Sorry it’s been a few days since my last post but I was way too hungover Saturday and with starting my new job Monday (which I love by the way) I haven’t quite had the free time to peruse the news for bits I want to write about…until now.
I was raised Baptist and call myself a Christian. I know I shouldn’t judge another’s faith but I ran across this on CNN just now. Hillary Clinton is claiming that the only way she got through her marital problems with Billy-boy is through her faith in God. I’m sorry, but coming from her (to me at least) this seems very trite and slightly contrived. The other candidates as well have come out on the religion issue. John Edwards said he sins every day…well don’t we all.
The reason I have a problem with this is that it seems to me that ever since Bush came into office and made religion (i.e. Christianity) a prominent feature of his administration, it has been used for all number of bad things (i.e. the Iraq war and other ‘faith-based initiatives’). Moreover, it seems to me that it’s ‘hip’ to be religious now. I’m not saying I don’t want our political leaders to be religious; I’m not saying they shouldn’t proclaim their faith. What I am saying is that since Bush came in it seems that everyone who is running for office has to declare his/her faith and wear it on his/her sleeve like a badge of honour. That, I feel, is wrong. If you are religious, that’s fine but ultimately it is between you and God. It should not mean you win or lose votes simply because of it. There is so much more that defines a man or woman than simply his or her religion.
It started long before Bush. Clinton used it. Reagan used it very effectively and the very first “born again Christian” known to inhabit the White House was Jimmy Carter from Georgia!!! There may have been others in past years but not to the masses that it attracts since Carter!!! Mom