Atheists vote, too: Why is religious pandering so prevalent?

[cbayer]

http://www.salon.com/2013/08/23/ruled_by_a_bipartisan_god_religious_pandering_dominates_america/


FRIDAY, AUG 23, 2013 05:30 AM PDT

Politicians from Obama to Bush just can't resist the "God strategy." Can we ever evolve toward secular government?

BY MUGAMBI JOUET



(Credit: AP/Carolyn Kaster/Reuters/Jim Young/Ritu Manoj Jethani via Shutterstock/Salon)

Religion has long had an extraordinary influence in U.S. politics compared to other democracies. But this isn’t just a far-right phenomenon: If the Obama administration has its way, this influence might go even further. For example, the administration recently filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court arguing that it is constitutional to conduct official Christian prayers at town council meetings.

The Supreme Court case stems from the town of Greece in New York, which opens nearly all its board sessions with prayers by Christian clergy. President Obama joined congressional Republicans and the religious right in supporting this practice. Ken Klukowski, a lawyer for the Family Research Council who crafted a separate amicus brief for the House Republicans, praised the administration for filing “a surprisingly conservative brief.”

Both the Obama administration and religious conservatives note that official prayers have been conducted before sessions of Congress ever since the days of the Founding Fathers. In their view, official prayers at town council sessions should likewise be allowed. On the other hand, official prayers in public schools have been unconstitutional for decades. This contradiction exemplifies how the Supreme Court has adopted a flexible interpretation of the First Amendment. Paradoxically, the Court has issued many decisions enforcing the separation of church and state, yet begins its own proceedings by announcing, “God save the United States and this Honorable Court.”

The debate on official prayers or references to God commonly focuses on whether they marginalize non-Christians or non-believers. The town of Greece has thus defended itself by arguing that members of non-Christian faiths and atheists are (theoretically) free to deliver invocations too. However, “a town council meeting is not like a church service,” as Rev. Barry Lynn responded on behalf of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, an organization opposing all official prayers at government meetings. (The fact that Rev. Lynn is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ illustrates how supporting a secular government should not be conflated with having anti-religious views.)

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[Dawson Leery]

1. k/r

[MotherPetrie]

2. K&R.

[struggle4progress]

3. I'd be happy to see the pandering end

But since politics is partly a popularity contest, it won't end any time soon

[no_hypocrisy]

4. My guess is the prevalence of religious pandering is simply convenience.

Incrementally the churches have been using their pulpits to politicize and to electioneer on behalf of mostly republican candidates. They have a captive audience who accepts and integrates 1000% of what is said in the church from the Gospels to Jesus-Loves-Candidate-A and that's why you should make it a point to vote for him/her on Tuesday, especially if you just don't normally vote.

You have ready-made crowds in churches. They don't assemble like that for public events, campaigns, etc. on a regular basis like churches. You morph from religion to politics seamlessly and they know what they have to do as "Christians".

Also, there's some Madison Avenue philosophy going on. The people who attend church feel validated as Christians by just showing up. They get their marching orders from the pastor/minister/priest. By following their instructions, the parishioners feel good about themselves, not unlike the theory if you use Acme Soap, you're a better person than someone who uses another brand. It's that simple. In this case, if you vote for Candidate A, a true Christian running for Congress, you proved you're a good Christian to yourself, to your minister/pastor/priest, and to Jesus. You're that much closer to Heaven for voting for someone else's choice.

So pandering to Christians is economic and somewhat effective.

[brooklynite]

5. The answer is...Atheists DON'T vote...

PEOPLE who are Atheists vote, but ATHEISTS as an organized unit (unlike Catholics, Jews, fundamentalist Protestants) have no political engagement at all. Thus, elected officials and politicians feel no pressure to represent their interests.