Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Goldberg, Religion, and the GOP


Jonah Goldberg correctly indicts the influx of religion in the Republican Party. As a Christian believer, I feel uncomfortable in Republican meetings when the lead speaker invokes Jesus Christ. His name is too great to be used as a political tool for one party.

Evangelical voters should not feel that they are betraying their values if they endorse candidates from a party which does not exclusively recognize any one religion or faith. An appeal to “God” is acceptable, but one’s political understanding, one’s spiritual development, does not depend on one’s party affiliation.

Instead of focusing on Jews voting as Jews, Republicans and conservatives should focus on individuals supporting personal freedom, including freedom of conscience.

Free markets, limited government, individual liberty: voters can vouch for these values irrespective of their votive devotions. President Thomas Jefferson, himself a deist who expunged the miracles of the Bible,  government should respect the individual conscience.

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