Candidates and Their Religious Beliefs: Do they influence your vote?

It's important to me that a candidate be a reasonable person who is intelligent and enlightened.

I'd like to say that religion (or the absence of it) doesn't make a difference here, but I have my own biases. I'm wary of anybody who claims to be speaking for God, for example.

As a rule if I think their beliefs won't interfere with their judgment then I don't care what their beliefs are. For example, I voted for Bill Clinton even though I didn't (and still don't) know exactly what his beliefs are. I think he is one of the many varieties of Baptists but that's about all I know. His religious beliefs never became part of his discourse, and that's fine with me.

The most important thing to me is to have people in office who believe in the separation of church and state. While many people don't see it that way, this policy protects religions from the interference of government or the imposition of a state religion and that's good for them as well as the government.

I have my own religious beliefs but I have no interest in imposing them on others or vice versa.

I'm put off by all the controversy surrounding Obama's church, which looks to me like it is all about the ethnicity of his church rather than its religion. True, his pastor has said some controversial things, but other presidential candidates have had that experience and nobody has kept tabs on what they are listening to on Sunday mornings.

[edit on 15-3-2008 by Sestias]

[edit on 15-3-2008 by Sestias]

i am 61 years old------i have never voted for any man and i never will.

i'll leave it up to G-D to decide who He want's to rule His people and i won't take the chance of putting myself as an obstacle in the way of His choice.

regardless of what others think they are doing when they vote---who gets elected is not really in their hands as we see from the example of gw bush being made president 8 years ago when the majority of voters wanted al gore for president.

the prophet daniel was told that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind,and bestows on it whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men (daniel 4:17)

Ones religion, or lack of same, can not help but effect their views on every topic. There is, quite simply, no getting around that particular bugaboo.

Now whether or not they let that belief into the public sphere is a whole 'nother thing entirely. Some can, some can't. Like anything else, this can be a good thing, or a bad thing depending upon the circumstance. It's a case by case issue.

If I thought people could do that, then I'd be right there with ya' on this.
However, I don't think they can.

I would LIKE not to have any fundamentalists in office. Fundamentalist of any faith - Christian or otherwise. I wouldn't be comfortable with a muslim either. And I'd rather not have an athiest.

If they are qualified for office, I'd vote for them. But if someone else was just as qualified and wasn't a fundamentalist, muslim or athiest .. then I'd vote for the someone else.

It's a matter of who I am comfortable with being POTUS.

1). Do the religious beliefs of political candidates influence your vote?

Yes: If they bring personal beliefs into public office it is a problem. Beliefs by their nature could be wrong. A leader has to be pragmatic enough to compartmentalize what they believe vs. what they know and need to do to serve the public in total-not just those of same beliefs or feel crippled by the feeling of divine punishment. Zealots however should never get into a place with any red buttons.

2). Do you believe a person's religious beliefs should influence their vote or do you get irritated by such admissions?

Religious beliefs influencing votes is horrific as far as I am concerned. The government is for the people, not for God(s). To make a vote on religious belief is the same as doing it arbitrarily with a magic-8-ball.

3). Do you think an American candidate's chances become slim based if they admit to believing something other than mainstream Christianity?

Unfortunately: Yes. Jesus was onto something when he called people sheep. They flock together and as such, move and vote together (usually).

4). Do you think this is acceptable or biased?

Depends. To select someone based on how they pray versus the ability to perform the job is no different than nepotism in function. I suppose it boils down to subjectivity. Everyone (who is honest) would not care if it were biased if the person they wanted got into office.

5). Do you think a candidates personal religious views should be brought up in the media or during presidential debates or should this be a private and personal issue?

No. This separates voters from the issues and puts blinders up with "Us against them" mentality.

6). Do you ever get suspicious of candidates, aware of the fact that Christians seem to have a better chance, sometimes profess false beliefs?

I think I am too jaded for that question. Fact is: Politicians lie. If they lie about being Christian or not: I could care less. If they lie about going to war and torturing people-all while saying it's God's will... Then I have an issue with it.