body of the voting public really doesn't want candidates to have firm religious beliefs?"
You are probably correct, and perhaps this is situation is for the best. For myself, I am a middle-age nun, who has been at various times a Libertarian, an independent, and a Republican. I have very strong feelings about integrity and do expect that people who call themselves Christians should believe and act accordingly.
However, when it comes to presidents, I'm not looking for a candidate for sainthood.
If "Perry and Bachmann demonstrate more than superficial religious faith" that may be good for their souls, but just how beneficial would that be in the office of POTUS? I'm not sure. Yes, I do want a president with integrity, but perhaps for this unique position integrity has to mean something different than the standard I seek for myself.
Another question might be, what kind of president is best for the souls of Americans?
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
Neither am I. My objection is to the political posturing that surrounds discussions of faith. It now appears as more of an identifier of socio-cultural background than anything else. What I'm looking for is greater honesty by both voters and politicians on how their faith, if they have one, can or should guide them. I agree that a leader who is good for the souls of Americans is preferable, but the lack of sincerity in our public discourse when it comes to faith bothers me.
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
It seems to me that if we want a president whose impact on citizens' souls is positive, a nominal, lukewarm Christian is perhaps the worst possible choice. Domesticated faith, faith that fails to challenge our personal and public moralities, is an open invitation to complacent materialism. A president who was openly hostile to Christianity would at least make religion a live question in public discourse and demonstrate that there are actual philosophical questions in life that need to be settled.
Jun '10
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
I would like a man or woman with firm, quiet faith--real belief in God and not in the state.
May '10
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
I, too, want a President who knows that he is "under God" and conducts himself accordingly, both in private and in public.
Dec '10
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
There is a context to the overt displays by politicians that is seldom appreciated. I don't know about the culture of Mn, but I grew up in Tx (very close to Perry's Paint Creek.) When I see Perry's outward displays I see him identifying himself with those who hold their faith as real. My experience is that everyone in Texas is a Christian until proven otherwise. People simply went to church, but not everyone took it with them when they left. We referred to it as cultural Christianity. When I moved to Washington State I was amazed (at first) that not going to church was considered normal rather than abnormal.
Mar '11
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
I do want, and in fact insist, that the President believes things. He or she needs to believe that rights, real rights, are unalienable, and that it is the government that should defend those rights because it is fully aware that it can not grant what someone already has.
As to the matter of putting their religious beliefs on display -- I try to remember Matthew 6:5. And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.
I can't see into the hearts of others to know if what I see is an act, or the real outward manifestation of deeply held belief. I can only attempt to intuit it (and engineers intuit about as well as poets analyze). I'm not electing a pastor, I'm electing a President.
Feb '11
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
Eric Ames: many get upset when candidates such as Perry and Bachmann demonstrate more than superficial religious faith.
Who are the many that get upset? I would suggest that it mostly members of the media who display this open hostility to religion, and to the faithful. The idea that God (the Christian God in paticular) should have no place in the public square is something imposed upon us by movies, TV and the news media.
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
Percival:
As to the matter of putting their religious beliefs on display -- I try to remember Matthew 6:5. And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward.
· Sep 10 at 10
I grew up for the most part in Oklahoma, which has a Baptist majority or near majority. I am familiar with the ostentatious religiosity that is common among evangelical Christians, and I will have to confess that it gives me the creeps. As a consequence of painful experience, I get suspicious when someone tells me that she is a Christian businesswoman. It usually means that she is trying to cheat me.
That having been said, I hasten to add that I know perfectly well that many of those who are ostentatious about their Christianity are genuine believers. I am more comfortable with Romney, Santorum, and Bachman, who are relatively low-key, than with Perry. But I am currently inclined to think that he would make a better President.
Dec '10
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
Do I understand you correctly, Eric? Your complaint is that the American electorate insists on a president whose faith is watered down? Something neutral, non-controversial and apparently mostly for show?
If I've got that right, I understand your concern, but I think this is a byproduct of our religious plurality. I don't even expect all Catholics to agree with me on everything. But, I do find the beliefs of certain religions among certain practitioners to be out of bounds in our leadership. Some would call me bigoted. I think I'm using my God-given ability of discernment. The compromise is a candidate who evinces a quiet faith. Ye shall know him by his policy positions.
My greater concern is electing someone who pretends to a normative mainstream religion while holding no belief at all in a higher power. Placing the power of the presidency in the hands of someone who has no belief in his ultimate accountability to God is to invite tyranny. Someone like the current occupant of the WH.
Edited on September 10, 2011 at 8:34pmMar '11
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
What Mr. Ames is describing I think can be directly traced to this point. The "discomfort" with candidates who have true faith and not some vestigial affection is more inline with the mores of our coasts, I'll go even further and say our media centers of LA & NY, than the nation as a whole. Those who have made secularism their religion have a loud voice in our media.
Mar '11
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
I have a Liberal friend who says he couldn't possibly vote for Mr Romney because he is a creepy Mormon. Or Mr Perry or Mrs Bachmann because they are creepy evangelical Christians and are pro-life.
No problem with Jeremiah Wright and his view of Amerika.
Edited on September 10, 2011 at 9:17pmApr '11
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
I'm struck how illogical the position of people who display their fear of a person of faith expressing a moral judgment, by stating "they have no right to impose their beliefs on someone else" without realizing they are making one themselves.
I believe Jesus challenged us as His followers, to be salt and light also to be harmless as doves and wise as serpents. I don't see the need for any candidate to proclaim anything but just be,
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
Very true, but media is quite a powerful influence. It is how most people get their news about politics and the public forum, and the source of so many common misconceptions about our political system. Take same-sex marriage: nobody would be talking about it were it not for the wall to wall coverage it has been getting not just from news media, but from popular culture. It's that large chunk who are susceptible to media influence who scare me.
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
This is my complaint almost exactly. I get that neither I nor anyone else is going to agree with a candidate's religious views necessarily all or even all of the time, I just want sincerity. The question as to how they would behave in office, however, is thornier. I'm honestly not sure how you can be a Christian and make the kinds of decisions a President has to make, but then again, nobody said Christianity was supposed to be easy.
Dec '10
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
This is the most succinct statement I have ever read about politicians and religion. Just going back a score or two of years clearly demonstrates who believed what.
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just . . . ."
Thomas Jefferson, "Manners" from Notes on the State of Virginia
May '10
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
When discussing Perry the other day, a coworker said candidates should "get their religion OUT OF MY FACE." I was somewhat surprised. We had worked together for nearly four years and discussed that we both attend church. Our conversation was cut short so I was unable to explore this animosity further. I understand the issues the left have with Christian candidates, but I was surprised to find this in another Christian.
May '10
Re: Do Voters Care About God?
I prefer that our president is a confessing Christian and believes in the limited power of the state. Unfortunately, we have had many Christians drive the progressive agenda believing the state to be the tool to perfect society. Indeed, even "compassionate conservatism" attempted to use the tools of state to drive a Christian agenda. I'd like to see the power and scope of state reduced, leaving more resources and room for the Church to do the work of compassion.