Separate worlds
While the scope of America's cultural divisions may be open to debate, the presidential campaigns are scrambling to exploit what both sides see as a gaping schism between churchgoing Americans and secular Americans. The churchgoers lean conservative; the seculars tilt liberal. The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press finds that 63 percent of Americans who attend religious services more than once a week say they'll vote Republican, while 62 percent of voters who seldom or never attend services intend to go Democratic.
These differences were underscored in last week's presidential debate, when George W. Bush and John Kerry explained how their faiths--Bush is a born-again Christian, Kerry a Roman Catholic--influence their lives.
The Democratic challenger said, "We're all God's children," and he portrayed himself as a religious man, even though he is in conflict with Catholic leaders over his support for a woman's right to choose an abortion. But Kerry put most of his emphasis on material issues, such as how he would improve the economy and rebuild international coalitions to fight terrorism.
Sustenance. Bush was more blunt in proclaiming his faith. "Prayer and religion sustain me. I receive calmness in the storm of the presidency," Bush said. "I believe that God wants everybody to be free," he added, noting that this view is "part of my foreign policy." Karl Rove, Bush's chief political strategist, wants to turn out 4 million more conservative Christians than voted in 2000, which he says would give Bush an election victory.
The churchgoers and the secular voters live in parallel universes. Last week at Denver's Funky Buddha Lounge, 20- and 30-somethings attended an auction of snowboards, skateboards, and artwork to benefit breast cancer research and a charity program for troubled children; the crowd seemed strongly Democratic. "I would vote for Bugs Bunny over George Bush," said Cara Hines, 30, an interior designer. Hines said Bush is "very much jaded by his own personal interests, business and otherwise," and she added: "He brings too much of his own religion into play."
Blake DiMeo, 24, was of a similar mind. "George Bush wants to ban gay marriage," said DiMeo, a college student and divorced, single mother. "If we want to take a step toward equality, we have to not discriminate." DiMeo, wearing a jean miniskirt, said she favors choice on abortion and believes Bush "is trying his best to make it illegal." Her views are shared by other single young women, who form one of the Democrats' strongest constituencies.
But 60 miles south, in Colorado Springs, things looked much different at the New Life Church's noon worship service.
One attendee was Brenda Campbell, 62, a nursing assistant who said, "It's the Christian value of integrity" that has drawn her to Bush. Campbell, dressed in jeans and a cardigan, added that she agreed with Bush's opposition to same-sex marriage, which she said would result in society's being "totally destroyed."
Dan McKee, 53, a Web developer for the Air Force, strongly supported Bush because "he's a man of integrity." McKee praised the president's "Christian beliefs." And McKee, wearing jeans with a bomber jacket, recalled that Bush was once asked to name the most influential person in his life. Bush replied, "Jesus Christ." McKee has never forgotten that answer. -Kenneth T. Walsh
With Jeff Kass
This story appears in the October 25, 2004 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.
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