Religion influences voters, panel says
By Susan Misur
Assistant Chief Copy Editor
A person’s religion often has an impact on what political candidate they vote for, said the executive director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State in a panel discussion Wednesday night.
Rev. Barry Lynn joined three other panelists and a moderator in “Religion and Politics in
“I think there’s a significant amount of evidence that people of a particular religion or viewpoint base their choice for a candidate with values of their own,” Lynn said when asked if religious identity impacts how voters approach elections.
Panelist Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, agreed, but added it can depend on how religious the person is.
“Religious identity can [have], and often has, an impact, but it depends on if the person has inherited that religion or chosen it and how much of an impact it has on their lives,” he said.
Lynn pointed out that it shouldn’t be surprising people involved in religion are also actively engaged in electoral matters and voting, likening them to high school students involved in many activities.
He went on to say while people are electing for a secular government that serves no religious function, it doesn’t mean candidates cannot talk about religion.
“But I don’t think such evidence [of a strong religious background] translates to sound decisions as president,” he said, citing President Bush’s decision that waterboarding, which simulates drowning and is a form of interrogation, is not torture.
When asked about voters’ appetite for candidates to express religious beliefs, panelist Dr. Luis Lugo, director of The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, said Americans say they don’t hear enough about the topic from candidates.
“While many Americans think after campaigns they heard the right amount of candidates’ religious beliefs, 40 percent said it was not enough,”
However, he said they do draw the line when it comes to formal religious leaders supporting candidates and that it undermines the vitality of religion.
“Barack is talking about religion, but John Kerry probably was not as comfortable talking about faith or Al Gore,” he said.
Panelist Dr. Obery Hendricks, professor of biblical interpretation at the New York Theological Seminary, said Barak is open about his religion because it’s been a part of him for so long. Because he is open about it, he’s raised consciousness about candidate’s discussing their religious views, Hendricks said.
But while voters and the media are interested in asking questions about candidates’ religious views,
“Rather than asking how often they go to church, they should ask, ‘what, if any, role would your religious beliefs play in policy making?’” he said.
Victoria Dudley ’11, who attended the lecture as a class requirement, said the panel raised questions about religion and politics she had not considered before.
Andrew Kummer ’08 admitted the panel brought up important issues, but may have been focusing on competing with the other panelists on points they made.
“I thought that the four panelists may have prioritized making their points at the detriment of their opponents,” he said, “rather than being more academic in their approach.”
