Do you choose a presidential candidate based on their religion?

Question

If so, why?

wouldn't it be best to leave "faith" out of that decision making process, and choose the candidate with the best political ideas...the candidate who would do the most good for the country (regardless of their personal beliefs)?

Or, are "faith" and the ability to be an effective leader intertwined?

Discuss.

hippie jesus freak - who said anything about atheists?

a lot of good answers, too many to choose just one "best answer" from...time to vote.

Answer 1

Mormons do.

That's why Mitt Romney hasn't dropped out of the race yet.

Answer 2

I vote for people based on their values, Character and Views on how to make this country a better place.

I really believe that this next election could be the most important in our history. We really need a strong American in the White House. We need someone who is not afraid to make the tough decisions that need to be made. National Security is on the top of my list as things that I will consider when voting for the next president. We don't need another politician running this nation. We need someone who won't be a puppet of ANY party or Lobbyist group.

There are people that I know I will not vote for at all. And there are a few that I think would be ok- but really there is nobody running that I am super excited about. There is a candidate who shares my same faith, and I am not sure if he is the correct person or not.

Answer 3

I am sorry if I sound cynical but I think among politicians, religion, moral values, and promises are all a bunch of crap.
"Honest politician" is the oximoron to set the standard of irony
and the public doesn't seem to be all that bright either, did you know that Clinton got the majority of the female vote based on looks alone, so don't be disapointed he ended up......ah.... eating pizza in the oval office. Also many people did not think there is a problem with this. Damit, if you can't be faithful to the woman you are married to, how the F can you be faithful to a nation of nameless, faceless people.
And then a lot of people say what difference does it make, all the presidents had affairs, then I say " your'e right , what difference does it make" if the fact is your;e lying, how the hell am I supposed to know on which issues.
It is kind of like getting your heart broke, then you meet a girl and she wants you to commit and you say ... nah I have been hurt before and she says but give me a chance, don't judge me because of what your ex did, so you give her a chance and 2 weeks later you come home and find her on her knees with the mail man.......smoking cigars.
Politicians go through all this trouble to get our vote and once they do it appears we become useless to them and if they do so happen to satisfy us it is most certainly coincidental.
If there really was such a thing as a good politician, he would be kissing babies year round, don't you think.

Answer 4

No faith is definately a good sign of who they are. And if they cannot bring their faith into such a high promotion in all the public work they do, then it is hard to trust them knowing they have a race, religion, and culture, but are not using it.

On the alternative, what Presidential candidate ever looked religious?

Also, all presidential candidates have been caucasian, at least those making office, and the only religions they have are... historically-wiccan, and modern-christianity.
So if a political candidate is christian or catholic, or another church form, then they are looked at as barbaric, as another Cesar to Christ as he put the man on the cross.
Like I said, if they cannot bring their faith to the forefront in a truly encompassing way, friendly to all religions, ie having multi religious get togethers to share spirituality, then it will remain unseen and not trusted.

What do you say?

Answer 5

I can answer that this way- I being a Christian have to look at any candidate from the standpoint of morality according to the will of God- if every political issue looks good, and that candidate is pro-choice or pro gay marriage, I cannot vote for him/her. I know that this will get comments- but being a woman of faith, everything I do must be done by faith- Faith is not "just for sunday morning". That does not mean that the candidate I vote for is perfect by any means. How do you know what candidate will be the most good for the country?
What do you base your decision on? My belief in God is MY LIFE- that is why I must vote according to the truth of God's word. That does not get much popularity points I know, but I live to please God not man. I do not base my vote on what their religion is , I vote according to my belief.

Answer 6

I'm a Christian but I do not base whom I vote for on what religion they are, I base it on who I think is best to run the country or county or whatever the position is. However, people do not leave their religion or their faith at the door when the go to work in the morning. None of us do, not even elected officials. When you elect someone into office, you elect the whole person, not just the business side of that person. That is why I believe it is very important to look at all sides of a candidate when researching them for elected office.

Answer 7

I voted based on my religious views not his. My faith is what I see all the word through, whether it be presidential elections, my job, my family, a beautiful day. That is the point. We all live out what we truly believe. This is true regardless of faith (or lack there of). If I am convinced that abortion is wrong, because of my faith, then why would I vote for a pro-choice candate, regardless of his faith? This is true for all issues. Now I realize that you will never find a canidate that supports your views 100% but, you choose from what is offered.

Interesting question.

Answer 8

I choose on the basis of how close they are to me on relevant issues. Being an atheist,it's not like I have a choice of candidates who share my belief.I would vote for a christian,Hindu,pagan,Wicca etc. who shared my political views before I would vote for an atheist who didn't. I was outraged at the attack on Romney,although he is not my choice,that was totally uncalled for. The only way religion would play a role in my political decision making would be if a candidate expressed their conviction that they did NOT believe in separation of church and state

Answer 9

Well,that's a hard question to answer because it is a yes and a no.Some people do and some don't.Because I am not of the age of voting yet, I can not say what I do .But I can say that if someone is not a Christian than don't vote for them.And also if the person you are voting on is in a Religion ,but one you don't believe is right...I would say yes.

Answer 10

No,because i dont think a politician is honest, he has to play by the rules of special interest, lobbyist and the such. So even if he were to claim he was religious, he's probably just saying that to appeal to a certain type of voter. The most important thing a politician must do is whats best for the country as a whole and not a select few.

Answer 11

You chose a candidate because of how well you think they will run the country if they are voted for. Their religion might play into that, but first look at their political abilities. If you believe that their religion will play into how they run the country, think about if you agree with that.