Religion, again, moves to fore

The News Virginian / News Virginian
Published: December 23, 2007

So here we go again, wading through more pontification, contemplation and consternation about presidential aspirants and their religion. Now that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has informed us that he would not run the country based on Mormon fiat, fellow Republican contender Mike Huckabee, the other man from Hope, has taken his place in the pundits' spotlight.

While the sin of Romney — and Kennedy before him — was his link to a faith outside the presidential mainstream, Huckabee's is that he dares to flaunt his old-time, Southern Baptist religion. Exhibit A is a television commercial featuring the minister/candidate wearing a red sweater, talking about the birth of Christ with "Silent Night" playing in the background. A window frame over Huckabee's right shoulder, by the way, looks eerily like a cross.

The words "Christian leader" scroll across the screen in another Huckabee ad. This, pundits remind us, is the same man who once spoke of taking "this nation back for Christ." And in one of the countless GOP debates held in advance of the actual election year, Huckabee declared (gasp!) that he does not believe in evolution.

Naturally, the rhetorical questions and commentary are spewing from the assorted talkers and scribblers about whether Huckabee would serve "all Americans" or just the born-agains. Would he mix faith and state- Or take orders from the Southern Baptist Convention- The questions in Huckabee's case differ from those posed to and about Romney and Kennedy largely because of Huckabee's approach, using his religion as a platform rather than seeking to tuck it in his back pocket like something to be shrouded from public view.

But the molten blathering over Huckabee's faith strikes us as silly nonetheless. Our questions about the former Arkansas governor regard his positions on the issues, not whether he is sending out subliminal Christian messages in his TV commercials.
Here, for example, is something worth considering: Huckabee has called for a nationwide ban on public smoking. That sounds more than a trifle draconian. Maybe he will get around to pushing Prohibition, too. That worked out well the first time. Huckabee's smoking stance might be blamed on his Christianity (he says it's about workplace safety). Others of his faith would tell us that neither tobacco nor alcohol is proscribed in the Bible.

Our point here is that our problem with Huckabee on this issue and others is not his religion but his position. We could say the same about Romney. The issues, we believe, ought to be the focus.

Ideally, our leaders will be guided by deeply held convictions about simple right and wrong. Elected officials do not violate the Constitution simply by forming those convictions from their religion. Freedom of religion does not require the abolition of religion.

Huckabee would have evangelicals consider him the Christian candidate and vote accordingly. His detractors would apply the same label and have us vote against him because of it. We suggest that the definite article does not apply and that both premises are flawed.

Wisdom, we believe, precludes our choosing candidates solely based on their faith. Ultimately, presidents succeed or fail based on their intelligence, character, ability to make difficult decisions, foresight and the quality of the people who surround them. The stances they take give us some insight into how they would lead and how they score on at least some of the traits we have identified.

Trying to gauge the extent to which Huckabee or any other candidate might be influenced by religion is like trying to weigh the wind. There must be better ways for us to spend our time.