Website likens presidential candidates to Christ

Deepa Bharath

If Jesus Christ were to protect and govern the United States, would

he launch a preemptive strike?

What would he say about gay marriage?

Would he be pro-life or pro-choice?

Who is more like Jesus Christ: George Bush or John Kerry?

These are all questions Costa Mesa resident Steve Gooden is asking

on his newly launched website, https://www.thepassionofbush.com.

People can visit the website and vote on which presidential

candidate seems more like Jesus -- Bush or Kerry. Gooden’s theory is

that the candidate who people think is more like Jesus will end up

winning the presidential election. The site has already received

10,000 hits, said Gooden, who is also a commercial real estate agent.

“So far, 75% of people who’ve visited the website have voted that

Bush’s beliefs are closer to Jesus’ than Kerry’s,” said Gooden, a

self-proclaimed conservative Christian and Republican.

He started the website to show the American public “the tremendous

influence the Christian vote has on the presidential elections,” he

said. Gooden calls it “the passion vote,” after Mel Gibson’s

blockbuster film “The Passion of the Christ,” which chronicles Jesus

Christ’s life hours before he died on the cross.

“The film defied the concept of a Hollywood hit movie, but became

a mega success,” he said. “I believe that the film mobilized and

motivated us and infused a little bit more energy into the

presidential elections.”

Why should a president be like Jesus Christ?

“Because this nation is great because of its Christian values,”

Gooden said. “The schools, hospitals, Ivy League universities,

philanthropic organizations -- we have a majority of those because of

Christian institutions that established them in our country.”

Gooden’s website gives a list of “What Jesus Believes,” which

includes statements such as “Homosexuality is a sin,” “Pro-Life(No

abortion),” “Testify the faith of Jesus openly,” “One way to

heaven(through Jesus)” and “Do not divorce.”

“Whoever’s belief is closer to Jesus is the one you should vote

for,” Gooden says in the website.

The issue that Gooden has raised is a legitimate one, said Mark

Petracca, chairman of UC Irvine’s political science department.

“It’s not totally crazy,” he said. “Bush himself, when asked who

he considers the most important historical figure was during the last

presidential debate, said Jesus Christ.”

And Bush is not the first United States president to openly

profess his faith, Petracca said.

“Jimmy Carter taught Sunday school in his church, even when he was

president,” he said.

On the other hand, John F. Kennedy, a Catholic, went out of his

way to distance himself from his religion because he didn’t want the

public to think that his policies were going to be predicated by

Catholicism, Petracca said. But that, he added, was also symbolic of

a time when many believed in the separation of church and state.

“Now, 44 years later, it’s legitimate,” Petracca said. “Both

candidates openly talk about matters relating to faith.”

* DEEPA BHARATH is the enterprise and general assignment reporter.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at

deepa.bharath@latimes.com.