Faith and Politics

A friend recently posted on their Facebook page that there was a poll stating that it seemed people (in this case meaning voters participating in the electoral process) were less likely to elect an atheist to political office.  He expressed it in a way that gave one the impression that this sort of thinking was very ignorant

Janet Parshall discussed this issue in her commentary today:

       A brand new poll just released this week seems to indicate that Americans do care greatly about the issue of faith, especially when it comes to politics.
       Research data that addresses the intersection of faith and politics is always so fascinating and very revealing about what we generally believe as a culture and as a people. The non-partisan Public Religion Research Institute reported this week on new polling information about the role of religion in the lives of politicians.
       Two-thirds of Americans believe it is important for a presidential candidate to have strong religious beliefs. But the data doesn’t stop there – it turns out that voters want religious beliefs in the lives of their politicians – even if the beliefs of the candidate are different from their own.
       The survey also shows that only one in five US Citizens would be less likely to vote for a candidate if the candidate’s religious beliefs were different from their own. Specifically, 29 percent said they would be “uncomfortable” with an evangelical in the White House, 53 percent said the same thing about a Mormon, 64 percent would object to a Muslim and a huge majority of 67 percent said “NO” to the idea of an atheist in the office.
       What issues are on the minds of voters? It comes as no surprise that 8 out of 10 of us believe that creating jobs is the number one issue facing America today. Six in 10 of those surveyed said reducing the government budget deficit is most critical.
       When asked about the so-called “Occupy Wall Street” movement in the country right now, a shocking 6 out of 10 said that the country would be better off if the distribution of wealth was more equally distributed while 39 percent disagreed. On the heels of that statistic, it comes as no surprise that 7 out of 10 Americans think there should be a tax increase on those earning more than $1 million a year – compared to 27 percent who opposed the idea.
       From this survey, we appear to be a people in conflict – we want faith to be instrumental and lived out in the lives of our politicians but we aren’t quite sure about how those faith principles should play out in public policy. The tension between politics and religion is not new.
       George Washington was a reluctant President. He was far more comfortable surveying land in the Shenandoah Valley or leading his men at Valley Forge than he ever was as the first President of the United States. But he too recognized the role of faith not only in our government, but in our personal lives. He said,
              “While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian."

How right he was.

That’s my opinion. I’m Janet Parshall.