Religion and Morality in Government

It seems to me that prayer (and religion) within the fabric of American society produced the most powerful nation on Earth. Only in the last few decades has this come into question -- and I defy anyone to tell me that this nation's moral fiber is stronger for it.

For nearly two centuries people would recoil in utter shock if a woman uttered profanity; now we see it on prime-time television (along with most of her anatomy).

For nearly two centuries, it was understood that this country was founded upon those tenets introduced by religion, while never endorsing any religion above any other (though slight deference was always -- and still is -- paid to Christian denominations; hence our federal holiday of Christmas, for example).

By and large, it was believed for centuries that children who were taught religion in some form would grow up to be moral adults. We ALL know of the exceptions to this rule, but up until the 1960s this country was predicated on that very idea, and successfully so.

Read quotes from almost any of the Founding Fathers, from almost any president, up until that time (and a very few after, like Reagan); read the school texts, the newspaper articles. It was a simpler time, a happier time, and a far more moral time. While we can discuss some of the relative advantages or disadvantages of the influence of religion throughout American history, I believe wholeheartedly that the positives far outweigh the negatives.

Our coins reflect a belief in the Almighty; our government bodies always began sessions with a prayer; the Ten Commandments used to be taught to every schoolchild, and posted in every courtroom.

Now, all of that said: Religion has no place in government. But religion does provide the moral basis for determining one's actions. If you hear someone is a Christian, for example, you can be reasonably sure (whether you admit it or not) that the person is honest and trustworthy, even if you don't share their beliefs. You may be wrong about them, of course, but generally-speaking it's a safe belief to have.

In my view, that's why so many voters want someone with a long tradition of being religious, particularly when considering a President: Their level of religious conviction provides a roadmap for determining their future actions. Not 100% -- not completely -- but when a person has been raised without religion, you sense they are also without conviction... without morals, principles, or ethics.

Naturally, being raised within a religion in no way guarantees the outcome of the individual. We can each cite a litany of people whom we know personally, or whom we have elected, who were less-than-perfect (or who acted in ways contrary to the principles and beliefs of their religion). As I said: It's not a perfect indicator of character, but a general one; if you told me that ten candidates for office were Christian, I would wager a great sum that at least nine of them were decent, moral people.