Should Religion Play a Part in Who You Vote For?

[tessa_s212]

This question was asked in my Senior Government class after being asked to read a long article on the Mormon presidential candidate. We had a good discussion in class, and though I got a few good ideas from others in the class, I'd love to hear opinions here too.

So, what do you think? Should it play a role? Or doesn't it matter at all?

EDA: and furthermore, do you find it acceptable that he seems to be running and hiding from his religious background, not willing to share or talk about it?

 

[PoodleMommy]

I will almost certainly vote for Mitt Romney... I am not a very religious person so basing my vote on someones religion would be hypocritical.

I dont feel like religion has anything to do with how prepared someone is to run our country... to me saying a Mormon cant run our country is the same as saying a woman shouldnt or a black shouldnt. I think it is great that so many different (diverse) people are running for President... it shows how far our country has come.

JMO.

Elissa

 

[milos_mommy]

hmm, yes and no.

would i vote from someone atheist or agnostic because i am agnostic? no. would i NOT vote for someone of a different religion than i? no. Some of the issues in this country are emphasized by religion. if you are a Christian person who believes homosexuality is a sin, you're naturally not going to vote for someone pushing for gay marriage rights.

 

[PoodleMommy]

hmm, yes and no.

would i vote from someone atheist or agnostic because i am agnostic? no. would i NOT vote for someone of a different religion than i? no. Some of the issues in this country are emphasized by religion. if you are a Christian person who believes homosexuality is a sin, you're naturally not going to vote for someone pushing for gay marriage rights.

Obviously some issues will cause religion to play some part... but I think it comes down to where you fall on a political spectrum more then a religious spectrum... people of many different religions are conservative for example... so they will vote for a candidate who adheres to their values that doesnt mean that person needs to be of the same religion.

 

[eddieq]

Since my religious beliefs form much of my moral compass, I'd say it's impossible for me to not base my vote on that.

Would I vote for someone just because of their religion, though (which is what I think the OP was asking), no. I allow my religous beliefs and morals to guide me on my choice, though.

 

[Renee750il]

I think bringing religion into politics becomes very wrong because it is used as a tool to manipulate the emotions of the voters and focus the attention away from the candidates' stand on the REAL issues - or their lack of any stand.

 

[tessa_s212]

But isn't it fair to say that religion does play a role in determining or influencing a person's beliefs, opinions, and stands on political issues?

 

[Buckshot]

I would vote for somone of any religion if they could keep church and state seperate. I wouldnt vote for an athiest who wanted to undermine freedom of religion. If they want to use my money to further their religious endeavours, the only lever I would be willing to pull for them would be on a gallows.

 

[Buckshot]

But isn't it fair to say that religion does play a role in determining or influencing a person's beliefs, opinions, and stands on political issues?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

[DoggyDaze]

But isn't it fair to say that religion does play a role in determining or influencing a person's beliefs, opinions, and stands on political issues?

I don't think there is any way around it. Especially on social issues which have become hotbuttons due to advances in science and technology not to mention evolving social mores which are not based on biblical teachings.

Personally, I've become very sensitive to a candidates religiosity. As long as people like Dobson , Perkins and North are attempting to gain power and bank political favors in order to recapture the myth of a christian America I will support the candidate who shows the least obeisance to the christian kingmakers. Provided there isn't some other major show-stopper to make the candidate undesirable of course.

 

[bubbatd]

I just hope that our leaders believe in God and ask for guidance . Sex or color doesn't matter to me as long as they are good leaders ......... unfortunately the goods ones are too smart to run .

 

[ACooper]

I don't necessarily care about what religion they are, and normally couldn't tell you. I do care if they SAY they care about the same things I do...........which alot of times are coming from my religious beliefs in the first place.

 

[Romy]

I think people should vote for whoever best represents their own personal beliefs. Most people's beliefs and morals (including mine) tend to be influenced somewhat, if not a lot, by their spiritual/religious views. It's probably inevitable then, that people will vote for a candidate whose spirituality is more in tune with theirs.

On the Mitt Romney note, I would just like to say that I am Mormon and haven't decided who to vote for yet (not having TV shelters me from all their ads and scandals, ha!). Anyway, the individual candidates and their various platforms are something I want to examine more indepth before I jump on someone's bandwagon simply because we share the same faith.

I'm guessing too that the reason he's "hiding" his Mormon-ness is that the church has always emphasized that they do not endorse any candidate, or bill, or anything or any political nature either direction. We have always been counseled to exercise our right to vote, and to do so with much thought and information so as to make a decision most in keeping with our personal values as possible. I think he's probably trying to avoid looking like he's campaigning on a "Mormon" platform for a lot of reasons to do with what I just said, one of them being the church presidency would probably yell at him for using a non-political church to further his political career.

 

[tessa_s212]

I think people should vote for whoever best represents their own personal beliefs. Most people's beliefs and morals (including mine) tend to be influenced somewhat, if not a lot, by their spiritual/religious views. It's probably inevitable then, that people will vote for a candidate whose spirituality is more in tune with theirs.

This was my point exactly. We can argue seperation all we want, but in the end a person's beliefs, morals, and opinions will still be heavily influenced by their religion.

On the Mitt Romney note, I would just like to say that I am Mormon and haven't decided who to vote for yet (not having TV shelters me from all their ads and scandals, ha!). Anyway, the individual candidates and their various platforms are something I want to examine more indepth before I jump on someone's bandwagon simply because we share the same faith.

I'm guessing too that the reason he's "hiding" his Mormon-ness is that the church has always emphasized that they do not endorse any candidate, or bill, or anything or any political nature either direction. We have always been counseled to exercise our right to vote, and to do so with much thought and information so as to make a decision most in keeping with our personal values as possible. I think he's probably trying to avoid looking like he's campaigning on a "Mormon" platform for a lot of reasons to do with what I just said, one of them being the church presidency would probably yell at him for using a non-political church to further his political career.

Could it be he's trying to save himself from the public bashing of his religious views and beliefs? Being as how many still might be quite closed minded the the idea of anything but Christian becoming president of our country?

 

[Lilavati]

That's a complex question. Would I not vote for/vote for someone simply because of their religon? No. Would I not vote for someone who's relgiousity got in the way of them being a rational leader for our country? Yes. Asking God for guidence is fine . . . thinking God talks to you is scary. Thinking God has appointed you is both arrogant and scary. If your beliefs cause you to ignore, downplay or conceal scientific evidence, then I won't vote for you. If your beliefs interfere with your judgement, then I won't vote for you. Its pretty simple . . . our elected leaders have a duty not only to uphold the separation of Church and State, but to reprisent the interests of the people. All the people. Whatever their religion is. And that is their interest in this life, and the interests of our children and grandchildren . . . not our interests in some hypothetical other life, or some hypothetical post-apocalyptic world. Though consulting one's conscience, and by extension, God, is always a good idea, I would not vote for anyone who puts religion before real world evidence in making choices.

 

[zoe08]

My religion influences my beliefs, morals, and values and I am not going to vote for someone who goes against those. So I vote for the person that has the most similar beliefs to mine. I don't ask what religion they are, just what they stand for.

 

[Southpaw]

My religion influences my beliefs, morals, and values and I am not going to vote for someone who goes against those. So I vote for the person that has the most similar beliefs to mine. I don't ask what religion they are, just what they stand for.

Exactly.

I don't care what their religion is. I'm Christian but I would vote for an atheist if the things they stood for were in line with my morals and beliefs.

 

[MelissaCato]

I never thought about voting for a certain religion till all this Religious crap after 911. Now, I believe I need to factor it in ... the world is advancing, more countries are debating America's Freedoms, choice of religion or no religion at all and some people are (to be quite frank) out to distroy my country. Sooo, the best defence is to go back in time and re-establish what this country was founded on, remember those who have died to give us what we got ... and of course Ben Franklin and the gang who signed that special piece of paper to have America's "we the people" in authority above all earthly kings and "enities of governments". Sounds radical to some, but the Constitution was ment to be extremely radical in dire straights.

That being said, I will for the first time ever to vote... vote for a Christian Constitutionalist who knows our history and the power of the United States Constitution and beliefs of our founders who imagined this very day of crisis. Because America is gonna need "we the people" in power sometime very soon. :yikes:

And as I see it, America doesn't have another 8-15 years to think about the direction we want to go. There's no more flip the coin. We need to get it together now ... while there are still some "Americans" that like the sting of battle and will die for your Freedoms. When these "Americans" are gone ... so is America. That's a fact. Bush has a grand plan, I bet he doesn't stop the war till 500,000 of us are dead... hummm I wonder who gave him that idea ... Bastards.

The choice is yours. I'll vote for Ron Paul to........ Git Er' Dhun.

 

[houndlove]

I'll vote for anyone of any religion if they can keep their religion or lack thereof (yeah right--polls have shown atheists are less likely to be elected than gay people and that's saying something in a country as homophobic as this one) out of how they govern and don't try to cram it down everyone else's throats out of some misguided assumption that everyone in this country is, or should be, like them.

Nothing scares me more than these would-be Christian jihadis trying to get elected to implement some kind of Christian sharia law.

 

[ACooper]

My religion influences my beliefs, morals, and values and I am not going to vote for someone who goes against those. So I vote for the person that has the most similar beliefs to mine. I don't ask what religion they are, just what they stand for.

Oh you said that WAY better than me That is basically what I was trying to say.........THANK YOU