Faith and politics
I turned on CNN late in the first segment of Paula Zahn’s hour on faith and politics in politics Tuesday evening, which specifically was focused on the presidential elections. Though I had a load of work to do, I grabbed a tablet and started taking notes on what they were saying, because it was so…revealing. I don’t see a link up yet on CNN, so here are some notes.
They’re all posturing, posing, dodging and squirming while being pressed for answers to ridiculous questions. More on the ridiculous questions in a moment…
When I tuned in, the Rev. Jesse Jackson was on the screen talking about faith and politics. I thought about posting an open letter to Rev. Jackson, because I heard some very hopeful comments from him. I think it was in defense of Dr. Martin Luther King entering into political activism, especially in Birmingham, Jackson said “If a law does not apply to all, it is an unjust law.” Exactly, I thought, “all” meaning every human being, from conception to natural death.
Jesse Jackson said that Christians “have to be informed by our values, not by ideology”, and again I thought “Exactly!” Christian values must inform the worldview of Christians, not political ideology. And Christian values uphold the inherent dignity and rights of every human person…..without toying with euphemisms for what comprises a “person.” Let’s be honest. We all know that.
So during the commercial break, I get busy in the kitchen and then heard Paula Zahn come back from a commercial break saying “Welcome to the Catholic hour, Senator Biden” and that got my attention. For the rest of the hour, she said, CNN would focus on faith in politics by talking with four presidential candidates ‘who also happen to be Roman Catholics’: Senator Joseph Biden, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Christopher Dodd and Representative Dennis Kucinich. They called it the ‘Forum’. Good. I like Forums.
Zahn asked Biden if he prays every day. Biden said yes, he prays the rosary every day. He was raised by nuns and priests and he understood that ‘you would be judged by your deeds more than your words’ and so felt called to a life of service. Zahn got into the subject of terrorism, and asked Biden – who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee – if he thinks God takes sides in the war on terror.
What?! This is a setup. Of all the serious journalism, the moral communications of gravity, that could be done here. This no-win question pops up about God taking sides in human battles.
Biden: “No, and this is not moral relativism…” Well he got that right, but he said we should pray not that God is on our side, but that we’re on God’s side. Good political soundbite. There was more on the war on terror, and the religious vote, but Zahn’s focus seemed to be fixed on the abortion stance these politicians take in relation to the teachings of the Church.
Governor Bill Richardson said he was “comfortable” with his position on abortion, and that we need to try to reduce abortions and then promote adoption. “I think it’s a matter between a woman and her God,” said Gov. Richardson. And then he said “My Archbishop doesn’t agree with me…but he tolerates my view.”
What?!
“We need to bring people together. That’s a matter of values, too.”
This is getting more…enlightening, in ways the candidates may not intend.
Paula Zahn moves into the Church’s position on homosexuality and asked Richardson: “As a Catholic, do you personally believe homosexuality is a sin.” Another setup. This was such an opportunity for a teaching moment, but nobody involved in this interview had the intent or capability to take it. Richardson said “I believe in civil unions…I’m comfortable with that position, too.” Zahn jumped on it: “The Pope’s not comfortable with it, Governor!” And he lamented that, and said he regrets ‘that the Pope disagrees with that view.’
What?! That the Pope disagrees with that view? This is not a matter of views, or changing cultural values, or relativism.
Zahn went to the commercial break with the tease: “Next, I will ask Senator Dodd if he feels pressured to wear religion on his sleeve…”
What kind of question is that?! Oh…it’s a tendentious one.
So after posing that question, Zahn follows up with the prod ‘but don’t you know it can get you votes?’ Sen. Dodd said his faith informs his decisions and his politics, but it “doesn’t define it.” That’s artful dodging. I really wish Sen. Dodd were more courageously honest. He said, in all political correctness, that he doesn’t want to lecture people about their behavior. By inference, that means that the Church does lecture people about their behavior. But the Church and the Catholic/Christian faith doesn’t “lecture.” The Church will propose, but not impose. Free will comes into this discussion, big time, but nobody explained that…
Zahn: “Do you take Communion?” Uh oh, here it comes. Dodd: “Yes.” Zahn: “The Church regards abortion as murder, how do you reconcile that?”
Senator Dodd talked about how abortion should be made rare, safe and legal. That’s the politically expedient view to take these days, for candidates of either party, with a few notable exceptions.
Of course, Paula Zahn brought up Pope Benedict’s recent remarks about communion and pro-abortion Catholic politicians, without actually knowing what the Pope said. Dodd reacted with something like ‘hold on…the pope backed up a little on this.’ Well, not really. All he did was reiterate the Church’s constant teaching.
Rep. Kucinich was seemingly more out of touch with the demands of the issues, lining up his talking points about creating a “Department of Peace” if he were president. “Do we really live our spiritual values, the spiritual truths that this country was founded on, so we can turn swords into plowshares….?” The spiritual truths upon which this country was founded were informed by Christian values, including the inherent right to life, upon which all other rights were based.
No amount of political doublespeak will cover for what is really being said when Roman Catholics step away from the natural law and the moral order. Kucinich said something like ‘It’s important for people to live the principles that animate their faith,’ and then he added that ‘the separation of church and state was never intended to separate us from our spiritual values.’ Well then, where are they in this party? Because all the social justice we can agree on for the poor and marginalized in society mean very little if we do not protect the most vulnerable among us, who are as precious as every other human being in need of protection, and more marginalized than the rest…..the human life conceived in the womb and developing into its later life as a reporter or news anchor, a politician or pope.
The Republicans will be debating on Tuesday evening. While I’ve seen these early stages of debates as little more than the “political marketing” that Anderson Cooper of CNN tagged them with on Monday, I’m now seeing them as exercises in gathering vital information for setting this nation on a better course. We’re learning what these candidates are made of, where they come from, and how far they’ve strayed.
We’ll be talking about these, and other issues of the day, on Relevant Radio’s Morning Air Wednesday morning from 7-8 am Central. If you can tune in, call up and be a part of the discussion. Or listen later on audio streaming. This is the time of the grassroots. The elite media may still seem to control the airwaves and public opinion…but they don’t.