Inquisition 2008: Candidates Get Grilled by the Media's Holy StandardsBy Rob Boston, Church & State Magazine. Posted September 1, 2007.
Presidential candidates are getting barraged by the media on questions about their prayers, their sins, and their beliefs on religious doctrine -- and some of them seem to enjoy it.
~ excerpt ~
Many Americans might be surprised that such questions are being asked at all, given the pressing international and domestic issues vying for the candidates' attention. With a war in Iraq raging, health care in crisis and energy costs spiraling, lots of voters are interested in hearing the candidates' specific policy positions on key issues, not bromides on how often a candidate prays and what he or she prays for.
Yet many candidates remain convinced that millions of voters are fixated on religion -- and the media apparently agrees. Although the general election is more than a year off, the topic of faith has been unusually prominent so far. Indications are that will continue.
The phenomenon is bipartisan. As some Democrats seek to add a little more "God talk" on the stump, Republican contenders are frequently heard talking about religion -- an attempt to sway voters aligned with the Religious Right, a well-funded, well-organized presence in the GOP that always flexes more muscle during the primary season, when more ideologically minded voters are active.
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As the election season plays out,
Americans United (the organization which publishes Church and State magazine) has re-activated its
Project Fair Play to assure that houses of worship and non-profit religious groups abide by the law. The Internal Revenue Service has signaled a crackdown on abuses as well.
Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn has criticized the overemphasis on religion in both parties, discussing the issue frequently in the media.
At a recent forum on religion in public life in Austin, Lynn blasted candidates in both parties for "hiring ethics and religion advisers -- that is to say, spin doctors." Lynn added, "It suggests they are not really comfortable themselves knowing whatever it is they do believe.
"This is pandering," Lynn concluded.
http://www.alternet.org/story/61381 Project Fair Play About Project Fair PlayIn 1996,
Americans United for Separation of Church and State launched
Project Fair Play, a drive to educate religious leaders about provisions in the Internal Revenue Code that prohibit non-profit organizations, including houses of worship, from intervening in partisan campaigns. As part of the Project, AU produces special materials addressing the legal and ethical implications of religious organizations engaging in electioneering on behalf of candidates and political parties.
Churches may engage in issue advocacy, non-partisan voter registration and discussion of voting as a civic duty. Such activities are not violations of federal tax law and are broadly protected by the U.S. Constitution. Intervention in campaigns on behalf of candidates, however, is prohibited.
Under the auspices of
Project Fair Play,
Americans United reports to the IRS egregious violations of the ban on electioneering by religious organizations. Our work is conducted in a strictly non-partisan fashion. Since the Project began,
AU has reported church activities in support of Democratic, Republican and Independent campaigns.
Learn more about AU. Register for emails from AU. http://projectfairplay.org/about/ 
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