How much do US politicians have to cater for religion?

Question

I am from the UK and it seems that religion plays a very big part in the electorial process in the US.

This is completely different in the UK, where Tony Blair mentioned recently that he didn't mention his religious beliefs in any big way so he wouldn't be thought of as a 'nutter'.

It is true that in the UK, if religion is mentioned as a factor in a decision, it is treated with a huge amount of scepticism.

Do you feel that politicians have gone too far down this track in the US

Tricia, I heard about that...it doesn't come over very well over here. I'm glad to hear that you are just as concerned.

No Pepe, we get US tv over here in the UK and our national news has interest in this.....Russia?? what on earth are you talking about.

Answer 1

Even as a devout Christian, I feel like in the US we've gone way too far down this "catering to religion" track. Sure, I think it'd be great to have a President who, as a Christian, hopefully shares the same beliefs and generally worldview as myself, but I also realize that just because someone shares my viewpoint doesn't mean that he/she is going to be a good world leader. I feel like we should stop this whole popularity contest voting nonsense and focus on the issues.

A Presidential candidate's personal life, as long as it isn't criminal, doesn't pertain to me at all. I feel like we make it our business when it really isn't and it really doesn't matter.

Answer 2

It's the same here for the most part but here politicians use religion as a marketing tool more than anything. I find it very difficult to believe that any politician is a Christian due to the fact that so much dishonesty is required to be a politician! I'm not a bible thumper per se but I do believe in a higher power and I personally feel that religion has no place in politics.

In my experience people who are fanatical about religion are very emotional people, and we all know where making emotional decisions gets us! We need leaders who are fair, competent, and unbiased, not fire and brim stone pitchers with a little education and a good suit.

I applaud the UK for keeping religion out of politics because it only causes more problems than it solves in my opinion.

Answer 3

Absolutely, there is far too much of it. The "good" news is that most of the politicians are insincere about it. Sure, they have their beliefs but they are playing to a voting block. Sucks, huh? Our system, and society for that matter, is at a place where you have to be a right wing nutter or a left wing nutter to get any attention. Unless you have been anointed by the media as a front runner and have lots of cash (these two things usually go hand in hand). Then you can talk in circles and say nothing at all until election day, just don't put your foot in your mouth. Oh, you do have to, in some meaningless way, give a nod to Jesus just so we know you are not atheist......
(and we poke fun at the Brits...imagine that).

Answer 4

And if Tony Blair's beliefs helped him to go to war in Iraq where there were no WMD's, it shows how dangerous the US is where religion is worn like a medal of honour.
And the US needs to lock up it's polygamists.
Imagine seven wives and 100 children in the same house.
OK that's nothing compared to the child sex abuse that goes on in the poorer polygamists homes.

Answer 5

Do you feel that politicians have gone too far down this track in the US

Very much so. I don't think it improves their decision making abilities at all. Our current president is known for praying to ask for guidance in many of his actions. However, praying =/= action. He had a slower reaction for Katrina than third world countries for their hurricane disasters, which they took less than 2 days.

Religion is not synonymous with wisdom or good judgment.

Answer 6

There have been 2 ideals struggling in U.S. politics, one party strayed away from whats good and right and the other which is now following the same path.
They put people in prison for a lifetime for income tax evasion yet turn murderers loose on society.They let child molesters run free after giving them a slap on the wrist, then complain about them not keeping in contact with the authorities, and some of these people continue to repeat the offense.
They hate GOD yet blame HIM for the shape our nation is in.Before they took prayer and Bible out of our public school system back in the early 60's our nation was top dog academically , there was little to no violence in school,now theres drugs, teen pregnancy sky rocketed , most the criminals were raised in those single parent welfare homes.our academics have suffered and now there are murders in the public schools and cops now have to patrol the hallways.
There is a sect of people here known as the Amish.Yeah they seem like a bunch of century throwbacks.They are GOD fearing people.Youd be lucky to find many of their kids in jail, they dont have the teen pregnancy problems, the drug problems, they dont have homeless shelters because they dont need them, they dont have rehabs, they dont need them, they dont have cops in their schools because they dont need them.
Compare THEIR society with ANY other and see who is more prosperous and at peace.You wont find that true about atheistic communist countries.
The politicians here do not cater to GOD,or religion, they cater to money, and laws that set them up for a life of luxury while in office and long after they have left office.

Answer 7

Yeah, because I'm not a Christian. I guess if I were, I may feel differently, but in my lifetime I will never see someone of my faith get elected into office. On second thought, no. Even if I were a Christian, I'd want to keep religion out of politics. You know, we have the Bill of Rights for a reason.

Answer 8

because of the certainty we are dragged down by using the lack of ability of information, superstition and desperation of the South. no person pairs fanaticism with numbers as nicely because of the certainty the Southern Baptists, and that they are suitable knowledgeable to vote how they are counseled. this could nicely be a disgrace. Shoot, Thomas Jefferson grew to grow to be a Deist, so grew to grow to be Ben Franklin, and John Adams grew to grow to be a Unitarian. Even Abe Lincoln did not profess any particular faith. it incredibly is ridiculous to think of of human beings could be extra superstitious now even with each and every thing we've found out from technologies, the Gnostic gospel discoveries, the lifeless Sea Scroll discoveries, diverse worldwide religions, etc. etc.

Answer 9

Yes.

Bush, Jr. has tried to Bible thump from the White House in a manner which is outside of what the role of the US presidency actually is (my view).

Answer 10

47 yrs ago, John Kennedy gave a speech to allay fears about his Catholicism, stating it'd play no role in his Presidency.

Tomorrow night, Mitt Romney makes a speech in which he has to outline how his Mormonism WILL effect his decision making, trying to allay Evangelical fears that he's not Christian enough.