Presidential Candidates and Faith
Thursday September 18, 2008
With the upcoming presidential election being just weeks away, the issue of candidates and faith is becoming a hotter topic than ever. The Catholic News Agency takes a look at John McCain's recent appearance on The View, in which he discussed his faith and how it would (or might not) affect his role as president of the United States. McCain said he had respect for people of other faiths, but that ultimately he would ask God for guidance, and that the US "was founded on Judeo-Christian values." He's made little effort to reach out or even acknowledge anyone of minority religions, but McCain does have a few supporters in the Pagan community, particularly in the military. You can get a tee shirt if you want.
Over on the opposite side of the fence, Barack Obama is a Christian but is making a concerted effort to distance himself from any fringe evangelical groups. Because of his stances on women's rights and the environment, Obama is finding support in many parts of the Pagan community, a fact that Canada Free Press reporter Bob Parks found really amusing. There are even bumper stickers for those out-of-the-broom-closet folks who want to proclaim their party affiliation.
Meanwhile, Sarah Palin's ties to fundamentalist Christian groups are being closely examined by a lot of folks, and even some normally conservative voters appear to find the extremism off-putting. Palin's Pentacostal church is part of a "spiritual warfare" movement that was actually declared as heresy a few decades ago by the Assemblies of God.
Finally, Joe Biden is the one that people can't quite figure out, because he's a pro-choice Catholic, which could be a pro or a con, depending on where you stand. Traditionally, though, Catholics as a group tend to vote based upon a variety of social issues, so Biden's pro-choice stance might not matter much.
Mary Fairchild, our About.com Guide to Christianity, has done a smashingly good job of putting together an index of the different candidates and where they stand on religion and other issues. For "faith snapshots" of the candidates, visit Mary's site here: Candidates on Faith
Over on the opposite side of the fence, Barack Obama is a Christian but is making a concerted effort to distance himself from any fringe evangelical groups. Because of his stances on women's rights and the environment, Obama is finding support in many parts of the Pagan community, a fact that Canada Free Press reporter Bob Parks found really amusing. There are even bumper stickers for those out-of-the-broom-closet folks who want to proclaim their party affiliation.
Meanwhile, Sarah Palin's ties to fundamentalist Christian groups are being closely examined by a lot of folks, and even some normally conservative voters appear to find the extremism off-putting. Palin's Pentacostal church is part of a "spiritual warfare" movement that was actually declared as heresy a few decades ago by the Assemblies of God.
Finally, Joe Biden is the one that people can't quite figure out, because he's a pro-choice Catholic, which could be a pro or a con, depending on where you stand. Traditionally, though, Catholics as a group tend to vote based upon a variety of social issues, so Biden's pro-choice stance might not matter much.
Mary Fairchild, our About.com Guide to Christianity, has done a smashingly good job of putting together an index of the different candidates and where they stand on religion and other issues. For "faith snapshots" of the candidates, visit Mary's site here: Candidates on Faith
Comments
Personally I don’t believe that religion and politics go together. Separation of church and state and all that. So I really don’t like hearing about who’s what religion and how that’s a good or bad thing. I really could care less, if they do a good job, it has nothing to do with religion.
I’m voting for Obama this year (Yay, first time voter!
) and I like that he’s trying not to affiliate himself with any particular groups. He’s also running a much more honest campaign than McCain (IMO) from the lack of commercials I’ve seen of Obama.
Sorry, went a little off topic there.
While I agree politics and religion shouldn’t be mixed, it’s important to know where the candidates stand, and what they believe.
Because that will have some kind of impact on how they do their job as the leader of our country. People are concerned that Obama may or may not be a muslim, because of all the scary stuff that radical muslims believe… as well I think they are equally afraid of Palin and her radical christian/pentacostal, whatever she is, ways.
Frankly, I’m more afraid of her way of thinking. I saw a video yesterday where her pastor from Kenya was “exorcizing” her or something and saying something about ridding the world of witches.
Sounds a bit Hiltler-ish to me!
I agree with “Myssteryy”, I also saw about Palin’s pastor praying for her that “witches and magick” do not touch her or affect her in ill ways. Excuse me?!? You’ve got to be kidding, that they’re waging that sort of spiritual war in this day and age.
I really think this year, at least for me, is voting for the lesser of two evils. I want my, as well as my family’s gun rights (grew up that way, and backwoods people with the military does that!), but I don’t want another president that will hate my religion or be identical to Bush… I DO NOT agree with how he took the country these past eight years.
Personally, it’s good to know what one’s religious affiliation is, only because, as even McCain pointed out, he would use his religion within his political seat (separation of church and state will never be complete, because this country was truly founded by religion - FREEDOM of religion, whether we like it or not).
Anyway, I’m really not sure who I’ll vote for, but Palin surely does scare me!!
Palin’s “protection against witchcraft”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwkb9_zB2Pg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4kVck4gRUI
Seriously…..come on people. Do we really need another witchhunt?? I thought we were smarter than this. I urge all in the Pagan community, we need to fight for our freedom!
interestingly enough, I am hosting an exchange student, who is buddist, (they have to declare on the interview sheets….?!) anyway, she is interested in diplomacy. she is excited about being in America during an election year. this hoorah has been difficult to explain to her on all aspects.
on another note, they are studing “The Crucible” in her english class. boy did she not understand what the heck was going on with all these “crazy folk” it was personally educational to educate her on the hysteria, with of course only my own knowledge, understanding as well as as much objectivity as I could possibly muster up.
I know she fully got the gist of the point the teacher was getting at when she began to declare “maybe it is witches?” everytime the computer acts up and we get all frustrated trying to figure it all out. any time someone is yelling at another person she also says “maybe they have a secret sin”. She inflects all of this with her beautiful charm of “faked” niavity.
Then she saw the article in the paper about Palins “blessing”…yep, sweetheart the hysteria still lives.
we live in a household of freedom of religion sexuality and expression and am proud to be an example of a human being living in this country. I am also proud to know people who are open to all and to share this with another.
I’m sorry (not really) to say that the US was not founded on “Judeo-Christian values” as John McCain believes. Many people believe this, but I’d encourage those people to do a little research about our Founding Fathers and their religious beliefs before acting like sheep and believing everything they hear. Joel Barlow, an American politician, clearly states in Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli (1796) that “the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion”. After ratification in 1797, the Treaty of Tripoli was signed, praised, and proudly read aloud to the nation by John Adams (President of the United States of America) in 1797.
I read an article that said Sarah Palin’s church is against just about everything EXCEPT christianity - Jews, Buddhist, Wicca, you name it. I don’t believe that Obama is a Muslim, but even IF he is so are my doctors (three of them) and they don’t seem to be concerned at all about other peoples religions. One of my doctors wears a hijab - it doesn’t bother me. I literally trust this woman with my life. I would not say the same thing about Sarah Palin.
As for the comments pertaining to Palin’s “blessing” for protection against witches and witchcraft, I found the act itself bothersome and enough to raise an eyebrow at. However, upon really listening to this man’s speech prior to his “blessing,” I was truly disturbed. The link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl4HIc-yfgM
It’s hard to listen to, and hard to follow, but basically he says the following:
He claims that there’s 7 aspects of society that proper Christians need to let God take over.
-The Spiritual aspect (the current power and influence, in charge of saving people. He says that nothing much will change since they are saved and then they die)
-The Economic aspect (”It’s high time we have all Christian businessman and business women bankers, who are men and women of integrity”),
-The Politics area (need breatheren directly inside the system, they should pray for them, buck them up)
-The Education aspect (”Take over our education system…we’ll not have kids being taught how to worship Buddah, how to worship Mohammad, Indian curriculum, witchcraft, and sorcery….we need God” , also mentions that the 10 commandments should be put back, that schools are wide open to preaching, and should get the kids while they’re young so they learn the “right” path. The “Christian Union is nothing more but, but a bunch of kids that are born-again”
-The Media aspect (”Need God taking over the media in our lives” “living church in hollywood”)
-The Government aspect (need Believers there. Somehow different from politics area).
Only talks about 6 aspects. Then he started the actual prayer over Sarah. The title, description, and hype are misleading, because even after listening to this video three or four times, he mentions witchcraft as the enemy and protection from it only once in his blessing, mostly emphasizing “In the Name of Jesus!” over and over again, praying for God to support Palin.
This event as a whole shouldn’t reflect upon Palin too terribly much, however, due to the very small role she played, giving her benefit of the doubt, maybe not her idea. However, the implications of this video are the important thing because it shows she’s far enough conservative to attract the attention and support of extremeists like this man.
It is a shame that religion has to be such a big issue, mostly because of some groups attacking others.
Blessed Be and Peacefully Go,
Kristina