The United States believes in separation between church and state, right? Then why does religion play into our elections so much? Kennedy had to explain Catholicism. Carter ran as a Southern Baptist. Now Mitt Romney is explaining Mormonism, and we’re constantly reminded that Mike Huckabee is a former Baptist minister. Religious rhetoric is frequently used by the current administration too. How is religion used in modern politics?
In their book, The God Strategy: How Religion Became a Political Weapon in America David Domke and Kevin Coe say religion is often used as a political weapon in America. Are you a religious person? Does your religious affiliation determine who you vote for? [From KUOW: Weekday]
I heard some of this today and remembered David Domke from my days at the U. I agreed with their argument that if religion/faith is going to be part of the discussion, that all faiths need to be included. The idea that only those who are willing to vote on their faith first, and the good of the nation second, should rule the roost is wrong. I was struck by one passage: they noted that when asked if the US is a Christian nation, the answer was yes, with 70% saying so. But does that mean that 70% of Americans are practicing Christians? Or that they think the US models Christian behavior and attitudes, at home or abroad? Or just that 70% of their neighbors are not Muslims, Jews, or anything else, are therefore Christians?
[update] I heard back from Prof Domke, and this is what he had to day:
Regarding your question about “practicing Christians,” if you mean regular “church-going” Christians, then about 40% of Americans meet this criteria — if you define “regular” as at least once or twice a month. Among US adults generally, 85% consistently say they believe in a God, and another 10% say they believe in a spirit of some kind. Among the same group, about 70-75% consistently identify as Christian in their religious beliefs.
I run with a different crowd. That, or some of those folks are fudging the facts a bit. Only 5% don’t believe in some supernatural being?
I don’t where that number comes from. I think we’re better off defining it, and then asking about the behaviors and attitudes that define it.
If someone claims to be a Christian:
How many of the past 4 Sundays have you attended your local church?
- 4
- 2 or more
- 1
- none
I think a simple question like that and some similar ones, designed to tease out how much is talk and how much is action, would sort this out. Would I consider someone who answered 1 or none a Christian? Likely not. If someone were to ask a more focussed set of questions, I think we would see a more clear picture of how faith informs how people think and vote. I think it’s closer to 25 or 30% of active, serious churchgoers. But we don’t talk about this up here in the Pacific Northwest. We have lots of different churches and a few synagogs and mosques, but I’ve yet to find anyone choosing their friends based on their Sunday morning rituals.