More drivel from the campaign trail
Email This Post
- 
Print This Post
-
A new report from the campaign trail: Apparently Senator McCain did not maintain himself under the “Cone of Silence” prior to the ‘forum’ at Pastor Rick Warren’s California mega-church. Did he have the questions in advance? If he did, are you really surprised? He barely knows what he’s talking about these days, but it’s win at all costs for the grandaddy of presidential candidates. The issue here is not if McCain had the questions in advance, but whether or not presidential forums should even be conducted in churches. The answer is no. Want to hear the candidates? Go to a public hall.
Religion is personal. It’s private. My faith is just that. My faith. It has nothing to do with the state of the nation. Religion belongs in the pulpit, not in the formation of public policy. Politicians should not be taking political positions or giving political speeches from a church pulpit. Less advanced nations, by our definition, ‘get’ this. Somehow, we do not. Just as other less advanced nations hold their leaders accountable, and we do not.
If your faith says that you must reject abortion, then don’t have one. If, by chance, you make a mistake, you should handle it in the way that your religion tells you to handle it. However, if my daughter were to make a mistake, don’t expect my family to handle it the way YOUR religion would like me to handle it. These are not political issues. These are personal issues. Don’t believe in same-sex marriage? Don’t marry someone of the same sex. The notion that same-sex marriage is a ‘threat’ to heterosexual marriage is just twisted thinking. The heterosexual divorce rate is around 50% and the heterosexuals have done it to themselves. Those who want to amend the Constitution to define marriage as being between one man and one woman want to write discrimination into the Constitution. The Constitution should be amended for a good reason, not to placate the religious right and win votes. That is precisely why there is a separation between church and state. We are not here to legislate morality. If there truly is a Supreme Being out there (and the verdict on that is out for many people), he or she will divide up the sinners and the saved at a later date.
Citizens attending religious-sponsored forums are looking for candidates who will translate religious beliefs into public policy. One such piece of legislation is the new effort to ban same-sex marriage on a national basis. This year it’s called the ‘Protect Marriage Act.’ Let me take a moment to point out here that two cosponsors of this initiative have done more to threaten their own marriages than a busload of gays could ever do. One cosponsor is none other than Senator Larry Craig (R-ID), who was caught trolling around a mens room looking for a dangerous liaison when he propositioned an undercover cop. The other is Senator David Vitter (R-LA) who took a liking to one specific prostitute over a period of years. Since they’re both still working, it just goes to show that it doesn’t matter if they live their beliefs as long as they take the correct political stand and support the right legislation.
Should Senator Lieberman be making the keynote address at a conservative religious forum whose leader, John Hagee, is advocating that the United States join Israel in a pre-emptive strike on Iran because he believes it’s necessary to bring about the Rapture? I think not. I think there is a danger there. Now, if Senator Lieberman, himself Jewish, is stupid enough to believe Hagee cares about the Jews beyond that, fine. Let him worship at Hagee’s alter in his private life as a private citizen. Many of today’s fundamentalist ministers want their fifteen minutes of fame and their face on the front of Time. I propose that political figures should be banned from seeking or accepting the endorsement of religious leaders, regardless of denomination.
This practice of politicizing the pulpit is a slippery slope and the path it leads to is dangerous. Regardless of the fact that many of our Founding Fathers were God-fearing men, they knew how to keep their faith separate from their politics. That is sound judgement that today’s politicians are lacking.
Comment by Marshall Ivan Risidin on 19 August 2008:
Deb,
I like Boris Yeltsin’s attitude toward religion. Campaigning in Russia’s first attempt at elections, he was asked about religion. He stated that he would certainly allow religion in the new Russia but had a negative view on it for the following reasons. When baby Yeltsin was to be baptized in a Siberian river, it was already after noon and the priest was already drunk from hospitality vodka. When the baby was immersed he was dropped into the river and forgotten by the priest who had passed out. Only quick action by relatives saved Yeltsin for posterity.
The source of the story is Yeltsin’s first book “Exposition On A Given Theme” translated for some people by Marshall Ivan–but not translated into English for publication. Yeltsin, by the way donated the proceeds to the fund for disposable needles as Russia was at the time acquiring its current horrible AIDS problem.The problem there has been among all groups, but worst among orphan children.
Please forgive the digression, I thought the story revealing.
Ivan
Comment by minesotan on 20 August 2008:
You NAILED McCain as a cheater and here is another example, just fast forward:
After the 2008 Presidential election was too close to call neither the Republican candidate nor the Democratic candidate had enough votes to win. There was much talk about ballot recounting, court challenges, etc., but a week-long ice fishing competition seemed the sportsmanlike way to settle things. The candidate that caught the most fish at the end of the week would win the election.
Therefore, it was decided that there should be an ice fishing contest between the two candidates to determine the winner.
After much of back and forth discussion, it was decided that the contest take place on a remote frozen lake in northern Minnesota, especially since Minnesota went to Obama.
There were to be no observers present, and both men were to be sent out separately on this isolated lake and return at 5 P.M. with their catch for counting and verification by a team of neutral parties. At the end of the first day, John McCain returned to the starting line and he had ten fish.
Soon, Obama returned and had no fish. Well, everyone assumed he was just first day jitters or something and hopefully, he would catch up the next day.
At the end of the 2nd day John McCain came in with 20 fish and Obama came in again with none.
That evening, Harry Reid got together secretly with Obama and said, “Obama, I think John McCain is a low-life, cheatin’ son-of-a-gun. I want you to go out tomorrow and don’t even bother with fishing. Just spy on him and see just how he is cheating.”
The next night (after John McCain returns with 50 fish), Harry said to Obama, “Well, tell me, how is John McCain cheating?”
Obama replied, “Harry, you’re not going to believe this, but he’s cutting holes in the ice!”
Comment by julie hershey on 20 August 2008:
Not sure if I get the joke on the last comment – does this say that McCain is an experienced fisherman therefore should/should not be considered a cheater? Oh well, I’m a ditz.
Anyway, I am pleased to see an ordinarily right leaning columnist (Kathleen Parker) appear in the Chicago Tribune today with the same sentiments you have expressed, Deb.
Initially, I did not find the location of the interviews particularly a problem – had to wonder if a similar interview in a mosque or synagogue discussing concerns particular to Muslims or Jews would have elicited the same objections. Probably not, since the line of questioning would likely have remained purely political/policy oriented. While I think Rick Warren made an effort to remain impartial to either candidate during the interviews, the faith-based questions were improper regardless of the fact that both claim to be Christian.
The problem is the blur between policymaking and faith inherent in Christian issues, i.e. Roe vs. Wade. And, of course, that McCain is likely to get a louder applause from the audience when he DEFIANTLY announces that life begins at the moment of conception. Such a daring response from a guy who claimed he would oppose the repeal of Roe v. Wade in 1999.
I’m not sure if there are very many fence sitters in this election, but I hope at least the Christian community can feel better about voting Democrat this time around – it’s really not such an unG-dly choice.
Comment by Deb Della Piana on 20 August 2008:
Hey Ivan, I like your Boris Yeltsin story. Didn’t mind the digression at all. And welcome to the home page!
Deb
Deb Della Pianas last blog post..Someone’s missing the issue here…