A Thought for Today #3
Posted in Current Events by John E. Pannell on December 9th, 2007 at 11:27 pm I’m going to step in dangerous territory here. I need to get this off my chest. This is mainly aimed at some voters and partisans in the Republican party and some members of “The Media”. Those not interested in politics should skip this post.
Why are the religious beliefs of a certain presidential candidate an issue? More than a dozen members of this religion serve in the US Congress, including the Senate Majority leader, and there has been no problems or controversy because of their religious beliefs. I thought we settled this in 1960 when the Roman Catholic JFK was elected president.
He is a candidate still married to and faithful to his first wife (as far as I know). He does not have a stable of illegitimate children. He is not a serial adulterer. He did not throw his wife out of his official residence so his mistress could move. He did not divorce his wife while she lay on her deathbed, to clear the way to marry his mistress. And as some would remind me, his wife is not four years older than his daughter (but that doesn’t really matter to me considering the ages of those involved). He did not use state troopers to procure women for him. Such character flaws would seem to be more relevant than a candidate’s faith.
Why does his religion matter? I know of nothing in his faith that would prevent him from performing the office of President. On the pHe appears to be happily married. His children appear to be normal — or as normal as they can be living in the spotlight. I’m much more interested in a candidate’s personal character, political views, policies and records than in what particular church he belongs to.
I feel better now.
Discuss… if you want.
I am reminded of the episode of South Park where the Mormon religion was lampooned. I am thinking particularly of the very end of this episode, when the Mormon boy confronted Stan where religious beliefs are concerned.
John:
Look at what it means to be a religious person (no matter what faith). It announces to the world that you have basic, core values that you aspire to live your life, and that you are unwilling and unable to compromise those beliefs.
Now, compare it to the candidate template created by the left-leaning lamestream media, who treat such belefs as “quaint” or “old-fashioned”, and can’t believe that anyone would be diferent from them. The media acts as if they are America (”and you can, too!”), and treat those with a strong belief in God with condesention and distain, because religious people will always aim high, will likely fall short from time to time, and back away from the notion of “situational ethics”.
Heck, look at how the Boy Scouts are treated by the media, and the refusal to compromise on the 3 G’s. We’re right there with Mike and Mitt.