By Larry Jones
Barack Obama has spent considerable time recently trying to win
Christian evangelicals to support his political campaign. His party
carried that forward at the DNC in Denver, first with an interfaith
service one day before the DNC began, and then on Tuesday with a
religion caucus, a first for the Democratic party. Christians gathered
at these events, largely from the right, made it known that they want
their points of view to be a genuine part of the campaign.
An Associated Press report quoted Donald Miller, an author with strong support from young evangelicals,saying that Democrats are “”reaching out to us, and I’m not naive as to why – they want our votes. But they won’t get them and keep them unless they continue the momentum of adopting policies that promote the sanctity of life.” That fit with the Pro-Family Pro-Obama placards held by such religious people. It’s clear that many of the faith delegates wanted anti=abortion to be given real importance.
One of the greatest gaps in the so-called unity party is their giving no credence whatsoever to non-believers; agnostics and atheists. The following article in the Washington Post sheds important light on that question.
WASHINGTON POST REPORTER
Washington Post journalist, author and Washington DC insider, Sally Quinn founded and co-moderates On Faith, a blog from the Washington Post and Newsweek. Co-moderated by Newsweek editor and bestselling author Jon Meacham and hosted by a panel of renowned religious scholars of all denominations, On Faith is the first worldwide, interactive discussion about religion and its impact on global life.
ATHEISTS: THE LAST POLITICAL OUTCASTS
Bob Tiernan is an agnostic. “I’m not a hard-core atheist”, he says. He was raised a Catholic and went to Jesuit College and law school. He is a practicing lawyer who specializes in issues involving separation of church and state. He is also a Democrat. This week he was in Denver to protest what he sees as the dangerous mixing of religion and politics, and the sad exclusion of non-believers in a party known for its inclusiveness.
On Sunday, Tiernan attended the first event at the Democratic National Convention, an Interfaith Gathering attended by some 2,000 people at the Colorado Convention Center. Speaking were distinguished priests, rabbis, imams and religion scholars. “I sat through, I guess I’d have to call it, a service,” says Tiernan. “People were responding in unison. In the middle, Leah Daughtry (a pastor and CEO of the Democratic National Convention Committee) spoke and said that despite what the media says, Democrats are people of faith.”
Tiernan says he couldn’t stand it any more. “I stood up and said, ‘I’m a democrat but I’m not a person of faith.’ I said, ‘This looks like a church service to me and I never thought I would see the Democrats doing something like this.” At that point, the police came and escorted Tiernan from the hall. They told him he could leave or stay and see what the Democrats wanted to do with him, so he stayed but nobody did anything so he left.
“The thing is,” says Tiernan with a chuckle, “I’m not a career protester. I just don’t like religion mixed with politics. It’s wrong and it’s dangerous.”
The Interfaith Gathering was the first of several interfaith events scheduled during the convention. The Secular Coalition of America had written to Daughtry to ask that atheists, agnostics and secular humanists be included in these events. The Associated Press reported that she received the request but never responded.
The Democrats are in a real bind this year. In recent elections, the Republicans have owned religion. The evangelical base has helped Republican presidential candidates win elections while the Democrats have stood by helplessly. This year, the Democrats are bound to show they are just as religious as Republicans, but at what cost?
In his speeches, Barack Obama has talked not only about his own deep faith but about the rights of all Americans, including believers and non-believers. But if the Interfaith Gathering was an effort to show how inclusive they are, they failed. Between 10% and 12% of Americans openly say they’re non-believers and many more privately admit to not being believers but feel it is socially unacceptable to say so in their communities.
At various times in years past, women, blacks, Jews and gays were the political outcasts in one or both parties. Now it seems the only group of untouchables are the atheists.
This year, the Democrats have chosen a black man as their presidential candidate and they nearly chose a woman. In 2000, a Jewish man was on the ticket as a vice presidential candidate. Gays have won the right to be married in several states and the Democrats now openly endorse civil unions.
Can you imagine an atheist running for or even being considered for President? Even Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church, an open-minded and inclusive evangelical, told Larry King that he could not vote for an atheist.
The Democrats know that they have a large non-believing constituency and they also know that to not accept them is the height of hypocrisy. On the other hand they realize that to recognize them formally would be the kiss of death.
So what is the party of unity, togetherness, compromise, inclusiveness and pluralism to do? Sadly, it seems they have taken Leah Daughtry’s approach. Don’t answer the mail.
I think there is a separation between church & state for a good reason. I would also like to see a separation between business & state. I think I see Obama talking about citizens, individual rights, and governments reason for existence. If I were of the religious right and had read my written doctrine, I would feel betrayed by the current administration. The fact that so many of the religious right do not think that thier doctrine has been betrayed just goes to show that there is no reasoning with people of \”faith\”. People of faith are going to do what they are told by thier chosen figres of authority so that they don\’t have to take any responsibility for thier choices. They are not worth pandering to on merit nor on any chance that they can be reasoned with. Write them off as lost. Larry C
Obama, in his effort to appear mainstream, continues to turn further to the right. This reflects on a long legacy from the democrats, from those that took us to Vietnam (Johnson or Kennedy in 1962); supported Somoza, Suharto and genocide in East Timor (Carter); to militarization, illegal bombing of Bosnia, Iraq bombings and food-blockades, staunch support for the apartheid regime of Israel, and blind support for corporate interests (the Clintons). His inclination to cater to semi-fascist religious conservatives is further indication that we are not looking at regime change, but just at another change of the baton. Thanks Larry.
I am 85 years old and I have yet to meet an avowed Christian who puts the teachings of Christ above his or her own self-interest. So-called believers are hypocrites. They have supported a party of war criminals for the last eight years without remorse while ignoring the plight of those around the world and at home who lack food, shelter, and medical care, even the means to eke out the bare essentials of life. They are more concerned with the sex life of others than they are with the critical issues that affect our very being. They vote for those who vote no on any and all legislation that reflects the teachings of Christ. They support foreign and domestic war criminals and applaud crimes against humanity. They support the efforts of their party to subvert if not destroy the Constitution and the Bible.
Just as our foreign policy is recruiting terrorists and demolishing any vestige of respect for America that remains,. those who are seeking to impose their religious views on the rest of us are largely responsible for the ever growing number of atheists and by demeaning the words and teachings of Christ.
I too have been troubled by Obama trying to woo the religious right. These people will not vote for him. He should emphasize that Democrats come in all shapes and sizes, and in many religious or non-religious beliefs, but that we all share values in common. Unless he declares his intention to reverse Roe v. Wade, he should just write off the religious right and concentrate on getting the support of women. He cannot pander to the right and expect support from women.
As an atheist and given the distruction the radical right has done to our Constitution, our civil rights, and imposing their agenda unsupported by facts or logic and against the fouding intentions of this country, what hypocrisy of \”inclusiveness\” in courting religious fanatics. They do not support inclusiveness, nor uphold the values our country was founded on with their discrimination and hatred for everything not white and not Christian.
And what about the liberal Christians speaking out against the right and for the separation of church and state and our privacy rights? What about them? They are integral to this deep divide as well and are core democrats; they just don\’t force their religion on everyone and I don\’t think they will take kindly to any move to the right either. The democrats better be very careful or they will lose too many of their base, and that includes all the women who look to them to protect their rights.
registered democrat ,atheist.Religion = dogmatic brainwashing control efforts.religion + politics always a dangerous move. evangelicals are cowards in denial of the every moment reality in front of them. religion exists to comfort them from the big scary unknown
Well I believe religion is the root of all evil and suffering in the world. From crucifixions to the Inquisition, to animal sacrifice to misogyny, to child abuse, to genital mutilation, slavery, coat-hanger abortions, capital punishment and war. However, if Obama has to ignore Agnostics and Athiests temporarily, to get a black man into office, I don\’t mind one bit because it\’s still a step in the right direction. The only alternative would be a total nightmare and a giant step backwards for the USA. Baby steps people, baby steps.
Frankly, I am fed up with the whining about religion. We need a leader that is focused on the big picture while beins sensitive to ALL. What did the religious right get from the Republicans? Not much. In fact, it looked as if they were betrayed. That Party deceived everyone by acting as if they had a direct line to God and then the sex scandals started and the lies by the supposed born again President. When citizens based their vote on narrowly based issues, we lose,and we don\’t get a leader being open and frank. No matter what they say or do someone whines! Grow up! To me, Barack Obama exemplifies the characteristics in a president we need. We don\’t need a maverick as McCain and his campaign call him. Now his VP is also characterized as a maverick! What\’s worse is that she has the same narrowly focused \”values\” that got this country into trouble to begin with when we (not me, but the collective we) got Bush. We all know what a disaster that has been!