How come Mitt Romney has to explain his beliefs as a Mormon, but Mike Huckabee doesn't have to explain his as a Baptist?
I have to admit that I didn't listen to Mr. Romney's speech, but I do know that if someone asked me to compare and contrast Methodism with other denominations, it would take longer than the networks would want to allot to me.
But, if you really want to know something about the beliefs of the Mormons, go to Marty's blog "TravelinOma's Library" of October 8, and you'll find a succinct and enlightening description of her faith.
Personally, I don't think anyone should have to explain his or her faith or lack thereof, and certainly not in a political campaign. All this religious "gotcha" - or, "I'm a better Christian than you are" is outrageous.
We have had a wide variety of personalities as our presidents, all professing a belief in God, but not all acting like it and not all were effective presidents, no matter how religious they were. I'm thinking, here, of Jimmy Carter. I have no doubt at all that he is a fine, Christian man, but he wasn't the best President I've ever seen. On the other hand, and this is only my opinion, you understand, Bill Clinton was a very good president, who talked a lot about his faith in God, but his actions in his personal life showed him to be an amoral person.
So, instead of wasting time and energy asking questions about a person's faith, why don't we stick to questions about things that will show the candidates' attitudes about the job to which they're aspiring? What are their qualifications in foreign relations, domestic issues, economics, etc., etc. There are so many issues to be explored, and yet here we are asking people to explain their religious beliefs.
Have we lost our collective mind?
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19 comments:
But, see, Christians are soooo oppressed in this country. They don't hold any positions of authority or have an way of getting their message out on TV or radio. They only make up 84% of the population, and 99% of the Bush administration. So, they have to make sure the next President isn't gonna oppress them any further.
/sarcasm
Only 56% of voting-age U.S. residents took part in the 2004 Presidential election, and that was 12 million more than in 2000. That means a little less than half of us couldn't have cared less. And that was after the first four years. Bush received the most individual votes ever cast. His stand on terrorism and moral values won him the election, carried in on the shoulders of the fundamental Christians. Sticking to the questions is great in theory, but it doesn't appear that the majority is asking? Prior to the last two elections I would have told you that a candidate's religious beliefs made no difference to me. But if a candidate in the coming election feels they need to pander to the fundamentalist voters, I want to know about it. They obviously don't have my best interest at heart.
Gawilli
I agree! We need to know what they plan to do when they are in office, not what church they go to.
Jay: Well said.
gawilli: You have given me something to think about. We do need to know which candidates are pandering to the fundamentalists.
kenju: Not that we can believe them when they DO appear to be telling us what they will do. sigh
Tony Blair is said to be about to become a Roman Catholic, although when he was Prime Minister his chief spokesman said "we don't do religion" when asked about B-Liar's faith.
Now Tony says that he was scared of being thought of as 'a nutter'.
When it comes to 'nutters' old 'born again' George takes some beating.
Big John ... http://oldgit.wordpress.com/
i think no one ask him to explain his church, he was trying to get the religious right vote.
he is trying to say we are all religious so vote for me.
i think the fact he is a republine is enough. the truth is every one calls his religion "MORMON" but he calls it "The church of latter day saints".
I heard on the news he only said mormOn once in the speach but i heard him say you have faith to be free and free to be religious.
It seems religion play alot more than meets the eye in politics, going hand in hand, not just in your country but n ours also.
George Bush has got to be devastated that John Howard lost his Prime Ministership here in our recent election, they were political and religious buddies. Bush even made an apt timing visit Down Under just prior to the election...and that didnt win Howard any more votes..he even lost his seat in his electorate!
big john: You'd have to look far and wide to find anyone worse than Dubya.
patsy: Romney didn't come across as being very open minded, did he?
cazzie: I think George W. would be more of a hinderance these days.
Didn't JFK have to do the same thing back in the day? I think there was a quote where he said "I am running as on the Democratic ticket, not on the Cahtolic ticket" Or something sort of like that.
I don't know much about Mormonism. Maybe a lot of Americans are like me in that respect. I am going to read that blog you linked now and become more educated.
What ever happened to the separation of church and state? I think that NOBODY should bring up his personal beliefs in interviews and he shouldn't answer if they do. It should have (in theory) no bearing at all as to how the government is run.
karen: Marty's blog is very informative. I think you'll enjoy it.
peggy: I agree with you.
very funny blog nicely written and good information
don't know about our collective mind, but certainly our collective innocence way back in the 60's and it's been down hill ever since.
It is not what you say...it is what you do! Amen.
Betty,
No country in the World has been really successful that did not completely separate Church and State.
It is the most important aspect of any government.
I only hope that the Evangelicals don't get to select our President again. They should know by what has happened in the past 7 years what a disastrous policy that is.
Also, the person that they had so much religious confidence in did not do one thing they elected him to do. Abortion is still legal. You still can't put up the 10 Commandments in the Courthouse.They still don't open the school day with a prayer.... I could go on and on but I can only hope they have learned their lesson about electing a President just to have him push your own religious agenda.....
It was,and is, a disaster....
ragu ram prasad: Thank you. And, welcome to my blog. Hope you come back sometime.
isadora: Right on.
sister three: Amen, indeed.
nancy: I'm afraid they are simply not open-minded enough to see what they've done.
A Mormon, a Black man, and a woman. What else can we throw into the mix this time around?
newt: Isn't it amazing? It was not that long ago that at least two of those three wouldn't have had a chance.
I'm waiting for the gay candidate. ;)
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