“My faith forms my total outlook on life. So when it comes to deciding what political candidates to back, my faith enters my decision-making process. And why not? Faith colors everything else in my life.”
And my lack of faith forms my total outlook on life and informs my decisions. But if I ever ran for office, I’d have to fake religious faith so that they didn’t think I was the devil incarnate, which doesn’t seem at all in keeping with Matthew 7:12. I do unto others (vote for them regardless of their religion, basing my decision on their policies) as I would have them do unto me, but the fact that most Americans wouldn’t vote for an atheist shows that Christians aren’t as brotherly as I am.

My fear about such decision making is that ‘faith’ not just colors your choices, but blinds you to the realities of Mr. Huckabee.
I do indeed believe he let his faith guide his actions as governor, and as a result he did things that I cannot abide by. So many pardons and commutations based on “Christian” forgiveness. But his “flock” is the whole public, and in at least the case of Dumond, he injured the public in order to forgive one man. It is not his duty to put the rest of us at risk so he can salve his own conscience. He took a good personal principle and turned it into very bad public policy.
His plan for illegal immigrants and tuition is the same – again he took a principle – don’t hold the sins of the fathers against the children, and turned into bad public policy.
Mr. Huckabee seems to have let his faith in certain principles blind him to the realities of
proper government, and the demands of the public good.
Whatever happened to “be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves?”

“Candidates’ Faith Hasn’t Played Too Big a Role in White House Race”
Um, it isn’t supposed to play ANY role – “there shall be NO religious test to hold public office”.
Sheesh.
Doesn’t anyone else see the folly in (self-contradictory) lines like:
“I don’t support Huckabee because of his denominational background. He’s a Southern Baptist and I’m a Pentecostal.”
and then,
“I can support a man who believes what Jesus Christ taught” ???
As if Baptists don’t believe what Jesus taught! As if it should matter. What about all those Buddhist cnadidates? Does it matter a toss if they believe what jesus taught vs. what Buddha taught? What about all those Hindu candidates? Are the teachings of, say, Vishnu, relevant to politcial office? What about Muslim American politicians? Jewish politicians?
America has narrowed itself into a corner that ill-serves the citizens.

I wanted to reply to this comment: “Doesn’t anyone else see the folly in (self-contradictory) lines like: ‘I don’t support Huckabee because of his denominational background. He’s a Southern Baptist and I’m a Pentecostal.’”
Maam or sir, I think you read Mr. Strang’s explanation a little too fast. He is not being contradictory, and you are misunderstanding his statement. He is saying that he supports Huckabee NOT because of his denominational background…obviously, because he is not a Southern Baptist. He supports him for reasons OTHER than that and he’s not just swayed by denominational preference.
I’m also curious to know why you think that “America has narrowed itself into a corner that ill-serves the citizens”. Is this because we have Christian morals? For someone to base their vote on a president because of their spiritual and moral beliefs is no more absurd than basing your vote on financial or social beliefs. Those are the platforms that we find important to base our country on, and we have a right to vote for candidates who we think will lead us in a direction we want.

I found Mr. Strang’s artical wonderfully refreshing and accurate.
What we believe does effect every aspect of our lives. Mike Huckabee’s faith and values are strong and his proven leadership ability can benefit this country greatly. He’s got my vote.

Pandyrooser,
I disagree that I have misunderstood the original statement I quoted, but regardless, this ‘I’m more ‘Christian’ than the next candidate’ crap has become so overblown it has become cartoonish. Expalin, please, why or how “Do you believe every word in the Bible?” is a valid political question? Of ANY candidate. It kind of precludes Buddhists, Jains, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Wiccans, agnostics or atheists from ever being considered. That is NOT “The American Way” (TM).
“While I hope both of those men are sincere believers, their faith doesn’t seem to affect their policies”
Absolute and utter (and DANGEROUS) nonsense. Mr. Huckabee is on record as saying that people with AIDS should be quarantined. And, I believe, that ‘thought’ was germinated within his “faith”. It most definitely HAS ‘affected his policies’ (and WILL continue to in the future should he get elected). Shudder!
“I’m also curious to know why you think that “America has narrowed itself into a corner that ill-serves the citizens”. Is this because we have Christian morals?”
Not that I’ve witnessed. Mr. Bush is very “christian” and I see little evidence of “moral” behaviour in sending a country to war based on a lie. I saw nothing “moral” in the false witness borne by such “Christians” as Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Pat Buchanan, Pat Robertson, Perkins, et al. The “corner” in which America now finds itself is that, ultimately, there may be NO candidate “Christian” ENOUGH to satisfy the RRRers. This “corner” exists because “Christians” have imposed this religious test on its leaders – WHEN THERE’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ANY AT ALL!!!

I agree with the comments by Pandyrooser and Mr. Strang. Mike Huckabee has my vote as well.
Show me a better candidate with stronger morals, values, and character and we can discuss this issue further. No candidate will ever fit everyone’s needs. That’s why I love America…you have the right to CHOOSE who you want elected. Now, do you part and vote.

Let me chime in here. You say there is no religious test. That is for the government saying that ONLY members of some religion can hold office. That’s what was happening back in the colonies where ONLY members of certain groups could hold office. There is no such test, thankfully. Space limitations kept me from making that point in my essay.
But as an American citizen I have the right to evaluate any political candidate through the filter of what I believe is right.
I seem to hear some anti-Christian bigotry in a few of the comments that comes out in the form of opposing Huckabee just because he’s a Christian.
Steve Strang

I believe that Christian values are a teriffic asset in any position in life.
However, one only has to think of Jimmy Carter to know that these values do not in themself make a good executive or administrator. And let us not forget the Clinton white house, where he claimed to be a Baptist.
There are many areas that a good voter must look at before voting and religion, in itself, should not be the single-principle factor.
Mr Huckabee may be a good Christian, and I am all for that, but it is the values of Christianity, put into action in: thought, word and deed that is the measure of greatness
Let us remember that we have, currently in the White House, a person who is a devoute Christian, are we all defending him?

Quite wrong, Steve.
“You say there is no religious test.”
No, the Constitution says it. I just happen to believe it.
“That is for the government saying that ONLY members of some religion can hold office.”
That sounds like the Republican party that’s saying that. As in, Romney’s not “Christian” enough. Doesn’t bode well for the Sikh candidates. (Oops, there aren’t any. Doesn’t bode well for the Hindu candidates. (Oops, there aren’t any.) doesn’t bode well for the Buddhist candidates. (Oops, there aren’t any.) Ah, but a Baptist preacher – that’s “just right” – the goldilocks mentality.
Are you catching on yet?
“That’s what was happening back in the colonies where ONLY members of certain groups could hold office.”
Seems to be EXACTLY what’s happening right now in the Republican party. (See above paragraphs.)
“There is no such test, thankfully.”
I think Mr. Romney might disagree. I certainly do – bewcause of what I see every night on TV, read every day in the newspapers and on the Internet (and most specifically on THIS website! – heck there’s even a daily ‘How do the candidates rate on the closest-to-God scale?”).
“Space limitations kept me from making that point in my essay.”
Space or no space, ALL we hear about is how “Christian” (and absolutely NO other faith need bother applying thenk yew veddy much) a candidate is.
You are simply wrong – there IS such a test and B’net and CNN, etc. enforce it (as in asking a candidate if they believe every word of The Holy Bible [TM] – can you fathom how that question would go over with a Buddhist candidate? What on earth is relevant to a candidate’s ability to run a country?).
“But as an American citizen I have the right to evaluate any political candidate through the filter of what I believe is right.”
When you speak as an individual, I agree. But by making it a blanket ‘qualification’ question/statement, you have imposed that test on any/all candidates.
“I seem to hear some anti-Christian bigotry in a few of the comments that comes out in the form of opposing Huckabee just because he’s a Christian.”
We don’t oppose him JUST because he’s a “Christian” (quote marks because I do not believe he follows the “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” tenet which is the basic Christian tenet – he wants to quarantine people with AIDS, remember?), we oppose him because he is an intellectual lightweight with little to NO foreign policy experience (or fp smarts, for that matter), because he’s soft on crime, because he, himself, imposes his own religious test against his opponent (Mormons aren’t “Christian” ENOUGH – this implies one MUST be Christian to hold public office in America – no, make that one must be a “good” Christian, you know, ‘like Huck is’ [NOT]), not to mention a bit of a ninny with a puerile sense of humour.

Has anyone taken a look lately at the WAR we are involved in? Has anyone noticed that it is a war between Christians and Extremest Islams. We are fighting a religious War weather we like it or not. It has been declared on us by extremest and as in the past history of this same kind of war, the extremest Islamics will not quit until they feel they have won and in this case that means the burning of the White House and the destruction of Christian way of life. Oh and don’t think that because your not Christian that you won’t be affected by this war. Extremest hate anyone who is not Islam.
It just may take a President with Christian morals to lead us out of this war as it has done in past history. That being said, Mr. Huckabee Will get my vote not based on his religion but on His character that his religion has shaped.

Perhaps I read it wrong but your article seems to be implying that Huckabee is the best candidate because Mitt Romney does not share the same “moral values” that you listed. – “What good is intelligence or experience if a candidate has no moral values?”
I just wanted to make some clarifications about Mormons in general. Mormons believe the Bible to be the word of God. They believe that Jesus Christ is their personal Savior and Redeemer. Mormons, like members of other Christian denominations, also try to pattern their lives after the teachings of Jesus Christ and to do good unto others. Mormons do not support abortion and share strong “family values.” Just because a candidate is not an evangelical Christian does not mean that they have “no moral values.”
As a practicing Mormon I attend church every Sunday. I freely volunteer not only in my congregation (Mormon congregations are run by members, completely unpaid clergy) but also in my community – currently as a school volunteer and by bringing in meals to the elderly once a week. I am the happily married mother of four children. I vote and am concerned about the general moral degredation that seems to be taking place in some segments of our society. I worked hard to get a good education and received a bachelor’s degree in English teaching and attended law school. Over the course of my life I have had good Christian, Jewish and Muslim friends and acquaintances and I do not make snide or unkind remarks about their religious beliefs because I highly respect them as children of God, my brothers and sisters. Mormons are encouraged by their religious leaders to be tolerant and to look for the good in all people. Mormons are extremely supportive of religious freedom and also of the entire system of government enumerated in the Constitution of the United States.
I fail to see how a Mormon has any less “moral values” than a candidate of another faith.
Sincerely,
Elise Ellsworth

Recovering Ex-Pentecostal,
There are hundreds of millions of Christians in this country. Do you really think that those hundreds of millions of people are going to disregard the faith of the leader of their country? People of any faith have just as much of a right to run for president of this nation, they just haven’t. Is that our fault for not voting on a candidate belonging to the Buddhism or Hindu religion, (or whatever over faith is out there)? Nope, sure isn’t.
No, this country, no matter how much you’d like to deny it, was technically founded on Christian morals. We’re a young country, Mr. Pentecostal, and it’s going to take a few more centuries before we disengage our spiritual preferences.
As for everyone making a big deal about his AIDS comment. People, that was 16 years ago. The research completed at that time was not nearly what we’ve discovered about AIDS now. We didn’t know too much about it at that time, and even Huckabee said that himself. Here, if you don’t believe me, read the The Associated Press said about it:
“Huckabee acknowledged the prevailing scientific view then, and since, that the virus that causes AIDS is not spread through casual contact, but said that was not certain. He cited revelations in 1991 that a dentist had infected a patient in an extraordinary case that highlighted the risk of infection through contact with blood or bodily fluids.
…He said he would state his view differently in retrospect.
…It is the first time in the history of civilization in which the carriers of a genuine plague have not been isolated from the general population, and in which this deadly disease for which there is no cure is being treated as a civil rights issue instead of the true health crisis it represents,” he said then.
…”I didn’t say we should quarantine,” he said. The idea was not to “lock people up.”
I’m also curious to know why you think he’s an intellectual lightweight? Is that because he’s a Southern Baptist preacher from nowhere-ville? Oh yeah, he must be a moron then. Great observation…or as you say, (NOT).
Dan, I like that you’re for Huck, but I disagree with your view on this war. I don’t see this as a religious war. We happen to be on opposing sides with different religions, but it doesn’t make it a religious war, per se. If the Islamic extremists are considering this religious, then they have all the right in the world to think that, it’s their right. Americans just want peace, not to convert them all to Christianity.

There is a candidate that, possibly like no other in our lifetimes,
stands for Christian values, but adheres strictly to the Constitution, as Our Founders intended. Watch this short clip about who I feel, we as Christians should really get behind. He doesn’t just play lip service to the constitution, his voting record over the last 20 years in Congress is the most conservative of any member. Returning to the constitution and rule of law and giving the authority the courts have given to the federal
government back to the states, is the only real chance Roe vs. Wade will be overturned. Take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CLsPeR1Zpc