There have been some recent criticisms here that the Democratic Party and various politicians have been pandering to the religious crowd. Is it really pandering or is it acknowledging that most Americans, Democrat and Republican, are to some extent theistic, spiritual & religious, and that it’s been a mistake to allow the DP to be regarded as the radical secularist/seperationist party?
For those liberals who bristle at religious rhetoric from politicians, what do you do with Sen. Obama talking about Jesus dying for his sins, Sen. Clinton talking about feeling the Holy Spirit, or Sen. Biden threatening to shove his Rosary down the throats of anyone accusing him of not being a good Catholic?
Btw, I believe all three of these people are sincere Christians with whom I have significant political differences.
I think it’s been a huge mistake to allow the Republicans to paint themselves as the Christian party. Both sides have people who are godly and not so godly. As long as they walk the walk (Sarah Palin appears to be sincere in her beliefs) and not just talk the talk (hello Dubya), it doesn’t bother me coming from either side.
As an athiest liberal I have no problem at all about any politician professing thier own faith. It is when the whackjobs try to profess thier faith in MY name that I get upset. I am fine with you or Obama or Joe Biden or anyone else living by their own beliefs, it is when the Conservatives try to force those beliefs on me that I am going to fight back.
One of the best things that Obama said during the campaign was (major paraphrasing from memory here, proceed with caution) that he can have a personal religious belief about something, but that alone is not a sufficient argument when considering an issue. I think he mentioned abortion specifically, stating that there are several reasons to oppose abortion, but simply arguing that it’s against God’s will doesn’t cut it. I’ll try to find the exact statement here in a bit unless someone else has it handy.
I think it is undeniable that many atheists will be drawn to the Democratic Party for political reasons unrelated to atheism. I don’t think it is reasonable for them to expect that that party should then redraw itself along their preferred lines, for the sheer reason that they are massively outnumbered there, and a party ought to reflect the wishes of its membership.
I’d hazard to guess that atheists in the Democratic Party are outnumbered by far just by black voters - who are by and large evangelical.
Exactly. I recognize that my radical secular preferences are fringe, and there will be no party that will make this part of its platform for a good long time, if ever. It is one of the things I have to hold my nose and accept no matter which party I vote for.
We are a country with separation of State and religion. Our Constitution protects the minority from the Majority and religion (or lack of) should not be a factor in an election. Beliefs are a personal thing and as we now know for sure having a "good Christian " in office is not necessarily a good thing for this country.
We can say we are trully democratic if a Black Lesbian Atheist were elected president,non of those things should matter.
Yes, since the Democrats are about as religious as the Republicans and always have been. They’ve just let the Republicans define the debate their way, as the Democrats often do.
I shrug and put up with it. America is a nation of religious loonies, and the chance of an honest atheist or agnostic or even mild skeptic being elected President is zero. All I can do is vote for the least destructive lunatic or liar ( which of the two they are depends on if they actually believe the religious nonsense they spout ).
It’s pandering if you express religious beliefs you don’t feel particularly deeply in order to try to connect with religious voters.
I think it’s pretty clear by now that Obama’s religious beliefs are sincere and deep. I think it’s equally clear that McCain’s about as religious as my bookcase, and he wouldn’t be telling that story about the Vietnamese guard drawing a cross in the dirt if he wasn’t running for President. I have no idea about Biden’s or Hillary’s depth of religious belief.