Comments on: The Dance Of Religion and Politics . . . http://www.article6blog.com/2008/02/27/the-dance-of-religion-and-politics/ Religion in the 2008 Presidential Campaign: Commentary by an Evangelical Christian and a Mormon Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:55:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: CarlH http://www.article6blog.com/2008/02/27/the-dance-of-religion-and-politics/#comment-12405 CarlH Fri, 29 Feb 2008 01:05:06 +0000 http://www.article6blog.com/2008/02/27/the-dance-of-religion-and-politics/#comment-12405 Matthew Dowd, writing on his ABC News Blog, tries to be optimistic (that is a truly American perspective), while overstating things more than a little by suggesting that <a href="http://blogs.abcnews.com/matthewdowd/2008/02/race-religion-g.html" rel="nofollow">"Race, Religion, Gender Didn't Matter"</a>. The comments section duly takes him to task, with varying levels of sanity intermixed with vitriol--with a big dose of shrieking from Hillary supporters. Is that "identity politics" too? Does point out evidence demonstrating that The Question wasn't as determinative in the voters minds (at least a lot of them) as the pundits and chattering class seemed to think it would. But he glosses over all the evidence suggesting that, in many ways, each of those categories did and continues to matter. I wish I could agree with his merry assertion that <blockquote>The United States as a country has come to terms with itself over the years and is totally willing to support a woman as President, or an African-American, or someone who is a Mormon.</blockquote> Interestingly enough, Dowd falls in with the Romney-wasn't-perceived-as-authentic crowd. Matthew Dowd, writing on his ABC News Blog, tries to be optimistic (that is a truly American perspective), while overstating things more than a little by suggesting that “Race, Religion, Gender Didn’t Matter”. The comments section duly takes him to task, with varying levels of sanity intermixed with vitriol–with a big dose of shrieking from Hillary supporters. Is that “identity politics” too?

Does point out evidence demonstrating that The Question wasn’t as determinative in the voters minds (at least a lot of them) as the pundits and chattering class seemed to think it would. But he glosses over all the evidence suggesting that, in many ways, each of those categories did and continues to matter. I wish I could agree with his merry assertion that

The United States as a country has come to terms with itself over the years and is totally willing to support a woman as President, or an African-American, or someone who is a Mormon.

Interestingly enough, Dowd falls in with the Romney-wasn’t-perceived-as-authentic crowd.

]]> By: JLFuller http://www.article6blog.com/2008/02/27/the-dance-of-religion-and-politics/#comment-12404 JLFuller Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:35:07 +0000 http://www.article6blog.com/2008/02/27/the-dance-of-religion-and-politics/#comment-12404 John says <em>"OK, that’s the “no-duh” of the month, and they have good reason to be. They need to get over it, but they have good reason to be."</em> I don't think so old buddy. At least the Mormons I know aren't put out at the party. Speaking for myself, I recognize Huckabee, Gary Glenn and his fellow travelers do not represent the majority of Republicans. In fact, they are a small minority. There were enough Evangelicals and traditional Christians who voted for Mitt to keep my faith alive that Republicans want to be inclusive not exclusive. Republicans do not like loosing. We are not ideologues, masochists or suicidal. We are pragmatists. We will come together because not doing so works against our best interest. Occasionally we have to experience our weaknesses in order to recognize our strengths. This election cycle may be one of those times. If we loose in November I think even the arch conservatives - who are smart enough to know when their way doesn't work - will come back on board. Even they understand having <em>no</em> input is worse than having <em>some</em> input. If anti-Mormonism was an important factor in this election, and I think it was, then continued exposure to what we <em>actually</em> believe theologically, and as citizens, will drown out the misinformation being spread about us. Our friends still take exception to some of our religious beliefs but they are beginning to understand we are very much in line with traditional Christian values. And more and more traditional Christians recognize what they have been lead to believe about us is hyperbole and opinion and not justified. This experience has been a good thing for our party. This period of introspection helps us recognize who were are and what we have become. The purveyors of dishonesty and division will without doubt find less and less acceptance among thinking Republicans. In the end, the conservative movement will be strengthened and more successful. Overall I am quite hopeful for the future. John says “OK, that’s the “no-duh” of the month, and they have good reason to be. They need to get over it, but they have good reason to be.” I don’t think so old buddy. At least the Mormons I know aren’t put out at the party. Speaking for myself, I recognize Huckabee, Gary Glenn and his fellow travelers do not represent the majority of Republicans. In fact, they are a small minority. There were enough Evangelicals and traditional Christians who voted for Mitt to keep my faith alive that Republicans want to be inclusive not exclusive. Republicans do not like loosing. We are not ideologues, masochists or suicidal. We are pragmatists. We will come together because not doing so works against our best interest. Occasionally we have to experience our weaknesses in order to recognize our strengths. This election cycle may be one of those times. If we loose in November I think even the arch conservatives - who are smart enough to know when their way doesn’t work - will come back on board. Even they understand having no input is worse than having some input.

If anti-Mormonism was an important factor in this election, and I think it was, then continued exposure to what we actually believe theologically, and as citizens, will drown out the misinformation being spread about us. Our friends still take exception to some of our religious beliefs but they are beginning to understand we are very much in line with traditional Christian values. And more and more traditional Christians recognize what they have been lead to believe about us is hyperbole and opinion and not justified. This experience has been a good thing for our party. This period of introspection helps us recognize who were are and what we have become. The purveyors of dishonesty and division will without doubt find less and less acceptance among thinking Republicans. In the end, the conservative movement will be strengthened and more successful. Overall I am quite hopeful for the future.

]]> By: fitzwdarcey http://www.article6blog.com/2008/02/27/the-dance-of-religion-and-politics/#comment-12403 fitzwdarcey Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:29:29 +0000 http://www.article6blog.com/2008/02/27/the-dance-of-religion-and-politics/#comment-12403 The idea that flip flops were the problem troubles me, because if that were the case, these same people should have had a significant problem with Mike Huckabee. His mid primary season switch from chastizing others for their firm stance on immigration to signing the no amnesty pledge and vowing to amend the Constitution to prohibit birthright citizenship is staggering. Furthermore, no so-called flip flop smacked more of political expediency with nothing in his record to back it up, than any other candidate's change in position in this primary season. The flip flop charge was leveled at Romney enough times that it became "truth." This reader wonders how many people found it a convenient excuse to not consider his candidacy. If it were really that big of an issue, it should have hurt other candidates as well. The idea that flip flops were the problem troubles me, because if that were the case, these same people should have had a significant problem with Mike Huckabee. His mid primary season switch from chastizing others for their firm stance on immigration to signing the no amnesty pledge and vowing to amend the Constitution to prohibit birthright citizenship is staggering. Furthermore, no so-called flip flop smacked more of political expediency with nothing in his record to back it up, than any other candidate’s change in position in this primary season.

The flip flop charge was leveled at Romney enough times that it became “truth.” This reader wonders how many people found it a convenient excuse to not consider his candidacy. If it were really that big of an issue, it should have hurt other candidates as well.

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