Candidates Speak About Their Religious Beliefs
One impact of the pope's visit was to inspire media coverage of religion in public life. And both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama obliged by talking about their own faith—unlike past Democratic candidates, including John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000, who considered religion a private matter. But Clinton and Obama feel a need to reassure religious voters about their character and values, so they are talking freely and frequently about their beliefs.
At a mid-April forum at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., Obama said, "Religion is a bulwark, a foundation when other things aren't going well. That's true in my own life, through trials and tribulations." Clinton said, "I have, ever since I've been a little girl, felt the presence of God in my life." She suggested that she felt God's grace when her husband was unfaithful to her and on many other occasions such as "taking a walk in the woods. It could be watching a sunset."
Reader Comments
John can win
ALL CHRISTIANS GET OUT AND VOTE.
IT IS AS CLEAR AS NIGHT AND DAY.
OBAMA IS FOR ABORTIONS AND HOMOSEXUALS.
NOW. GO VOTE FOR JOHN MCCAIN
Buzz words
It is clear from those comments that BHO has only a cursory understanding of who God is. God is the God of all times, not just the hard ones. The problem with many people is that they do not turn to Him at every turn but only rely on Him when things are rough. After all, how will God recognize your voice if he only hears it during times of stress? Secondly, seeing words like "trials and tribulations" seems pandering. I don't imagine most people use the word tribulation more than a few times in their life but it sounds religious and thus when you want to appeal to someones religious side you use it. To a different group he might have used the word brimstone.
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