IN THEORY:Does religion have a place in government, politics?

A recent study showed that Americans are critical of left-wing liberals and right-wing conservatives when it comes to injecting religion into government. The study, sponsored by two Pew organizations, found that 69% of respondents said liberals have gone “too far to keep religion out of school and government,” while 49% contended that conservatives have gone “too far in imposing their religious values.” What are your thoughts on these findings, and have you heard the same complaints from your flock?

Americans are constitutionally wary over the potential intrusiveness of religion in politics and yet are anxious over a political arena that might banish religious values to the bleachers. Politics and religion should respond to one another with two hands: one to embrace and one to keep at arm’s length.

Was Jesus a conservative? If so, would he align more with Burke or Hume, Goldwater or Gingrich? Would his compassion call him to advocate compassionate conservatism? Casting bread on the water is one thing, but how would he cast his vote for a balanced budget, defense appropriations and minimum wage? Is the Gospel a right-wing manifesto? Was Jesus a proto-Republican? While he himself raised up many disciples, would he consider himself a disciple of Adam Smith? Would he believe that the “least of these” of Matthew 25 are treated justly by today’s distribution of wealth?

Jesus repeatedly confounded those who actually heard him. How can Americans today, 2,000 years later and in a vastly different world, claim to know his positions with such certitude? Would Jesus seek an increased voice for religion in the halls of Congress or would he render unto Caesar? Is he the poster boy of the Reagan revolution? Would he endorse the Republican Contract with America or be more comfortable in the presence of Massachusetts liberals, which some consider the modern equivalent of publicans and sinners?

And what of Moses? Did he advocate separation of Tabernacle and state? Can we invoke him when formulating Middle East policy? The firepower of Operation Iraqi Freedom is like a pop gun compared to the Ten Plagues Moses brought against the tyrant he confronted. He might have something novel to offer concerning military strategy. Perhaps we should have asked WWMD about WMD. Did Moses think the laws of the Torah were for all people and should govern the lives of Christians, or were they solely to rule over Israel and not to be imposed on others? I don’t recall Moses having much to say on a woman’s right to choose. Even if he had personal feelings on the subject, would he favor that they govern non-Jews? Even he complained at times of not knowing God’s will.

The interplay of civil religion and politics is writ large in the American story. On our currency and in the Declaration of Independence, at sessions of Congress and inaugurations, in our Pledge of Allegiance and our national songs, we pay homage to a supreme being and invoke his blessings and providence. It is vital to insist that our political leaders adhere to the universal morals and ethics that religion has upheld for millennia. But we ought to be more than a little squeamish over the injection of sectarian platforms and theologies into the body politic. Moses and Jesus were great ethicists, but that would not qualify either man to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee or justice of the Supreme Court.

RABBI MARK S. MILLER

Temple Bat Yahm

Newport Beach

How many times do we have to relearn lessons? Before the United States was formed, there were a few separate colonies formed by groups from different areas in Europe. Most of those colonies incorporated their particular version of Christianity in their governments and schools, each with somewhat different rules and different interpretation. Some of the colonies limited important positions for the management of the colony to members of their particular church. Typically, even though they were mainly versions of Christianity, they could not agree on the details and the proper rules. People who moved from one colony to another frequently got involved in rancorous arguments.

After the revolution, the founders of our country were smart enough to see that the only way to create one country out of the Colonies was to make the national government secular in order to prevent the different religious groups from fighting for control of the government in an effort to make their religion the official religion of the land. Now, with not only many versions of Christianity (that are still having schisms because of disagreements) but all sorts of other religions practiced here, all with different beliefs, different rules, different holidays and even different gods that supposedly want different behaviors from us mortals, the need to keep religion out of our government is even greater. The laws of the land, based on common sense and the Golden Rule, should be our guide, not the edicts of some particular religion that happens to be in power.

The mere fact that many Americans, as indicated by the Pew polls, approve of religions having influence in our government and schools is more of an indication of the level of education (or lack of it) of many of our citizens. The same questions, when asked in Europe, would get notably different results. When other similar polls are made that relate the answers to such questions to the educational level of the individual being asked the question, it invariably indicates that the more educated a person is, the less likely he or she is to support religious involvement in government, or even to believe in God. There are clearly a lot of people in the American Bible Belt that take pride in not having any scientific or history education because they believe that everything they need to know can be found in the Bible.

If there is anything we don’t need, it is for religious leaders like Jerry Falwell to be able to have influence in our government. His inane proclivity to blame all sorts of natural disasters on God’s anger as a result of being upset by the behavior of some humans is beyond contempt and a national embarrassment. It’s like a throwback to the age of Benjamin Franklin, when all the religious leaders were decrying Franklin’s invention of the lightning rod because, as everyone was supposed to know, lightning was sent by God, and obviously those people saved by Franklin’s lightning rods were supposed to be killed!

And as for the large number of people who actually believe that the Bible is the literal word of God, that only proves that they have never been exposed to any rigorous training in logic, ancient languages or history. Many Biblical scholars acknowledge that most of the stories in the present-day Bible were originally simply stories passed down orally over generations, continually being modified to suit the biases of the teller, then written down in some form of language that was copied by others — with more modifications along the way — then later translated into other languages with more modifications. No one can be sure just what the original stories were or just what the original intent was.

The Genesis story of Noah’s Flood is even a step beyond just alteration, since it is clearly a case of plagiarism, being only a slightly modified version of the Flood Story in the much earlier Epic of Gilgamesh about another Noah type from a different area with a different religion and a different God! Most of the miracles attributed to Jesus were never noted during his lifetime. Only afterward were these miracles attributed to him. But it was common in those days to highly embellish the heroism of most historical leaders when talking about them. Somehow, it is very difficult to accept that the Bible, written and rewritten by man, is somehow the word of God!

JERRY PARKS

Member of the Humanist

Assn. of Orange County

I believe the question is answered inside the question you have just asked me.

Our government does not have religion inside in it at any level (religious dogma of creed or articles of belief or faith or doctrine of any kind) federal, state or local.

However, it does have religious values in its government, based on Jewish values from the Jewish Bible.

For example, the concept of freedom is on the liberty bell to proclaim freedom throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof. These words come from the Book of Deuteronomy.

Whenever the president talks about freedom, it is based on the concept of freedom taken from the Jewish exodus from Egypt.

The Constitution guarantees us religious freedom separate from government, but the values of Judaism that Christianity adopted in its own religion talks of religious values of justice and tolerance for all people. The statement that all men and women are created equal come from the biblical statement of treating your neighbor as yourself and remembering that we Jews were strangers in a strange land.

The 12 judges on a jury come from the 12 tribes of Israel. The number of members of an appellate court are the same number that served in the Jewish Sanhedrin in biblical Israel. Our government models itself on Jewish values taken from the Jewish Bible. Without religious values today, we would be living in an amoral society. There would be no right and wrong, and no standards to follow. All Western religions accept the Ten Commandments as being universally followed. Our government enforces all of the Ten Commandments.

Western religion accepts all the prophets of Israel and their teachings of ethics and social justice to be true and to be binding. The 150 Psalms proclaim God’s name and the idea that man is here to serve God. The two Hebrew words “Halleluyah” and “Shalom” (meaning “praise be to God” and “peace”) are everyday, household words. We all follow the principle of being our brother’s keeper, taken from the book of Genesis.

Without basic religious values in our government and our country, our country would not be as free and just as it is today.

RABBI MARC S. RUBENSTEIN

Temple Isaiah

Newport Beach

I don’t ask these types of questions, nor do I take them into consideration when it comes to my ministry. Most of my congregation knows I am a big proponent of separation between church and state, and that the strength of our country relies upon our diversity. Those who founded our country knew the importance of such separation and that there was no way to guarantee freedom of religion if one religion was favored over another. I am, on the other hand, a great supporter of public schools offering classes on world religions. I think it creates a greater sense of acceptance when kids have the opportunity to learn about other beliefs.

For those who insist upon prayer in school, I see no problem as long as it is silent and that each child can pray in their they’re own way. Prayer is problematic when it is tied to a specific religion, requiring others to adopt a practice not consistent with their beliefs. The only place you truly impose your values is upon your own sense of how you live and serve. As Gandhi was reported to have said, “be the change you want to see.”

SENIOR PASTOR JIM TURRELL

Center for Spiritual Discovery

Costa Mesa

This week I heard on one of the political talk shows that Americans from both parties just want to get back to a government that works. With just two months left before the November elections, I think people are looking for those thatwho are well-qualified and effective in accomplishing the important business of local, state and federal governments. Religious views and allegiances can be one consideration in judging the character, values and sincerity of a politician, but the bottom line should be: Can a representative do his or her job well?

With polls showing that less fewer than 30% of Americans feel the country is headed in the right direction, I believe the majority are concluding that our monies and energy have been directed to areas that are not priorities. For example, is the status of stem cells more important than the daily fatalities of Americans and Iraqis because of the ongoing war in the Middle East? And why is so much debate spent on whether gays should have the right to marry when so many families are hurting because of the lack of jobs, housing and health care?

I do not consider it a plus when politicians usediscuss religion whether it by in campaigning or in office. Those in government should do the work of government — to serve and protect all citizens — whether they be Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or atheist. When I consider candidates, I ask: Are they well-qualified in government? Are they sincere? Are they hard-working? Are they ethical?

Party affiliation is only secondary to this. And religious views are not relevant.

REV. CAROL AGUILAR

Zen Center of Orange County

Costa Mesa

Very recently, the parish church in which I serve was chosen to participate in a “United States Congregational Life Survey.” To the 68th of 80 questions, “How would you describe your political outlook?”: 12% said “very conservative,” 24% said “somewhat conservative,” 24% said “moderate,” 23% said “somewhat liberal or progressive,” and 17% said “very liberal or progressive.”

These are ideal “politics” for a faith community! I know that our “conservative” beloveds have written public servants and representatives with whom they disagree to protest and to those who have done what they would do to say “thank you” — and that “liberal” beloveds here have done likewise. Whenever our parishioners discuss controversial issues and contemporary concerns together, all positions and perspectives on the continuum of possibilities seem to me to be well represented. I think we transcend liberal and conservative ideologies while being inclusive of both.

Open and honest communication within community is the key, whether in this parish church or our nation.

(THE VERY REV’D CANON) PETER D. HAYNES

Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church

Corona del Mar

I find myself and my congregation in the middle of the road and frustrated as being pegged as extremist by either the liberal or the ultraconservative camps. The liberals consider us as irrelevant and out of touch, and the ultraconservatives consider us traitors and question our salvation.

Our goal is not to impose our faith or values on anyone. Our goal is to live lives that are so compelling that they become an example for others to emulate. Like the apostle Paul, our intention is to live like Jesus so others can see what the Christ life looks like. We believe that living like Jesus will affect impact the way we vote and the way we raise our children, or else it would not be even trying. But we do not expect that if we get people to raise their kids the way we do, they will become like us and accept the claims of Jesus. That is all backward.

I do believe there their has been, in decades past, a clear anti-Christian bias in the culture. That has been exasperated by some of the ultra-conservatives shooting abortionists and picketing gay pride parades with extremist slogans. In the midst of it all, there are a great many people living their faith, quietly and with integrity.

As a minister, I can’t waste waist my office time chasing down every e-mail petition to stop the liberal agenda in Washington or Sacramento. Nor can I spend time defending the commitments of our congregation to reach our community in a relevant way from the attacks of the far right, who consider the fact that I don’t wear a suit or tie on Sunday mornings as a sign of my questionable faith.

LEAD PASTOR RIC OLSEN

The Beacon

Anaheim