To those non-secular friends of mine.
Mitt Romney yesterday said that "No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes president he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths."
In the same speech he then went on to add that he "do not define my candidacy by my religion" and eventually went on to add that he "will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A president must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States."
How then, would Mitt Romney, or any other non-secular candidate, including our current President, in their next breath explain their views on Abortion and Gay Marriage, issues which for them are clearly explained through their religious views?
Is this not serving not just one religion, but most religions?
What about the majority of Americans who are secular like myself?
Why does no reporter or person ever ask this simple question of non-secular politicians? You believe in a separation of church and state yet your religious views cloud your judgment on such major issues as abortion and gay marriage; how is this separation of church and state and how do you then seek to include the majority of your constituents who would then be cast aside by your non-secular views?
2 comments:
This is a slippery slope. Although I agree with you...
However, you will never be able to entirely seperate the person making the decision, from the decision that is made. If it's not their character, it will be their knowledge of the issue, or influences from other outlets (whether consciously or not).
That is what makes it difficult to have one person deciding what is "right" for another, or group of others - in any case.
But at the same time, there is a beauty in the individual characters that have been able to develop thus far. The allowance for difference still has a ways to go, but it's there... it's just got some more growing to do.
I think you're right. No one can truly separate their faith/religion/world view/belief system/whatever you wanna call it from the decisions they make. I don't believe that any one man or woman can detach church and state. Even a secularly minded person has a certain view of the world and has specific beliefs of "how things should be". I think that regardless of the faith (or lack thereof) a candidate professes to, he or she will be unable to make decisions without being influenced by it. The definition of a decision is a conclusion reached after consideration. I don't think consideration can exclude one's view of the world.
So, to me, it becomes immensely important for those who are in power to be aware of and have input from other world views. The great part of the U.S. system is that we have freedom of religion (I would like to change it to freedom of belief. Even those who want "freedom from religion" have some belief in them that religion is bad...I think I agree with them on the danger of religion).
To address that fact that I work in a church. Sometimes, especially this past weekend (the 2 shootings committed by the guy who grew up in the church) when I see how badly the church can hurt people, I am discouraged and frustrated that I get put in that category. I know that over my life I have hurt people and have probably pushed my beliefs on others to the point that they were offended, but my hope is that I will from here on out be willing to listen and accept and change my mindset and seek to understand in a way that much of the organized church won't. My hope is also that others who disagree with my beliefs will do the same.
Good thoughts and thanks
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