Why is a President's religious faith so important?

[Bluzmann57]

This is a big country with people of all faiths, including atheists and agnostics. Wiccans, Buddhists, Muslims, Episcopalian, who cares? Personally, I want someone who can govern and their faith be damned.
Yes I know that a few people are worried that a President will ,"answer to the pope, Allah, etc." So if that's true, we should have a President who will work Sundays and worship...no particular deity. He or she should answer to the American people, not some real or imagined deity. And for the record, while I am not a particularly religious person, I am sure that I know more about christianity and the teachings of the christian bible than a lot of the people who are so worried about Obama's faith. Like tolerance for example.

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. That is the ONE thing I hold against Carter - he's the first president I

know of to make it an issue.

Once he breached that barrier, the Repugs snatched it up and have been running with it ever since.

[av8rdave]

2. There were some who tried to make it a campaign issue when JFK was running for office

I can't remember who, but I do remember the specter being raised of a President who would answer to the Pope before he would to the American people.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. Others tried to make it an issue for JFK, which JFK answered.

Carter made it an issue for himself - essentially saying "I'm a born-again Christian, so you'll not see any of those criminal shenanigans from ME" after the Nixon years.

It worked, but we've had to deal with the unintended consequences ever since.

[uncommon]

3. Because too many of the voters are stupid.

:shrug:

[Vincardog]

4. Religion is only an issue for the bigots and ignorant, unless you count belonging to a crazy cult

If you are an end timer and believe you have to "help" hurry the time you are going to sit with the baby JBESUS
you can sit out being my elected representative.

[Jokerman]

5. It apparently matters enough to unrec this thread.

Not that have any problem with unrecs in general, just making an observation about this particular instance.

The only thing I ask from a politician on the subject of religion is that they keep it to themselves, but that is clearly out of fashion.

[flakey_foont]

7. very good question

IMHO, it should not matter at all, as long as the President is doing what he/she was elected to do, not breaking any laws, upholding the Constitution
and maintaining the dignity of their office

[madrchsod]

8. both reagan and bush rarely stepped foot inside a church....

reagan was`t all that religious while he was growing up.

the only reason obama`s faith is in question is because he`s black.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. The same reason that standing in front of a flag and shouting "God Bless America" is.

It's all part of the political dance that's expected by PR experts.

“Now, the man on the stand he wants my vote,
He's a-runnin' for office on the ballot note.
He's out there preachin' in front of the steeple,
Tellin' me he loves all kinds-a people.
(He's eatin' bagels
He's eatin' pizza
He's eatin' chitlins
He's eatin' bullshit!)”

Bob Dylan

[Blue Meany]

10. Because, as we all know, only one religion is true and we

don't want a President who isn't smart enough to figure out which religions the diety put on earth to fool people into thinking that they are worshiping her when they really aren't.

[NeedleCast]

11. 76% of Americans Self-Identify as Christians

That's why. That's the only reason. No other religion in the US has more than about 4% of the total population.

I have no doubt that there will be a openly homosexual, female, dark-skinned christian president before there's an atheist one.

[OHdem10]

12. The rise of RR. The more powerful or influential the RR became

the more Candidates(even Legislative) have to profess their
faith and you better believe it had better be Christian.
Do you not remember all the hassle with Kerry?

It has become common for Senators in their introductory
commercials to profess their christianity.

Just as the Righties demand their candidates be pro-life,
now it appears all candidates must be Christian or Jewish.

Long Ago the Democrats became the "ME TOO" Party, often
paroting the RW positions. GOP: I want to cut your taxes,"
Democrats: "Me Too". Republican: I am a Christian--
Democrats;Me Too.

RR have their influence.

[Bluerthanblue]

13. because people look for ways to either identify with someone or

to reject them.

It SHOULDN'T matter- neither should a persons looks matter, or their ethnic background, or any number of things.

We need to remember that elected officials are just flesh and blood human beings like ourselves. Who we are isn't determined by any one characteristic. Many things influence our actions and decisions, some we are aware of and many that we're not.

I'm uncomfortable when people point to anything outside them self as the guidepost of everything they do or think, be that religion, politics, or anything else. If we don't consider our own responsibility to choose what is the correct way to live (based on a variety of reasons) we condemn ourselves. imo.

[uppityperson]

14. In reality it isn't. For the fearful looking for Daddy to make it all better, it is.

[suston96]

15. It shouldn't matter.

The Constitution says no religious test for public office.

"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution;

.....but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."