John F. Kennedy once said, “I do not speak for my Church on public matters — and the Church does not speak for me.” That may have been true for JFK in 1960, but in recent years religion has played an increasingly larger role in American politics. With the line between private and public faith becoming increasingly blurred, how much should religion matter when electing those politicians who so directly affect our lives?
Honestly, the media must accept much of the blame for elevating religion beyond its appropriate role in a campaign. Many in the media adopted the term “values voters,” an inaccurate frame promoted by conservative evangelical Christians. But such language ignores the fact that all Americans vote their values, whether those values have religious underpinnings or not. Instead of asking candidates to name their favorite Bible verse, the media’s primary responsibility should be questioning the candidates’ commitment to the First Amendment’s guarantees of religious freedom. Nonreligious voters are as entitled to representation from their elected officials as people of faith are.
As this somewhat wild campaign season continues, for the good of all Americans, I urge all of us to give up our obsession with a candidate’s religiosity and focus on what is really important: a candidate’s record on and promise of support for the Constitution.
Next Argument
Biweekly updates on new debates and experts
Please check your email to confirm your subscription.
© 2008 Opposing Views, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Opposing Views, Inc. is not responsible for the content posted on this website. Please view full disclaimer under Terms
Expert Verified
Link
