Faith and Politics

About once per week I cruise through Dana Hunter’s rant-filled blog to see if there’s anything condensed enough for a rebuttal. After weeks of waiting she finally has a moment of brevity worth talking about. Hunter quotes from a piece about the recent Saddleback Forum first:

“For the first time in more than a decade, a narrow majority of Americans say churches should stay out of politics, according to a poll released today by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

The results suggest a potentially significant shift among conservative voters in particular. In 2004, 30% of conservatives said the church should stay out of politics while today 50% of conservatives today express that view.

Conservatives are now more in line with moderates and liberals when it comes to their views on mixing religion and politics. “Similarly, the sharp divisions between Republicans and Democrats that previously existed on this issue have disappeared,” Pew reports.

The results are encouraging, and more than a little surprising. In the decade between 1996 and 2006, Pew Forum surveys showed a stable trend — a narrow majority of Americans wanted houses of worship to be publicly engaged in policy debates. Now, the numbers have reversed, and a narrow majority wants ministries to “stay out.”

Then she adds her own take on the subject:

Religion and politics have no business mixing the way they have in this country. Time to rebuild that wall, atheist and religious folks alike, before one narrow religious view manages to rip it down completely, and take the country down with them.

This is an interesting notion and one certainly worth discussing in the closing months ofthe Bush Administration. As I’ve discussed here before, I’m certainly no fan of the so-called ‘Religious Right’. Although I agree with them on the abortion issue that brought them into the conservative movement in the first place, I have profound differences with the other policies they have pushed for. I don’t like efforts to teach ID in our schools, I don’t like the 10 Commandments in our courthouses and even their opposition to gay marriage has taken a biggoted turn in most places. So on that point I’m sure Dana and I share some common ground.

Another point where we likely share some common ground is in our assesment that the ‘Religious Right’ mostly brought these changing American attitudes on themselves. As stated above, they started out with a worthy goal (ending abortion) and used their new power to push for increasingly non-secular ideals. We all know what ID is really about so I won’t address it here, but that kind of stuff is what turned a lot of people off. Likewise, support of these efforts by people like President Bush and other ‘conservative’ politicians has left the GOP on the ropes as well. The final assesment seems to be that classic overreaching did them all in.

As to the effects beyond the Right, I am somewhat modest in assinging long-term damage. As mentioned here there is already a growing change in attitudes among younger evangelicals. Many of them are seeing the narow focus of their parents’ evangelicalism / politics and wanting more. Issues that are important to younger evangelicals like the environment and social justice policies seem to indicate a new, progressive evanglical movement. This was evidenced at Saddleback by Warren’s numerous mentions of social justice issues which form the backbone of his ministry.

Knowing that the association with evangelicals has proven to be damaging in the short-term for the GOP and seeing a lack of success in achieving their goals, it should be no surprise if the relationship between conservatives and evangelicals cools. Add to that changing attitudes among younger evangelicals (and also younger conservatives) and we will hopefully see a de-emphasis on the ‘Religious Right’ in years to come.

The point where Dana and I most likely diverge is in our vision of the future. Being an avowed atheist and riding hard on the coattails of Pharyngula, Hunter owes most of her success to the increasing legions of liberal atheists. In some sense this has become the tail that wags the dog in her assesment of the issue above, so it’s natural she is going to call for a wall between faith and politics. But this is short-sighted.

While Hunter’s atheism may be one of her greatest badges of honor, faith remains a vital part of the American fabric. As Warren was careful to nuance his own positon by saying, “We believe in the separation of church and state, but we do not believe in the separation of faith and politics,” I also believe this is the majority opinion in America, regardless of Hunter’s cited polling data. Her data is a sign of the moment, not permanence. Ask this question 4 years from now, when either Obama or McCain, both of whom aren’t overly religious, are ending their term and I suspect you will see very different results.

There is nothing wrong with faith and politics. All men and women of faith have certainly been guided by their beliefs when in office. Whether they allow that to affect policy directly is another matter. There is also nothing wrong with promoting a shared morality, born both of faith and of reason. It just has to be done with care.

Hunter no doubt sees more evil than good in religion. But she is looking at the worst moments, not the best. I choose, as a Progressive, to look at both and I believe that in the future the roll of faith in American life, and politics by default, will be not much different that today. I just hope the intrussiveness of faith under Bush does not return,