Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Sara Leon on June 27, 2011 at 3:33pm

Absolutely not but unfortunately more people are beginning to care less about the policies and agendas of politicians and more about whether or not the official has a good personality. A lot of people want to feel like their elected officials are someone they'd want to be around and we know the the majority of the population of this country are theists, what else could we expect?

Permalink Reply by Clarence Dember on June 27, 2011 at 7:03pm

An outstanding mixture of religion and politics mixing with policy was when the religion of Lord Maynard Keynes ( expand markets without controls on debt ) evolved into the weak dollar policy we have today. Dr Alan Greenspan embellished this religion with an additional item of faith (removal of the Glass Steagal act) which allowed banks brokerages and insurance entities (companies being persons legally ) to: 1). relax criterion on real estate loans for greater sales. 2). bundle bad mortgages into adjustable rate mortgage backed securities. 3). insure these cash pipes as though they were low risk derivatives and sell them to clients with an appetite for unknown risk.
One need not look hard to find instance after instance where policy is run off of faith based beliefs. The road to fascist dictatorship is riddled with such belief driven policy lead by true believers disruption of the rights of individuals only to substitute religious or nonreligious collectivism.

Permalink Reply by Samantha B on June 27, 2011 at 7:11pm

Of course politicians should not be allowed to bring their religious beliefs into politics, but we all know that it has been going on (even if unofficially) for quite some time now.  I think even candidates who may not be all that devout in their religion will still try to use it as a selling point, because they know mentioning God plays well with the average American voter (who, let's face it, isn't all that bright).  Despite the so-called separation of church and state, religion matters.  That's why we've never had a non-Christian (let alone non-theist) president.  That's why every president ends every speech with "God bless the United States of America."  That's why some of the ignorant and ill-informed citizens are still calling Obama a radical Muslim.  So politicians will use religion to their advantage (portraying themselves as a pious Christian and pillar of the community), and to their opponent's disadvantage (portraying their opponent as a crazy Muslim that's out to destroy America).  Whatever it takes to win over the brainwashed masses.  Unfortunately, religion and politics have been mixing in this country for a long time, just not as overtly as it was in the prohibition days.

Permalink Reply by Sara Leon on June 28, 2011 at 1:48pm

I agree Samantha. It's crazy that the majority of people think christian morality is so superior.

Permalink Reply by Clarence Dember on June 28, 2011 at 10:19pm

The movie Contact deals with this selling of religious credentials as a means to set oneself apart from other candidates.

Permalink Reply by Clarence Dember on June 29, 2011 at 4:02pm

Pandering religious or God centered credentials is a bad strategy in politics that ends badly of course. It should be forbidden in secular life and functions.