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| Yes | 60% | 2182 votes | Total: 3634 votes | |
| No | 40% | 1452 votes |
Yes
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Add to FavoritesFaith, defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, has three related meanings and two synonyms:
1. allegiance to duty or a person,i.e. loyalty,
2. belief and trust in and loyalty to God, the traditional doctrines of a religion
3. something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially: a system of religious beliefs.
The synonyms for faith are listed as loyalty and belief. Therefore, to my way of thinking, faith is an allegiance to one's beliefs. If a person has belief and trust in a system of religious doctrines, then that faith leads one to loyalty or to be faithful to those beliefs. One's faith is then, the deepest held beliefs of a person, a system of values and world views that one uses to filter and and make judgments on daily issues.
Because one's faith involves loyalty, the words of Shakespeare in Hamlet ring truer than ever, "This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow as the night the day, Thou cans't be false to any man." So the basis for the question is actually, should one be true to oneself and in so doing be true to one's fellow man.
A citizen's vote is an expression of the individual's belief system. If one's vote is free, not coerced or bought, a citizen cannot help but vote according to faith.
I am not an advocate of theocracy but of a representative republic, one where individuals vote freely according to their beliefs to elect representatives that will govern accordingly.
Should one's faith influence a citizen's vote? In a free society, how can it not? Every person has a set of beliefs to which they are loyal, and if honest to that faith, whether an established traditional religion, secular humanism, or atheism, will find that they are true to that faith, even in the ballot box.
Learn more about this author, Jeff Vidrine.
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No
One's politics, intelligence, education, honor, job qualifications and integrity should influence a citizens vote; not which path they choose to their afterlife.
I'm not a religious man, but I am in no way opposed to religion. I'm an Agnostic, believing that separate religions are merely different paths meandering towards same "God" and afterlife. But by no stretch of the imagination should religion have any effect on which potential candidate a citizen chooses. We need to refocus our attention, when it comes to public office; especially for a Presidential hopeful.
"Separation of Church and State" is one of the most patriotic American phrases which can ever be spoken. It is one of the most fundamentally sound bricks which the foundation this great Constitutional Republic we call America was structured on. We, as citizens, should honor and respect Separation of Church and State, not letting where, when, if and to whom a person prays effect our logical judgment. We should instead judge a candidate on his or her record, level of success, honesty, education and job qualifications. The last time I checked, saying "I love Jesus" or "Praise Allah" did not qualify you for office.
Choosing a potential candidate based on their faith is ignorance on par with choosing a candidate because of their gender or race. It is a softer form of reverse prejudice. This, as we all know, is not the American way; the American way is freedom, Liberty, tolerance, free-thinking and the pursuit of happiness. It's imperative we have leaders who are consistent in their beliefs, yet open-minded enough to readily admit when they've made an error. We need people in public office, who will put public service before personal ego- not continuing past mistakes in order to save face. Nobody respects a know-it-all who's wrong all the time.
We have a man of God as President, right now; I'm sure his religious affiliation was a major deciding factor for some voters. Well, George W. Bush, man of God, has failed in almost every regard. He failed to cut unemployment; his non-tactical, unconstitutional wars failed to eradicate terror; he used failed, faulty intelligence as war initiative and continued the use of this intelligence, in order to save face; he failed to spur the economy; he failed to build on the surplus which was handed to him by a Liberal: Yes, a "fiscal Conservative" went from having an enviable surplus, only to mount the largest National debt America has ever seen; gas have risen 400% during his administration. The fact President Bush failed us is indisputable. President Bush is a man of God, who was completely over-matched by, and unqualified for, his position.
Would you vote for a preacher who would wage unconstitutional wars, raise taxes, build debt, and destroy the economy? Or would you vote for an atheist who would promote peace, balance budget, cut taxes, promote Civil Liberty and spur the economy?
If you were running a gourmet food-based business, would you hire a Jesus-loving Janitor? Or would you hire an Agnostic Chef from the award-winning steak house down the street? Common sense must be applied.
Learn more about this author, Blake Butler.
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