The Role of Religion in This Year's Election
A new survey suggests the complex role of faith in the race for the White House
But Obama may face a greater hurdle than he realizes when it comes to abortion. Perhaps the most surprising finding of the new survey is that under-30 Catholics and evangelicals are even more opposed to abortion than most of their elders in both religious formations.
When it comes to the question of the broadening of the religious conservative agenda, it turns out that younger Catholics and evangelicals are more inclined than their elders to support greater government spending for the poor and more regulations to protect the environment. But, cautions Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum, "what this does not tell you is the intensity of their commitment to these issues." And it is that degree of intensity, he says, that determines how much weight young Christian voters will give to one issue or another when they go to the voting booths.
On foreign policy, and possibly the war in Iraq, McCain's activist agenda is not necessarily going to win over many religious voters—or voters in general, for that matter. Only 36 percent of evangelicals and 36 percent of Catholics believe that it is best for the future of the country to be active in world affairs—a proportion that mirrors that of the general population. In fact, Jews are the only bloc of religiously defined voters who favor (by 53 percent) such activism, which perhaps suggests why Obama may have trouble with a group that has been traditionally liberal in its political leanings.
If polls tell only so much, the great value of this one is its elucidation of how social and political attitudes differ within traditions according to factors such as frequency of prayer and church attendance. If 73 percent of evangelicals who attend church weekly believe that abortion should be illegal, only 43 percent of all other evangelicals do. Similarly, if only 32 percent of those belonging to the generally liberal mainline Protestant churches want abortion made illegal in most or all cases, 43 percent of those Protestants who attend church at least weekly do. There are enough varieties of values voters to keep us guessing about this election, and the role of religion in it, until the very last levers are pulled.
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I was taught to THINK for myself, I realize this is a new concept for the right wing, I an not a republican nor a Democrat, I am an independent, I do not believe that ANYONE be he president of the United States, my Spiritual Support or my husband has the right to tell me what to do with my body.
Now wait I know you are all going to jump on the last one so let me explain. I believe it is my body and as such it is my choice, however, having an abortion is not something I would do lightly or for that matter is it a choice I would ever make, however, I will die for the right of my children to make a decission based on what is best for them. If an abortion was a decission I was faced with I would include my family in that matter because Reality is it effects them, however, in the end the decission rests solely on my shoulders.
Does life begin at Conception? That is a great question, there has been no child delivered in the first term of pregnancy that has been able to survive outside the womb for more than a few minutes, the life of the child is literally connected to the mother, simple biology people, look it up, a child in the first trimester can not breath on its own it has no lungs, a child in the first trimester can not perform any kind of function because its brain has not formed, so does life begin at Conception? You tell me!
And what about Rape victims? shouldnt they be allowed to decide if they want to carry the child of a rapist and if they do not wish too where are they suppose to go? I do not want my government telling me what I should or shouldnt do in this case, I have a mind and I have my own ideals, that is the great thing about this country we can All of Us say what we want and think what we want, whether you like Palin and McCain or Obama and Biden you can not escape the fact that even with the night mare we live in right now we have more than any other country in the world.
I choose not to have an abortion, I love my children, however, That doesnt mean that other women shouldnt have that choice, ok so it is not your choice, does that give you the right to tell others what to do? NOOOO ultimately that right belongs solely with Your Gods doesnt it?
Religion has no place in Politics or schools, and the less they interfer with ourlives and the more they tend to the other things this country needs the better off we will all be. I agree with Ted, there is no place in Politics for Religion, there are much bigger issues in this country.
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