Should Religion Matter

I remember how it was back in 1960, when John F. Kennedy was running for president against Richard Nixon. That was the election Nixon lost because of voter fraud in Chicago, even though he refused to challenge it. But, that is not the point of this post. This post is about John F. Kennedy's religion. As you know, he was a Roman Catholic, and such as he had never been president of the United States. Only once before had a Catholic even run for president. In the 1960 election, Kennedy's religion was a big thing, particularly among evangelicals. The point of attack was that, as a Catholic, Kennedy owed allegiance to a foreign government (The Vatican) and the argument was that if it came to a choice between America and The Vatican Kennedy would be bound to take the side of The Vatican. Yes, I know. Absurd. But that was the gist of the anti-Kennedy bloc.

Southern Baptists, me included, predicted dire consequences for America if a Catholic were elected president. There were pamphlets printed, sermons preached, and much hand-wringing at the prospect of a Catholic president. To most of us, that seems a bit strange today, because Kennedy was elected and none of the stuff we predicted ever happened.

On the other side, the strongest argument was that a man should not be disqualified from the presidency on the day of his baptism. The question was, "Should a person be disqualified from the presidency simply because of his choice of church?" Most Baptists answered with a resounding, "Yes!" Other evangelicals felt the same. To those who said a man's religion should not make any difference, we answered, "A man whose religion does not make any difference is neither much of a man nor has much of a religion." It was ugly, as I recall.

It appears that we may be entering another time similar to the 1960 election. The question this time might be, "Should a man be disqualified from the presidency simply because he was born into a Mormon family and has chosen to follow that path?" Republican primary voters will have to ask that question of themselves, and it might well be that Americans will have to ask it in the general election.

I have heard some Southern Baptists say, "I could never vote for a Mormon." It will be interesting to see how that plays out if it is a Mormon against Obama. Some will have to hold their nose and pull the lever of their choice, whichever way they choose. Or, they could just not vote, an option which some will undoubtedly choose.

As I have gotten older I have moderated my views on this subject. I could now vote for a Catholic, if he was the right person for the job. I suppose I could also vote for a Mormon, if he was the right person for the job. I know that will upset a lot of my Southern Baptist brethren, but I have come to accept that this country is not just for people who believe the way I do. This country is for those who believe any way they wish, as long as they support the constitution of the USA.

I would certainly rather have a Catholic or a Mormon who believed in limited government than a Baptist with a liberation theology who believes that government is the answer to all our problems, or who believes that government should take from those who have and give to those who have not. Religious affiliation is the least of our worries. There are more important concerns, as we have all come to understand in the past three years.