Religion considered irrelevant in politics

Paul Garcia / Staff Writer / The USD Vista

Too many Americans associate the super-power status U.S. with being a Christian nation. They say, “God is on America’s side” and warn if non-faith-based “liberal” policies are instituted God will “leave us.”

Religion’s place in the American political arena is remarkably prevalent. Religion is a prerequisite to attain political office. Declaring as an atheist is political suicide. Of all 535 members in Congress there is only one self declared “atheist.”

According to a 2007 article in the San Francisco Chronicle, Congressman Pete Stark is currently the highest-ranking American politician to openly declare himself a non-theist. When Stark came out with his controversial position, he said, “like our nation’s founders, I strongly support the separation of church and state. I look forward to working with the Secular Coalition to stop the promotion of narrow religious beliefs in science, marriage contracts, the military and the provision of social services.”

Stark isn’t the first Californian politician to say he is a nonbeliever, but he is the first high profile politician, since the early 1940s, to announce this fact, when California Gov. Culbert Olson said he was an atheist.

These Californian political figures are clearly the exception. A 2007 poll conducted by USA Today/Gallup showed that fewer than half of Americans said they would vote for an atheist presidential candidate even if they were “well-qualified.” When a religion is applied to a well-qualified candidate, the figures skyrocket, with 95 percent saying they would vote for a Catholic candidate, 92 percent a Jewish candidate and 72 percent a Mormon candidate.

Overwhelmingly, the American people place a special importance on politicians’ religious affiliations. This becomes a problem when America’s religious complex justifies incompetence in government. Look at the grossly under-qualified appointment of Evangelical Christian Sarah Palin. Palin lacks basic knowledge of governance, however her fundamental Christian values supposedly qualified her for the position of vice president.

We understandably want our politicians to be moral, but being moral and having a good Christian background are not synonymous. Expecting our leaders to act in accordance to their religious beliefs does not automatically imply that they will be making moral decisions.

A Buddhist quote states that, when God-fearing, “without contemplation, we fail to recognize the purport of our own position.” In other words, the ability of an individual to deduce the underlying rules and morals of a religion are more important than adhering to a religion.

Any action without contemplation can lead to fervor. Maybe this is why so many dreadful acts have been conducted throughout history in the name of religion.

Because of this opient like quality of religion, “anti-atheism remains the last remaining prejudice that a majority of Americans don’t mind fessing up to,” as one pollster concluded. Few candidates have a chance to reach political office without being openly religious.