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"Political leaders should separate themselves from their religious beliefs when making policy statements or decisions."
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| Total # of Responses: 531 - 2/5/04 |
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35% |
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7% |
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6% |
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7% |
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40% |
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We have received feedback on this issue from people all across America. Review the graph to the left for a quick snapshot of the responses received to date, or read the responses below.
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Ryan, AK
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... not know all the answers
... 
January 28,2004
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How can you expect someone to not let they're religous beliefs influence policy statements or decisions? All their morals and ethics that they have came from their religion. They sure didn't come from the mass media. Man himself can not know all the answers to all life's questions. There has to be someone higher up with more authority that knows these answers. You can call it intuition or conscience but there is something out there that gives you that intuition or conscience feeling.
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Eric, OR
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... the collective good
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January 28,2004
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Political leaders should make policy statements or decisions that are honest, moral, and maintain or further the collective good of the citizens. If his personal religious beliefs are in concert with the above, so much the better. However, there may also be times when that leader, in order to achieve the above, may have to put those personal religious beliefs aside.
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Beverly, OR
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... follow their own religious beliefs
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January 28,2004
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I want leaders with a strong moral core, but not those who try to impose their particular religion on others. They should follow their own religious beliefs but not try to impose a specific religion or religious practices on the body politic.
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Dana, CA
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... no place in American politics ...
January 28,2004
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Religious beliefs have no place in American politics - period!
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Melody, CA
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... we are a free people ...
January 28,2004
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America is strong because some political leaders (not all and not at all times) have called upon their higher power and not their ego or political favors to make important decisions. Many people want to come to America,
Why? because we are a free people. Even our leaders have a right to worship as they please.
And to say that they should not be influenced by what they believe is absurd. However, the government exists to ensure liberty and justice for all. That's what makes America great!
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Steve, WA
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... use religion as a tool
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January 28,2004
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Unfortunately, some political leaders use religion as a tool to diguise their real agenda. When I approach a social dilemna, I ask "What would Jesus do?"
It is obvious from President Bush he has never asked this question, for he refuses to help the unemployed who are rapidly becoming homeless in record numbers, allows their jobs to be whisked away.
No god would not have bombed Iraq, and killed thousands of innocent people for bad intelligence that was so obvious, that he had to hasten the bombing only four days after Hans Blitz announced that he was getting full cooperation in his inspections. Americans have a short memory... very short.
Most people I talk to think that the President is the Anti-Christ, using faith as a cover-up for his real agenda.
Our current President has turned more people away from religion than toward it. He is a religious hypocrit by any defintion of the word.
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Ron, CA
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... influence policy ...
January 28,2004
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I'd like to know why we never discuss how many of our founding fathers were agnostic/atheist or wht we don't discuss the fact that the judeo-christian tradition of the 18th century was used to justify slavery. Also, why is it that we permit judeo-christian beliefs to influence policy. I've never heard of anyone suggesting that a president utilize islamic, budhist or hindu beliefs to guide policy decisions yet all of these religions are moral. In addition, many people who do not hold a religious belief live an entirely moral life.
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Nicole, CA
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... here and now
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January 28,2004
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Since religious beliefs are essentially about eternity I would like to know that decisions made by someone we the people choose to lead us is one that considers not just the here and now. I think we would be asking any leader to be a hypocrite if we asked them not to live what they believe.
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Sophia, CA
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... foundation of faith
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January 28,2004
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These are beliefs, values; and the one thing we are all quite proud of regardless of religion or creed, why not a president should his values stop as president, how inhuman. Should we have a homosexual president would that individual not speak on or for the ways and rights of the life style he believes in. Was not Clintons ways was to flirt, have sex with whom ever as the president, was this not his value and beliefs. Mr. Bush life is in honor of Christ I must say this president is not forcing or asking of anyone to go to a house of God nor any of the sort he just proudly speaking of the value, beliefs as any of us would and his happened to be God not homosexuality or whatever else that is valued by others. Influence,statements or decisions are made base on how and what our values are that is if we choose to value integrity which is a foundation of faith and this allows us to consider eveeryone.
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Clayton, CA
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... compromises a person's integrity
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January 28,2004
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To live contrary to one's beliefs (i.e., rightly or wrongly held convictions) compromises a person's integrity and asserts a superficial facade which casts suspicions on the trustworthiness of the person's character.
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Diana, OR
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... true democracy is difficult
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January 28,2004
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There should be a definitive, distinct, line between politics and religion. When that line becomes muddled, true democracy is difficult. That's becoming a problem in Iraq at the moment. The strength of American democracy lies in the separation of these institutions.
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Marco Anto, CA
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... impose their believes ...
January 28,2004
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The leaders of this country are the leaders of every individual regardless of their faith and if they impose their believes they will be leading themselves not the people.
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Denise, AZ
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... an 'official' religion
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January 28,2004
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Why shouldn't our elected officials use their religious experience to influence their decisions? It is part of what makes that person them. We elected the whole official, not just part of them, not just what makes us comfortable. When this country was founded, our forefathers kept in mind their countries of birth, who told them what to believe and what religion to espouse and most of the time, there was an 'official' religion. When founding America, they wanted to keep the governing body from deciding what religion we must have. Today, it is as if have a religion in our public lives is taboo and we've done a complete 180. It is all right to have a religious belief, it should not have to be such a debate.
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Russ, CA
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... separate your morals
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January 28,2004
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Our thoughts, ideas, and opinions about religeon are thought by the same mind which ponders politics. How do you separate your morals by the topic at hand?
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Margaret, LA
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... bound by the laws
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January 28,2004
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What belief's should they base decisions and policy on? Maybe the latest poll. I think not. The struggle between truth and error has been around since the foundations of the earth were laid. There are eternal, absolute truths. Just as we are bound by the laws of nature, we are also bound by the laws of God. It is our quest to figure out who the true God is--then show obedience to his laws. I admire the politician who shows heunderstand the laws of God.
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Pat, LA
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... Who better than God
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January 28,2004
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The bible tells me to pray for our leaders. Therefore, I pray for their wisdom to make wise decisions. Who better than God could advise anyone in politics or otherwise?
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Merle, CA
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... in the name of god
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January 28,2004
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If a doctor can only save a mother or a child can he let his beliefs decide or should he listen to the husband? Should a president do the same. How sure are you that because a person does something in the name of god it is the correct thing for the nation. George Bush is a good example of the later..
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Pat, LA
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... pray for our leaders
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January 28,2004
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The bible tells me to pray for our leaders. Therefore, I pray for their wisdom to make wise decisions. Who better than God could advise anyone in politics or otherwise?
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Eloise, CA
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... In God is Our Trust’
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January 28,2004
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Our battle cry for the Revolutionary War was “No king, but King Jesus.” This came from an incident the year prior where King George’s Soldiers arrived on horseback demanding that a group of three men throw out their guns and they responded “We have no king but King Jesus” and didn’t throw out their guns. Our “My Country ’Tis of Thee” concludes it’s last verse with “Great God Our King”. And the last verse of the “Star Spangled Banner” concludes with “And this be our motto ‘In God is Our Trust’.” God is the invisible conductor of God honoring people which is a blessing for America. Tonight’s program was nice.
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Roy, CA
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... act properly
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January 28,2004
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Belief in God helps a politician act properly on behalf of the public, helping to minimize corruption.
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