Why do you vote for people of other religions? Aren't you really hoping they are atheists?

Question

If you really believe candidates are religious, you should believe that they can't separate religion from their political life. The Pope has already given direction to politicians around the world. Does that mean if you are Protestant and pro-choice you can't vote for a Catholic candidate? Southern Baptists believe that women in marriage should obey their husbands. I can see that being written into a few laws.

If you hold religion to be important in your own life, how do you keep it out of your political life? If you can't, does this country go the way of Iraq with Sunni fighting Shiite or Northern Ireland with Protestants fighting Catholics?

It would seem that an atheist, not beholden to any religion, might be the best choice. You can at least be sure that he or she is not trying to ram some religious doctrine down anyone else's throat. And contrary to popular belief, there are some conservative atheists. And they have morality, too. All in all, not a bad choice.

It was Pope Benedict XVI, formerly known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who inserted the Catholic church into the 2004 election by ordering bishops to deny communion to abortion rights supporters, including candidate John Kerry.

In a June 2004 letter to US bishops enunciating principles of worthiness for communion recipients, Ratzinger specified that strong and open supporters of abortion should be denied the Catholic sacrament, for being guilty of a "grave sin."

He specifically mentioned "the case of a Catholic politician consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws," a reference widely understood to mean Democratic candidate Kerry, a Catholic who has defended abortion rights. The letter said a priest confronted with such a person seeking communion "must refuse to distribute it."

Answer 1

In many ways, I agree, but an atheist person may be as beholden to his/her beliefs as a religious person, and therefore alienate a great many people. I would have to say that an agnostic person would be a better choice given the neutrality.
One of the reasons I say this is because I know a good handful of athiests and they get as righteous and pissed off about religious folks as religious folks do about them.
On the whole, it would be nice to see leaders with diverse practical, and spiritual backgrounds that represent the needs of the people rather than the wants of a a religious right.

Answer 2

What direction has the Pope given to politicians around the world? I'm Catholic and I missed that one. I'm also conservative and pro-choice. I think of the Pope as a knowledgeable guide but I don't do what he tells me to do. Many Catholics around the world do the same. There was a time when Catholics were not learned and needed someone to tell them what to do. No longer.

I don't think that your basic religious beliefs should be separated from your political beliefs. One should impact the other. That doesn't mean that I, for example, don't think there are religious Protestants and even Jews who agree with me along those lines. I can think of two off the top of my head: My dad, who is a Protestant. He is one of the most knowledgeable people when it comes to politics that I know and Joe Lieberman, who is an Orthodox Jew. Yet there are Catholics with whom I do not agree. My religion, like the Pope, is a guide to God. It is not the only authority, much like the Bible.

Answer 3

1) If I didn't vote for candidates of other religions, there would be a lot of blanks on my ballot.
2) When I vote for political leaders it is much different than choosing a member of the clergy.
3) I have even (including the most recent Congressional election) voted for a Christian who represented my world view very well rather than a fellow Jew who did not.

Answer 4

Yes, and no.