Religious affiliation

[question everything]

Is is too much to hope that now, that Obama left his church, that we shall no longer care about any candidate's religious affiliation in the future?

This is one of my favorite quotes from "The West Wing" and it was said by "Arnold Vinick" the Republican candidate

"I don't see how we can have a separation of church and state in this government if you have to pass a religious test to get in this government. And I want to warn everyone in the press and all the voters out there if you demand expressions of religious faith from politicians, you are just begging to be lied to. They won't all lie to you but a lot of them will. And it will be the easiest lie they ever had to tell to get your votes. So, every day until the end of this campaign, I'll answer any question anyone has on government, But if you have a question on religion, please go to church."

http://westwing.bewarne.com/sixth/620wetrust.html

[The Diest]

1. It should be illegal to be affiliated with a religion when running for office.

Or is it already?

[RB TexLa]

2. No it isn't. Even candidates have freedom of religion in the US.

[blondeatlast]

3. Maybe someday, but it's a long way off. When a belief system,

whether it be a religion or atheism, defines a person--there's where the danger lies.

Beliefs are part of a person, but they shouldn't define that person. There's way too much of that stuff going on today.

[defendandprotect]

4. There has to be more open discussion about "wrapping oneself in the flag" and

"wrapping oneself in religion" --

It is debate and discssion which enlightens but ever seven years we have a new population on our hands to educate!!

[Adsos Letter]

5. That's the point...Article VI, sec. III says no religious test shall be required...

The president can believe whatever he wants, religion-wise, but it is up to the Supreme Court to ensure that the government operates on a secular basis, hence the importance of the makeup of that body.

[question everything]

6. One has to wonder how much his Mormonism cost Romney

and I don't think that it was ever an issue when his father ran some 40 years ago.

Legally, of course, a person cannot be barred from running based on his religion. But as we have seen in the last 28 years, a very specific branch of religion has influenced election results, and many campaign managers took advantage of this.

[Adsos Letter]

7. I agree with you completely.

The makeup of the SCOTUS is essential in safeguarding the church/state separation which this nation included as part of it's system of governance; made all the more critical, as you have pointed out, by the rise of politically active, right-wing evangelical constituencies.

And the same danger of "Progressive" Christianity assuming an unhealthy influence also exists; their social ideas might be more amenable to progressive-minded people, but the entanglement of religious programs with secular government seems wrong-headed and open to abuse. Gamble's "The War for Righteousness: Progressive Christianity, the Great War, and the Rise of the Messianic Nation" is an interesting look at religio-political involvement from the other end of the theological spectrum, and worth a read.

I don't know if George Romney faced resistance because of his Mormonism, but both Al Smith and JFK certainly faced criticism because of their Catholicism.

These issues would be moot, and the spirit of Article VI could function as intended if the Supremes would follow the Constitution in safeguarding secular government...despite what the "will of the majority" (transient and easily influenced as it is) might decide they want in these matters.

my 2 cents...