By Dr. James “Jim” Kadlecek
“Although he’s regularly asked to do so, God does not take sides in American politics.” – George Mitchell
“The government must pursue a course of complete neutrality toward religion.” – John Paul Stevens
The other day, one of my students declared that she would not vote for Barack Obama because he is a Muslim. That evening, a friend sent me a copy of a chain e-mail she had received alleging that Obama is a radical Muslim and stating that “Muslims have said they want to destroy the
A minor amount of research proved the falsity of these statements. Obama did have exposure to the Muslim religion via his father, but his divorced parents and his stepfather were essentially non-religious. However, he now is a baptized member of the United Church of Christ.
Anyone who has interest in his spiritual thoughts can read about it in chapter six of his book The Audacity of Hope. There are numerous other information sources available on Obama. He and his past have been thoroughly researched by the media, especially since his candidacy for president was announced.
I feel certain that if there were anything villainous about the man, it would have been discovered by now.
Every informed American should comprehend and combat the tendency of some to try to categorize all Muslims as evil. We know that it is only a radical few who caused the 9/11 tragedy and who continue to spread hatred of the
But that’s not the main point of this article. Some years ago, many of us hoped that we had gotten past the vilification of political candidates because of their religious faith after we elected a Catholic, John F. Kennedy, as president in 1960. But along came the likes of Falwell and Robertson and their ilk who made religion a political issue again, and the result was George Bush’s “faith-based” initiative.
Now, unfortunately, candidates actively court the special-interest religious groups for endorsements, money and votes. The founding writers of the First Amendment are, no doubt, groaning in their graves as they observe our inattention to their principle of separation of church and state.
Tolerance is key in
Whatever greatness this country claims can be attributed to the fact that over time we have eventually embraced diversity. We are a country descended from immigrants and persons who embrace all sorts of religious beliefs, or none at all.
We are free to believe as we choose. We are not a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or atheist nation. We are a democracy that seeks the participation of all and that recognizes each individual’s freedom to assert whatever faith provides spiritual comfort. None are excluded, and all are permitted, so long as they don’t infringe on the rights of others.
Tolerance is the key word. Per the First Amendment, government may not establish an official religion.
Lies have unfortunately become all too common in political campaigns. Public persons such as those who run for or hold elected office must endure this sort of verbal abuse, because they are precluded from claims for slander or libel. But the citizens who spread unfounded rumors, or are loose with the truth, are certainly not exercising good judgment or citizenship. It is the duty of citizens to take the time to try to learn the facts about candidates and government operations and policies.
Certainly, Americans are free to make their voting decisions on whatever basis they wish. Some will make informed decisions based on policies, programs and political ideology. Others will take the easy way out and base it on appearances, personalities, race, sex or religion. I, perhaps naively, hope that the majority of voters will do their voting based on the former.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” – opening line of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, i.e. The Bill of Rights
Kadlecek has lived in