Politics and Religion: A Disastrous Combination.

This will be my last blog of the year, partly as my daughters who live far away are congregating at the family home and partly because I am frustrated by what I see in American politics. The Senate remains the scene of a potential filibuster to pass the budget! Hopefully, I’ll be refreshed for the New Year.

Last week, I said I would put my head in a noose and write about religion American-style. This is a first for me. In all the years that I have written about the American scene, I felt that religion was the third rail, i.e. touch it and you die. However an article in the Sunday Times of 8^th December has changed my mind. Columnist Andrew Sullivan suggested that in America, religion and politics tend to be fused and religious doctrine is wielded as a political weapon.

Sullivan poses an interesting argument. He suggests that the extreme right believed the Pope, thus the entire Catholic Church, was on its side, as opinions on abortion and contraception and its anti-communist hatred were shared with the Pontiff. Shock jocks like Rush Limbaugh invoked Pope John Paul II as a Catholic who “had no truck with leftie criticisms of capitalism.” However, recently, tea party followers like Sarah Palin – remember her, she could see Russia from her bedroom – are now questioning the ideology of the Catholic Church, suggesting it has become liberal, thus weak. Sullivan concludes that the Pope’s message of Love needs to be shared by materialistic Republicans and Democrats alike.

To ram the point home, in a message this week entitled Fraternity, The Foundation and Pathway to Peace, Pope Francis criticised injustice, human trafficking and organised crime as deterrents to the path to peace. He attacked policies of big salaries for the rich while the poor survive on crumbs and that governments should do more to close the gap. Previously Pope Francis has made his views known on trickle-down economics, financial speculation and the idea that the market knows best. He believes all are wrong and damaging to society.

Why some Republicans would think that the Catholic Church only supports their views is unmitigated gall. Do these people really think there are no Democrat Catholics in America? Is it their opinion that the Pope would support right-wing Americans who want to impose “family values” on the rest of the country? A certain Senator from Pennsylvania stood on this platform not long ago in a run for the Presidency. He was soon cast aside.

Some time ago, I came across an article in the American Sociological Review. It looked at church attendance and found that, at least in a Chicago suburb, of those interviewed who said they attended church weekly, only half actually did. If anyone wants chapter and verse for the article, they have only to ask. I don’t suggest the article proves anything except the peculiarity that a number of Americans felt too embarrassed to tell researchers they did not attend church regularly. Was there a political connection? Possibly peer pressure was in force. 

What is my position? Simple, religion and politics don’t mix. I learned this lesson well from the Founding Fathers. The first amendment to the Constitution spells this out loud and clear: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” I accept that religion plays a big part in American life. One has only to drive through any number of cities and towns to see the vast numbers of churches that are supported by the local populace. But politicising religion is a different matter and it leads to some of the grief America is experiencing now.

May I close this blog by wishing you a Merry Xmas, a Happy New Year and may your God go with you.