Preacher endorsing a Candidate???

[basas]

I'ts not just pastors injecting politics into their churches. It's the politicians injecting religion into their candidacies.

It's unbelievable that a Republican ad with a bookshelf “shaped like a cross” in the background can generate so much media coverage while ads like these aren’t even mentioned.

 

[bsnyder]

Earlier I said that if Cardinal Egan had Mitt Romney preaching at St Patrick's Cathedral, there would have been screaming all over the place.

So why the silence on this?

IMO, I think the mainstream media has fallen in love with the idea of a Barack Obama presidency. And they've lost their ability to objectively cover his campaign.

 

[Charade]

Because it has nothing to do with one's qualifications for President. I don't care what religion he follows-I care how he's going to get us out of Iraq, how he's going to handle the economy and other policy issues. I could care less what God he or any other candidate prays to or if they pray at all.

In your opinion. Obviously. But to many, religious beliefs are intertwined in their lives and can't be separated. IMO, it's no different that wanting someone with good diplomacy skills, or a business background or a military background. It's who they are. They want someone who thinks along the same lines. I know that's scary to some people. But that's how I feel about taxes and big government. I *don't* want someone in office who's for increasing either. If we reduced the size and scope of government, we'd all have a lot more money in our paychecks. The country would prosper.

I too don't care who (or if they even) a candidate prays to. But I won't toss one to the curb because they are more overtly religious than another. I don't care if they campaign at a church or a banquet hall. For the most part, if their beliefs (religious based or not) contradict mine, they don't get my vote.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

It appears to be a three part pamphlet, and here's the third part, that does clearly have "paid for by Obama for America" on it.

FTR, Obama for America is a PAC and is unaffiliated with Obama for President. That's why our election laws demand disclaimers on all literature.

ETA: Looking again, I may be wrong. Looking further, it appears that the literature may have indeed come from the Obama campaign...

 

[Fitswimmer]

So why the silence on this?

IMO, I think the mainstream media has fallen in love with the idea of a Barack Obama presidency. And they've lost their ability to objectively cover his campaign.

Oh, ignoring this stuff predates Obama. Bill Clinton did it when he was running and nobody cared. I believe Carter did too and nobody cared then either.

 

[Fitswimmer]

In your opinion. Obviously. But to many, religious beliefs are intertwined in their lives and can't be separated. IMO, it's no different that wanting someone with good diplomacy skills, or a business background or a military background. It's who they are. They want someone who thinks along the same lines. I know that's scary to some people. But that's how I feel about taxes and big government. I *don't* want someone in office who's for increasing either. If we reduced the size and scope of government, we'd all have a lot more money in our paychecks. The country would prosper.

I too don't care who (or if they even) a candidate prays to. But I won't toss one to the curb because they are more overtly religious than another. I don't care if they campaign at a church or a banquet hall. For the most part, if their beliefs (religious based or not) contradict mine, they don't get my vote.

If they campaign in a church, should that Church keep it's tax exempt status?

 

[bsnyder]

FTR, Obama for America is a PAC and is unaffiliated with Obama for President. That's why our election laws demand disclaimers on all literature.

ETA: Looking again, I may be wrong. Looking further, it appears that the literature may have indeed come from the Obama campaign...

Yeah, I've done some digging too. It appears that they folded the PAC into the official campaign back in May. The Obama website states that checks should be made out to "Obama for America"

 

[bsnyder]

If they campaign in a church, should that Church keep it's tax exempt status?

What if they campaign before a labor union? Should they lose their tax exempt status?

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Oh, ignoring this stuff predates Obama. Bill Clinton did it when he was running and nobody cared. I believe Carter did too and nobody cared then either.

I think that on the Democratic side, the religious pandering is done with a nod and a wink within the black community because the church is such an integral part of their community. It's simply seen as just being part of what it takes to get elected. I don't think this stuff plays very well with white Democrats, who find it all far to similar to what the Republican candidates do with white churches. Although both R & D candidates do it, without a doubt, there definitely seems to be a double standard in regard to the media and how each is reported.

 

[eclectics]

IMO, I think the mainstream media has fallen in love with the idea of a Barack Obama presidency. And they've lost their ability to objectively cover his campaign.

Just like they did with Reagan. Did any Conservatives complain then?

 

[Fitswimmer]

What if they campaign before a labor union? Should they lose their tax exempt status?

I didn't know labor unions were tax exempt. Interesting. I know animal shelters are, but I've never heard of them endorsing candidates.


Being Catholic I've heard complaints about the church's anti abortion stance for years and how they should lose their tax exempt status for their influence over voters-which is why this double standard annoys me so much. If a Catholic Pastor can't endorse a candidate then a Baptist Pastor shouldn't be able to either-without forfeiting their tax exempt status.

 

[bsnyder]

I didn't know labor unions were tax exempt. Interesting. I know animal shelters are, but I've never heard of them endorsing candidates.

And I've never heard of a labor union that didn't endorse candidates. Should they lose their tax exempt status?

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

And I've never heard of a labor union that didn't endorse candidates. Should they lose their tax exempt status?

To be honest, on the list of matters of importance, I don't have a real problem with church leaders or unions publicly endorsing political candidates, as I don't think either's a violation of the 1st Amendment and shouldn't affect their tax exempt status. However, I do have a real problem with a politician endorsing one religion over another. At times, I think alot of the things that our politicians say come dangerously close to the line.

 

[Charade]

If they campaign in a church, should that Church keep it's tax exempt status?

Why not? How does that violate the first amendment?

 

[Charade]

Oh, ignoring this stuff predates Obama. Bill Clinton did it when he was running and nobody cared. I believe Carter did too and nobody cared then either.

All Democrats.

As I stated previously, I don't care who does it but I find it hypocritical for the party of "separation of church and state" to be doing it.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

All Democrats.

As I stated previously, I don't care who does it but I find it hypocritical for the party of "separation of church and state" to be doing it.

I think the idea of separation of church and state transcends party lines...

 

[mattsdragon]

It's really nothing new. Down here, they do it all the time. I find it amazing how they decide one candidate over another, and it's not always how you'ld picture it either.

I've seen southern baptists (for instance) endorse Mike Huckabee (big shock), Barack Obama (because he's black) and Hillary Clinton (because Obama isn't "black enough"). The hipocracy of the politicians carries over to the pulpit (the original idea for the seperation of Church and State coming from Christ "give to Caeser that which is Caeser's. . .").

 

[eclectics]

To be honest, on the list of matters of importance, I don't have a real problem with church leaders or unions publicly endorsing political candidates, as I don't think either's a violation of the 1st Amendment and shouldn't affect their tax exempt status. However, I do have a real problem with a politician endorsing one religion over another. At times, I think alot of the things that our politicians say come dangerously close to the line.

I agree. One thing I do have a problem with though is the church leader then taking his views to the congregation and "campaigning" from the pulpit. I also don't care for the candidates speaking from the pulpit. While not exactly non-ethical I suppose, it just rubs me the wrong way. Same with unions "expecting" the rank and file to follow the voting guidelines set by the hierarchy. It's a Tammany Hall tradition that needs to be put to rest. Let everyone make up their own minds.

 

[Pigeon]

I was thinking about this at Mass this morning. Tuesday is the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision and if you went to Mass today, you probably heard at least a sentence or two about the evils of abortion. However, what I did NOT hear and what I have NEVER heard in all my years of Mass attendance was a Priest saying "I endorse Candidate X for President, for Congress, for Senate because he/she opposes abortion."

I have heard priests telling the congregation who to vote for in catholic masses more times than I can count, and not always at the same parish.

 

[bsnyder]

Totally off topic, but I didn't realize until this week that the SC party primaries aren't held on the same day.

Why is that?