Religion In Politics — A Bad Idea

I lifted this from Andrew Sullivan's blog. He is a libertarian that has become increasingly disenchanted with the Republican party.

Barry Goldwater On Religion In Politics

"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them...

There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'"

Madonna — Banned in Tennessee
23 Nov 2006 02:51 pm

A [Andrew Sullivan blog] reader writes:

"For those who believe Bob Corker won because of racism, rest assured he won on religious fundamentalism. Proof in point: last night in Chattanooga, TN (Bob Corker's hometown) NBC aired "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" instead of the Madonna concert. Our children and grandchildren learn to cut school, be cool, borrow Dad's Ferrari and tell a few harmless lies. But by the Grace of God, our community protects impressionable youth from that sexual and religious deviant Madonna. Our children will know only the true Virgin Madonna not the "Like-A-Virgin" Madonna.

Just as an aside, Chattanooga has progressed some. I am an avid hockey fan. Every time the major networks broadcast the Stanley Cup Finals, area stations always air a Billy Graham Crusade around 1970. So Ferris is a big step forward in a little step town!"

[Sullivan responds:]

The Madonna NBC concert was, to my mind, astonishingly good. I'd seen the concert live, but the filming took concert-movies to a new level. Stuart Price's remixes of old Madonna songs were also easier to appreciate. It was like a two-hour music-dance-video. I should also add that I believe Madonna is often an authentically Catholic pop-artist. Case in point: a whole set last night focused on chidren orphaned by AIDS in Africa, and used as its leitmotif a verse from Matthew's Gospel. Here is a pop performer, reaching millions, and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (It was, in my view, more effective by omitting Madonna's gratuitously provocative appearance on a crucifix.) The simple image of the cross on stage as the Gospel injunction to help the poor and feed the hungry was displayed in words above it was one of the most effective fusions of Christian evangelism and pop-culture I have ever seen. And yet she is banned in Tennessee. As a reader once put it to me, these fundamentalists may believe in Jesus, but many sure don't believe Jesus.

Madonna is closer to Jesus' authentic teachings in this respect than many Christianists.