misfitS pOLITICS

We talk. We write. We entertain. Or so we think.
  • Home
  • Misfit Migrants
  • Mess Hall
  • Meet The Misfits
  • Misc. Musings
  • Home
  • Misfit Migrants
  • Mess Hall
  • Meet The Misfits
  • Misc. Musings

The Last Temptation of Constitutionalists

6/22/2016

0 Comments

 
CDP
Religion has always been an important issue in America. The Founders in their wisdom thought to preclude the Federal government from both establishing a formal state religion and interfering in the free practice of private religion. The United States has also undeniably been a majority Christian nation for her entire existence as a sovereign entity. Of the two glaring examples of clashes between a religious group and the Federal government, one (Mormonism) was against Christian sect. The other, the intentional suppression of the various religions of the Indians, undoubtedly had a religious undertone but was at its heart about territorial expansion.

The importance of the religious beliefs of our leaders has by and large depended on circumstance. In times of great strife, the country has tended to turn to men of great genuine conviction: the eve of our greatest internal schism gave us Lincoln, and Reagan’s sunny and forthright beliefs were a welcome answer by many to the Evil Empire of the Soviets. Presidents have been devout and largely agnostic. We have elected a Catholic, a Quaker, Baptists, Methodists, and more than one argumentative agnostic. A few have undoubtedly not been believers, but still paid lip service to Christian values.

Since the election of Reagan, the Republican candidate’s religious conviction has generally been seen as very important in attracting the votes of the Christian conservative voting bloc not only in primaries but in general elections. There are solid arguments for it not only pushing George W. Bush over the top in 2000 but also for keeping Mitt Romney, a Mormon, out of the White House in 2012 by failing to show up in the voting booth for him. Then 2016 came along.

This is of course all brought to mind by Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr.’s tweeted photograph with Donald Trump after introducing Trump at a summit of religious leaders in New York, with Mrs. Falwell standing in front of a framed copy of an old Playboy cover featuring Trump. The tweet led to relatively predictable reactions from all sides.

The presumptive nominee’s religious beliefs (or lackthereof) have been a contentious issue in the Republican primary. He has struggled to garner the support of many evangelical leaders (though Mr. Falwell Jr. has announced his support). Perhaps owing to his perceived weakness on the issue of his conservative Christian bona fides, Trump has taken to attacking the left-leaning Christian bona fides of his presumptive opponent in the general election.

All of this seems somewhat beside the point, as we don’t have a presidential religious litmus test in this country. What we have, or should have, is a Constitutional fidelity litmus test. As a believing Christian (though admittedly a poor one of the non-denominational variety), what should it matter to me if a candidate lacks the belief that Jesus Christ died for my sins if that candidate shares the belief that even if he does devoutly believe in Christ it doesn’t matter to his faithful execution of the duties of the President? The personal value system necessary to restrain oneself to the Constitutionally enumerated powers of the Executive branch aren’t particular to Christianity, anyway. Some Christian values are even seemingly antithetical to that restraint, and Christians don’t have the market cornered on honesty and integrity.

And that’s the rub: neither major party candidate possesses the inherent character traits necessary in the Executive, and both are (nominally) Christian. Granted, there have been many Presidents who failed to live up to their professed values. But very few men do in general. What matters more in this particular election is how glaringly obvious both Trump and Clinton fall short of what they say they believe, and how clearly neither has even the inclination to fulfill the oath of office if they get to take it. A President’s religious beliefs may matter to voters, but an honest desire and intent to act within the confines of the office is what should matter most. That’s a lesson we should’ve all learned by now.​


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Misfits

    Just a gaggle of people from all over who have similar interests and loud opinions mixed with a dose of humor. We met on Twitter.
    ​Enough said.

    (If that's not enough, you can learn more here)

    Tweets by misfitspolitics

    Archives

    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    January 2021
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016

    Categories

    All
    2016
    9/11
    Abortion
    AFB
    Afghanistan
    Air Force
    #alfieevans
    Alfie Evans
    ALS
    Armed Forces
    Army
    Baby
    Ben Carson
    Bernie
    Blog
    Bosnia
    CAOC
    #CelebrateWomen
    Christie
    City Council
    Comey
    Cooking
    Crete
    Cruz
    Deep Fry
    Desert Storm
    Donald Trump
    Drug Companies
    Election
    England
    Europe
    Exclusivity
    F-16
    Fanfic
    Fayetteville
    FBI
    FDA
    Fiction
    Fire
    Florida
    Free Market
    Fun
    Germany
    Gilmore
    Government
    Health Care
    Hillary Clinton
    Hobby
    Iraq
    Italy
    John Kasich
    Kevin Williamson
    Korea
    Kuwait
    LANTIRN
    Life
    Local Politics
    Marco Rubio
    Medical Care
    Memoir
    Military
    MIsfitMemo
    #MisfitMemo
    Misfits
    Misfits Politics
    Moms
    Mother's Day
    Narrative
    National Review
    NATO
    Navy
    #NeverTrump
    Patent
    Pharmaceutical
    Philippines
    Phillippines
    Politics
    Raymond
    Reform
    Rex
    Rubio
    Scarcity
    September 11th
    Service
    Ted Cruz
    Thread
    Tweetstorm
    Twitter
    UK
    Water
    Weekly Rewind
    World Cup
    World Trade Center

    RSS Feed

Home

About

Contact​

Copyright © 2016
  MisfitsPolitics
  • Home
  • Misfit Migrants
  • Mess Hall
  • Meet The Misfits
  • Misc. Musings
  • Home
  • Misfit Migrants
  • Mess Hall
  • Meet The Misfits
  • Misc. Musings