memo to america: vote on politics
by Elly Kranz
Published: January 1, 2008
“Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law.” This was said by Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Dr. Cooper in 1814. Despite the efforts of some to re-write him as so, Thomas Jefferson was not a strict Christian. He did accept the existence of a creator, yes, but rejected thoughts of miracles and the strict teachings of religion. A founding father, if not the most famous, believed that religion had no place in our politics. So why is it we, America, called for Mitt Romney to explain his?
Article 6 of our own constitution states that, “No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.” In America, your religion is supposed to be a private matter. Of course, in 1960 that was proven false when a catholic announced he would run for president. The nation immediately began to worry, “Would he be guided by our government or the Pope in Rome?” Kennedy was able to quell the fears of the American public and beat Nixon by 113,000 votes (religiousntolerance.org). Yet, Kennedy was Catholic, an easily understood religion. It shared most its morals, standings and beliefs with the other Christian based religions. Romney has the misfortune to be Mormon, a religion viewed with uneasiness. In his address to the Evangelical Theological Society, Hugh Hewitt stated three religious-based objections that he had to Romney:
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would control any Mormon elected as president.
- A Mormon President would energize Mormon missionaries globally.
- The Mormon faith is irrational.
Now, I don’t support the Republican Party, nor do I support Romney, but what are Evangelicals thinking? This guy is exactly what the Republicans want. According to Ontheissues.org, he is against women having a choice, against people loving whom they choose and doesn’t really care about the environment or the homeland drug war. What more do you need to quiz him about? Oh, yeah: “Uhm, Mr. Romney… are you in a cult?”
Why aren’t we asking Rudy Giuliani or Barack Obama if they’ll follow the word of their priest? Aren’t they just as likely to take advice from a trusted religious figure as Romney? Why not ask Hillary if she’ll get advice from her female friends instead of her political advisors? The truth is, Mormonism scares the religious right and despite what the constitution states, religion will never be absent from our politics. Most of America grows up with a religion, and the faithful are often more concerned with a candidate’s position on the trinity than that candidate’s position on health care and the war in Iraq. It seems that these same faithfuls have been spoon fed by the negative media that Mormonism is wholly different from other Christian faiths. And if it is, who cares? I am not concerned with what Mitt Romney thinks about Jesus, God, the saints and the disciples. Seriously, I might as well ask for his take on Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty; they hold about the same importance in a political race.
Memo to America: Vote on politics. Not prejudice!
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