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Christianity Today, November, 2007 |

Faith-Talk Surprise

Presidential candidates deviate from the usual religious scripts.

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra | posted 10/09/2007 08:41AM

Political observers have noticed a surprising twist this election campaign: Democrats and Republicans seem to have switched places in their use of religious rhetoric.

Republican candidate Fred Thompson ...

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G Braden

Posted: October 11, 2007 8:11 AM


This article doesn't really say anything. Sometimes, I think the Christian voting block is as superficial as those whom they vote for.

Viktor

Posted: October 10, 2007 5:31 PM

Today the President urged Congress not to vote about recognizing the Turkish genocide of Armenian people last century. How are we going to continue talking about American values to the rest of the living world after this awful and miserable statement? Is for Christians in politics everything now for sale to gain some questionable political benefits? There is something extremely disapponting about my new country's direction. What a painful discovery,God help us !

Raymond Takashi Swenson

Posted: October 10, 2007 10:20 AM

The assertion of religious faith is not anything new to Democrats. Jimmy Carter was elected in the wake of Watergate to restore rectitude to the White House. He was also an Annapolic graduate and former nuclear submarine officer. He demonstrated that these things do not predict good judgment in either domestic or foreign policies. Bill Clinton gave campaign speeches in churches (something Republicans would be excoriated for) and attended church before having Sunday assignations with his White House staff prostitute. Evangelicals and other Christians need to examine what each candidate actually believes about the duties and opportunities of the next president, rather than rely on a religious resume, positive or negative, which is a notoriously poor predictor of performance in office.

John	Posted: October 10, 2007 9:28 AM

I think this article begins with the premise that politicians really have well-established beliefs. I think Mitt Romney's flip-flopping on abortion and gay rights and Bush's profession of ANY kind of Christian beliefs while launching preemptive wars, "rendering" and torturing prisoners, and saving the veto pen for kid's health insurance, clearly put the lie to such a suggestions. Politicians, at least the top tier candidates that have a chance of winning, worship at the altar of power and money...any one of them would burn an abortion clinic down or cut the ribbon at the openning of one if they thought it would get them re-elected. Don't kid yourselves...in the end they are all "Ceasar."

Ted Voth Jr

Posted: October 09, 2007 5:00 PM

As a political Liberal and a conservative Christian, who believes firmly in the separation of church and state for the church's sake, and the state's, it scares the spit out of me that the Democrats might learn to talk the faith talk, while inwardly being ravening wolves, like the greedy Republicans who profess Christianity. God is not a Republican or a Democrat. Be wise as serpents, sisters and brothers, and harmless as doves! Don't you know we will judge the angels? How much more, then, the politicians?

Allie

Posted: October 09, 2007 2:16 PM


Thanks for this. I might be naive, but I'd much rather hear a political candidate honestly admit a "lack of faith" than co-opt Christianity for selfish ends. It's not enough to talk the talk, and to see a candidate not talk the talk if they aren't walking the walk is refreshing.

Kim	Posted: October 09, 2007 12:42 PM

In general, politicians are in the business of selling themselves and their ideas. I believe that often elections are a choice between the "lesser of two evils." What a shame that is! Money and power are required to have enough cash to be the nominee. As Christians, we absolutely must exercise our right to vote. We must also absolutely prayerfully consider each candidate. I might not really like either nominee, but I will consult with God about who gets my vote. And I don't believe that the party affiliation matters anymore than a particular denomination matters. The real issue is this: who is God leading me to vote for? or NOT vote for, in some cases.

Anonymous

Posted: October 09, 2007 12:33 PM


What exactly is the "evangelical profile of President Bush"? Frankly, I'd rather have an unbeliever (or a christian that doesn't use his faith for political advantage) that does the right thing and doesn't show partiality towards the rich.

Ed Flamboe

Posted: October 09, 2007 12:20 PM


Each candidate that decrys faith, seems to say my commitment is in question. At least there commitment to the good of the nation. In my opinion, anyone that declares ther lack of faith is of questionable character, as one can not determine the basis or foundations upon which they stand. From a national viewpoint, our stand is, "One nation, under God, indivisable...."

DiverCity

Posted: October 09, 2007 11:58 AM

Evangelicals must demand more than lip service to "faith." That's what got the country in such trouble with the "Evangelical" Bush. Bush has never had a conservative political philosophy except with respect to one or two social issues such as abortion. A principled conservative, however, can and indeed likely will understand the need to protect the unborn, even if he is not (oh, the horror) a "person of faith" who uses platitudes to deceive the ignorant but religious masses.

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