Politics in the pew, the pew in politics

Politics in the pew, the pew in politics is a commentary from the Christian Science Monitor.

He [Sen. Barack Obama] asks Democrats not to become preachy or express false piety, and to acknowledge that religion solves many problems - gang violence, teenage pregnancy, bigotry - where government often fails. Laws are "a codification of morality, much of it grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition."

For religious conservatives, he reminds them that religion is protected because government does not favor one faith over another.

But here is his most critical point:

"Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason."

Finding a place for religious ideals in the public square takes a delicate sense of proportion.

Religion cannot be used for political attack. Rather politics should be used to reconcile "the beliefs of each with the good of all," as the young senator from Illinois stated so well.

Comments

[Ted Gossard]

I went through the same speech, I believe in its entirety. And was greatly impressed. http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060628-call_to_renewal_keynote_address/index.html I e-mailed their office a note to let them know of my regard of it. Though long, well worth it. Deeply moving and thougt provoking. And I agree, Michael. You brought out some very key points of it here.

[kairos]

Thanks for this article citation!

[Michael Kruse]

Thanks for the link Ted, and you are welcome Kairos.