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Resurrecting an old thread: God in politics

Noodle

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Jun 19, 2001
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A few weeks back someone posted about how so many politicians tout their Christian faith, often as one of the first few things they say in their commercials. Some disputed this, and I pointed to the first political ad of the season around here (Cincy)--for Kentucky Republican gubernatorial candidate Mat Bevin.

Well, it's only gotten worse:

Hal Heiner: "Service, caring, honoring God, that's our Kentucky way...preserving our conservative Christian values"

Matt Bevin: "Matt's a Christian, but he doesn't wear it on his sleeve...but he does live Biblical principles in his life. He's a Bible-believing Christian."
-apparently Bevin's campaign does not quite grasp that the idiom "wears it on his sleeve" is figurative rather than literal

James Comer: "Where I'm from, faith and family come first."
-Comer did have one of the best lines in recent memory, however, when he said that Heiner is the "Christian Laettner of Kentucky politics." ROFL
-Comer has also been accused of physically abusing a girlfriend and paying for her abortion back in the 1990s, while Comer has accused Heiner as being behind the allegations
 
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Noodle, do you think the God of political campaigns has changed in recent years, from a generic American God to a more specific Christian God? I seem to recall in the past politicians speaking of their faith in much more generic terms, if at all.

We've sure come a long way since Kennedy's Houston speech.
 
Noodle, do you think the God of political campaigns has changed in recent years, from a generic American God to a more specific Christian God? I seem to recall in the past politicians speaking of their faith in much more generic terms, if at all.

We've sure come a long way since Kennedy's Houston speech.
Not sure, but I don't think so. Heck, that generic "American God" was, I think, always assumed to be Christian--whether it was in politics, advertising, TV and film, etc. To the extent that political ads have changed, it's highly likely that the God of past political campaigns was indeed a "Christian God," but it didn't need to be stated--it was always assumed to be such. When I was a kid, most people didn't know a thing about Islam, Jews were Jews (i.e., not Christians, maybe good maybe bad, depending on who you asked), atheists were pretty much equivalent to Communists, and the only discussion of religion dealt with the question of Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc. Heck, my Lutheran church and the Lutheran church down the road were arch rivals (especially in softball) in part because they were a slightly different synod (sect) of the Lutheran faith.
 
Not sure, but I don't think so. Heck, that generic "American God" was, I think, always assumed to be Christian--whether it was in politics, advertising, TV and film, etc. To the extent that political ads have changed, it's highly likely that the God of past political campaigns was indeed a "Christian God," but it didn't need to be stated--it was always assumed to be such. When I was a kid, most people didn't know a thing about Islam, Jews were Jews (i.e., not Christians, maybe good maybe bad, depending on who you asked), atheists were pretty much equivalent to Communists, and the only discussion of religion dealt with the question of Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, etc. Heck, my Lutheran church and the Lutheran church down the road were arch rivals (especially in softball) in part because they were a slightly different synod (sect) of the Lutheran faith.
I know what a synod is, dork.

Here's an interesting one. My mom's childhood church - which her mom still attends - is St. John in Deshler, an ELCA church. Just one mile west of the church is Hope Lutheran, which is an independent church affiliated with both ELCA and Wisconsin synods. Both of them have been there for many decades. I always wondered what was so different that they needed two churches. Perhaps it's just because Wood and Henry counties have so many Lutherans, there was overflow!

I certainly wouldn't be upset to see God get out of the politics business, but I don't see it happening any time soon. Especially after 8 years with a President who has a Muslim-sounding name.
 
Noodle, do you think the God of political campaigns has changed in recent years, from a generic American God to a more specific Christian God? I seem to recall in the past politicians speaking of their faith in much more generic terms, if at all.

We've sure come a long way since Kennedy's Houston speech.
You may be right, but
In the "good ole days," religion meant Christianity and God the Christian God. There weren't that many Muslims, Buddhists, Hindis, etc to make waves. Yes, there were Jewish but they believed in the same God anyway.
 
You may be right, but
In the "good ole days," religion meant Christianity and God the Christian God. There weren't that many Muslims, Buddhists, Hindis, etc to make waves. Yes, there were Jewish but they believed in the same God anyway.
Technically, Muslims believe in the same God, as well (as do Ba'hai).

EDIT: As do a bunch of smaller sects like Samaritans and Yazidis.
 
Technically, Muslims believe in the same God, as well (as do Ba'hai).

EDIT: As do a bunch of smaller sects like Samaritans and Yazidis.

Technically yes. However, if you ask average Americans, they would say "NO" to the Muslims while they might be inclined to lump Jewish people in, despite the historic fact that how Christians discriminated and treated the Jewish people until the early 20th century.
 
Technically yes. However, if you ask average Americans, they would say "NO" to the Muslims while they might be inclined to lump Jewish people in, despite the historic fact that how Christians discriminated and treated the Jewish people until the early 20th century.
Oh I have no doubt you're right. Just as I think some or most radical Muslims probably think of Jews and Christians as heathens. But many religious leaders have worked hard at putting an end to this kind of thinking as part of the ecumenical movement. Moving the populace toward thinking of different religious as simply different ways to worship the same God would do a lot for religious strife.
 
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Oh I have no doubt you're right. Just as I think some or most radical Muslims probably think of Jews and Christians as heathens. But many religious leaders have worked hard at putting an end to this kind of thinking as part of the ecumenical movement. Moving the populace toward thinking of different religious as simply different ways to worship the same God would do a lot for religious strife.
True!
 
A few weeks back someone posted about how so many politicians tout their Christian faith, often as one of the first few things they say in their commercials. Some disputed this, and I pointed to the first political ad of the season around here (Cincy)--for Kentucky Republican gubernatorial candidate Mat Bevin.

Well, it's only gotten worse:

Hal Heiner: "Service, caring, honoring God, that's our Kentucky way...preserving our conservative Christian values"

Matt Bevin: "Matt's a Christian, but he doesn't wear it on his sleeve...but he does live Biblical principles in his life. He's a Bible-believing Christian."
-apparently Bevin's campaign does not quite grasp that the idiom "wears it on his sleeve" is figurative rather than literal

James Comer: "Where I'm from, faith and family come first."
-Comer did have one of the best lines in recent memory, however, when he said that Heiner is the "Christian Laettner of Kentucky politics." ROFL
-Comer has also been accused of physically abusing a girlfriend and paying for her abortion back in the 1990s, while Comer has accused Heiner as being behind the allegations
Knowing your market

According to this graphic, Christians in Kentucky are 49% evangelical protestant. Massachusetts, by comparison, is 9% evangelical. I think it is safe to say that most of the 49% are Republicans, probably conservative Republicans. Of course a candidate will play to that customer base. I don't think that signifies any trend though.
 
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A few weeks back someone posted about how so many politicians tout their Christian faith, often as one of the first few things they say in their commercials. Some disputed this, and I pointed to the first political ad of the season around here (Cincy)--for Kentucky Republican gubernatorial candidate Mat Bevin.

Well, it's only gotten worse:

Hal Heiner: "Service, caring, honoring God, that's our Kentucky way...preserving our conservative Christian values"

Matt Bevin: "Matt's a Christian, but he doesn't wear it on his sleeve...but he does live Biblical principles in his life. He's a Bible-believing Christian."
-apparently Bevin's campaign does not quite grasp that the idiom "wears it on his sleeve" is figurative rather than literal

James Comer: "Where I'm from, faith and family come first."
-Comer did have one of the best lines in recent memory, however, when he said that Heiner is the "Christian Laettner of Kentucky politics." ROFL
-Comer has also been accused of physically abusing a girlfriend and paying for her abortion back in the 1990s, while Comer has accused Heiner as being behind the allegations

I guess people know their constituency, but I find that interesting with the recent report that less people than ever before identify with a faith.
 
I guess people know their constituency, but I find that interesting with the recent report that less people than ever before identify with a faith.
I agree. But the way the ads and sliming are going in this race, it's starting to remind me of a McHutchence v. Greeley III:
 
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