What are your views on religion and politics?

[TheBlueWolfW.W.]

If this has been covered before, sorry.

I'm doing a paper about religion and politics (more specifically, something along the lines of if a candidate's (sp?) religion affects what people think of the person). So, the question I have is, I guess, does the religion of a candidate matter to you? Would you vote for an atheist, Wiccan, Satanist (the one who worships Satan, or a LaVeyan)(or whatever other not so common religion)?

My english teacher told me about a girl who said she'd vote for someone no matter their religion: but wait! If they're a Satanist, she won't do it. (Randomly, my teacher mentioned to the student that she knew a rather lovely [Laveyan] Satanist. Me. How it shocked the student!)

[UNODRAGONE]

their religion has no affect on me I actually could care less. What I look for is what they propose to do and how they propose to do it

[Sabor_X]

Religious views shouldn't have anything to do with the canidates ability to lead the country. The only thing that matters is their political views. Now if the president were going to force his religion on all the citizens, then that would make a difference.

[MorganaFang]

I would not vote for any candidate if they were overly expressive about their religion, letting it define them.

[UNODRAGONE]

I would not vote for any candidate if they were overly expressive about their religion, letting it define them.


doesn't religion or lack there of in part define all of us?

[RQ]

doesn't religion or lack there of in part define all of us?
In our personal lives, perhaps. Politicians' jobs are to run the country, not discuss or impose their personal lives.

If I had my way, every politcian in the country would be an atheist.

Religion has no place in government or intelligent society, and can stay in the private homes of the religious, or in churches, temples, mosques, or other "sacred" spaces, where it belongs.

[UNODRAGONE]

In our personal lives, perhaps. Politicians' jobs are to run the country, not discuss or impose their personal lives.

If I had my way, every politcian in the country would be an atheist.

Religion has no place in government or intelligent society, and can stay in the private homes of the religious, or in churches, temples, mosques, or other "sacred" spaces, where it belongs.

I agree that the politician shouldn't impose their religious views on others, in fact a good politician is one that you never know what their religious beliefa are. But come on, be honest, in almost every decision everyone makes their religion/or lack of comes into play.

[RQ]

I agree that the politician shouldn't impose their religious views on others, in fact a good politician is one that you never know what their religious beliefa are. But come on, be honest, in almost every decision everyone makes their religion/or lack of comes into play.
Unless you're chanting What Would Jesus Do? all day in your mind, that's not true.

The decisions people make are influenced by their personal goals, personal selfishness, and the perceived benefit to the person's future. Might he or she make religion a part of that? Sure. Is it obvious or required? No. See how easy it is to assume that religion is just an ingrained part of everyday life for the average citizen? That's the worst thing wrong with the world today.

[UNODRAGONE]

Unless you're chanting What Would Jesus Do? all day in your mind, that's not true.

The decisions people make are influenced by their personal goals, personal selfishness, and the perceived benefit to the person's future. Might he or she make religion a part of that? Sure. Is it obvious or required? No. See how easy it is to assume that religion is just an ingrained part of everyday life for the average citizen? That's the worst thing wrong with the world today.

And you don't think their religious beliefs influence this? My sister is a born again Christian, strict as hell into it (no offense) and she is a teacher, and believe me it affects every decision she makes. She isn't the only one, it's easy to assume religion or lack there of is ingrained as a part of peoples everyday life cause...well...it is, thats where some of your beliefs/disbeliefs and some of your morals come from.

[RQ]

And you don't think their religious beliefs influence this? My sister is a born again Christian, strict as hell into it (no offense) and she is a teacher, and believe me it affects every decision she makes. She isn't the only one, it's easy to assume religion or lack there of is ingrained as a part of peoples everyday life cause...well...it is, thats where some of your beliefs/disbeliefs and some of your morals come from.
I already said their religious beliefs CAN be part of the decision-making process. It's a mistake to assume religion is such a huge facet of personal identity

You yourself admit that your sister is a little bit of a fanatic. No one criteria should be the standard for every decsion you make.

Also, we can safely assume that human morality stems from a source OTHER than religion, since atheists have morality. Also, how terrible would it be indeed if a religious person were to say "I have morals because God says I should, and if I live amorally there will be consequences."

Any decent person, no matter their faith or lack thereof, should say "I have morals because I choose to uphold a personal standard of common decency and consideration."

[UNODRAGONE]

I already said their religious beliefs CAN be part of the decision-making process. It's a mistake to assume religion is such a huge facet of personal identity

You yourself admit that your sister is a little bit of a fanatic. No one criteria should be the standard for every decsion you make.
Also, we can safely assume that human morality stems from a source OTHER than religion, since atheists have morality. Also, how terrible would it be indeed if a religious person were to say "I have morals because God says I should, and if I live amorally there will be consequences."

Any decent person, no matter their faith or lack thereof, should say "I have morals because I choose to uphold a personal standard of common decency and consideration."

I agree with you 100% on that, it shouldn't be the only factor and my apologies if I made it seem that way, but it does come into play whether it should or not or whether we like it or not in some of the decisions people make which is why I think some people (not all and sure the hell not me) will like or dislike a candidate based solely on their religious beliefs. Look at the whole spectacle about Obama being Muslim!!!

[RQ]

Look at the whole spectacle about Obama being Muslim!!!
Obama isn't a muslim.

[UNODRAGONE]

Obama isn't a muslim.

I wasn't trying to imply he was, I was stating all the hoopla that went around when people thought he was cause they found out his dad was

[Vendetta]

I wasn't trying to imply he was, I was stating all the hoopla that went around when people thought he was cause they found out his dad was
That was mostly because muslims are generally lumped together with the word "terrorist" or "extremist" in many people's minds, these days. It has nothing to do with what muslims as a whole believe in.

[greggchamberlain]

okay, serious answer, folks (yeah, big surprise to me too :D )

a person who stated outright that they are a satanist (or follows the philosophy of Anton Lavey or others like him) would make me have second thoughts about voting for him or her.

main reason for me is that the One Rule as explained by Lavey is "Do As Thou Wilt" (to me a corruption of the Wiccan One Rule "Do As Thou Wilt An' It Harms None"), which to my mind is the epitome of selfishness and self-interest.

i would hesitate to support anyone with that sort egocentric philosophy.

[ThrasherCub]

I won't vote for anyone who thinks the laws of their religion ought to be made state or national law (I'll happily vote for anyone who thinks the freedoms of their religion ought to be made state or national freedom though), and I won't vote for anyone who belongs to a cult like Scientology.

Other than that, I genuinly don't care as far as voting is concerned. I do think it'd be pretty cool to have someone who was openly satanist or pagan as prez, but that's mostly for shits, giggles, and freaking out conservative christians.

[TheBlueWolfW.W.]

okay, serious answer, folks (yeah, big surprise to me too :D )

a person who stated outright that they are a satanist (or follows the philosophy of Anton Lavey or others like him) would make me have second thoughts about voting for him or her.

main reason for me is that the One Rule as explained by Lavey is "Do As Thou Wilt" (to me a corruption of the Wiccan One Rule "Do As Thou Wilt An' It Harms None"), which to my mind is the epitome of selfishness and self-interest.

i would hesitate to support anyone with that sort egocentric philosophy.

That's why I changed my subject to "does the religion of a political canidate matter?" instead of focusing on Satanism. I realized while making my outline that a LaVeyan Satanist running for public office is essentially a bad idea, and they probably wouldn't even do it.

[LadyPiro]

I look for hope in my politicians. I look for that truly hopeless naivety that lets you believe you can still save everyone. The idealism that lets a person do the hard, the brave, and the incredibly stupid. If they think they still have a chance at changing the world, I am willing to help them try.
For me its not a matter of religion, its a matter of belief.