Religion and politics
I was having a conversation with a friend today. His name is left out to protect him.
Him: my view on Kerry is simple. If he is not willing to stand up for what he belives in.. then he has no busness calling himself Catholic.
Him: my view on Kerry is simple. If he is not willing to stand up for what he belives in.. then he has no busness calling himself Catholic.
Him: that's the same thing with Granholm.
Him: their is a differnce between standing up for what you belive in.. and forcing one's relgion on someone else.
Me: But what he believes in is that church and state should be separate. I don't agree with their views on abortion, but that is what their parties believe in politically. Same with gay marriage. So, as political figures, they are standing up for what they believe politically.
Me: They're not claiming to be religious leaders or great leaders of their faith. They're running for a political office that has nothing to do with their faith.
Him: but you miss understand. Our their is no seperation in our walk with Christ.
Him: for us to say we belive in something.. but refuse to defend it.. that's like not beliving in it at all.
Him: what's the point of following the path of Christ when we don't fully belive in it anyway?
Him: it's like why bother with relgion if we are not going to follow it.
Me: Just because they stand for something politically that differs from their faith doesn't mean they aren't good Catholics. This nation isn't entirely Christian. As political leaders they have a duty to stand up for everyone's rights, not just what they believe to be right according to their faith.
Me: You outlaw gay marriage based on your faith, people who are of a different faith are going to be pissed. If we keep legislating stuff based on faith, then where will it stop? I'm not supporting democrats here or bashing republicans, but political leaders need to stand up for everyone's rights, not just for their faith.
Him: yea.. but you have some of our leaders who are "Catholic" and yet they do not support the Catholic Faith.. I mean Bishop Carlson chewed out Sen Dashel for it.
Him: oh well.
Him: in the end it will be God's judgement.. not mine that counts.
Me: If there was a pastor in the pulpit preaching politics to me, I would not be pleased. Likewise, if there is a political leader legislating his faith, I'm not going to be happy.
Me: Politics and religion are two wholly separate things that were never meant to intermix in a democratic society. What you're suggesting is we indulge a Catholic theocracy, where Catholic leaders makes laws and such based on their own faith, completely disregarding the will of the people.
Him: No.. what I am asking is that people who are Catholic, who get elected to office.. acutaly stand up for what they belive in.. rather than flip flop and betray their faith. See.. I don't see it as seperate issues. I see my views as part of my Walk With Christ.
Him: anyway.. I need to go.
Me: Ok. I don't agree with you, though. I believe political leaders should be elected based on their political views, not their faith. And they should run the country with everyone's interest at heart, not just one religion's interests.
According to what he has told me, it seems like he wants a pseudo-autocratic fascist theocracy. And that's no good.
Him: my view on Kerry is simple. If he is not willing to stand up for what he belives in.. then he has no busness calling himself Catholic.
Him: my view on Kerry is simple. If he is not willing to stand up for what he belives in.. then he has no busness calling himself Catholic.
Him: that's the same thing with Granholm.
Him: their is a differnce between standing up for what you belive in.. and forcing one's relgion on someone else.
Me: But what he believes in is that church and state should be separate. I don't agree with their views on abortion, but that is what their parties believe in politically. Same with gay marriage. So, as political figures, they are standing up for what they believe politically.
Me: They're not claiming to be religious leaders or great leaders of their faith. They're running for a political office that has nothing to do with their faith.
Him: but you miss understand. Our their is no seperation in our walk with Christ.
Him: for us to say we belive in something.. but refuse to defend it.. that's like not beliving in it at all.
Him: what's the point of following the path of Christ when we don't fully belive in it anyway?
Him: it's like why bother with relgion if we are not going to follow it.
Me: Just because they stand for something politically that differs from their faith doesn't mean they aren't good Catholics. This nation isn't entirely Christian. As political leaders they have a duty to stand up for everyone's rights, not just what they believe to be right according to their faith.
Me: You outlaw gay marriage based on your faith, people who are of a different faith are going to be pissed. If we keep legislating stuff based on faith, then where will it stop? I'm not supporting democrats here or bashing republicans, but political leaders need to stand up for everyone's rights, not just for their faith.
Him: yea.. but you have some of our leaders who are "Catholic" and yet they do not support the Catholic Faith.. I mean Bishop Carlson chewed out Sen Dashel for it.
Him: oh well.
Him: in the end it will be God's judgement.. not mine that counts.
Me: If there was a pastor in the pulpit preaching politics to me, I would not be pleased. Likewise, if there is a political leader legislating his faith, I'm not going to be happy.
Me: Politics and religion are two wholly separate things that were never meant to intermix in a democratic society. What you're suggesting is we indulge a Catholic theocracy, where Catholic leaders makes laws and such based on their own faith, completely disregarding the will of the people.
Him: No.. what I am asking is that people who are Catholic, who get elected to office.. acutaly stand up for what they belive in.. rather than flip flop and betray their faith. See.. I don't see it as seperate issues. I see my views as part of my Walk With Christ.
Him: anyway.. I need to go.
Me: Ok. I don't agree with you, though. I believe political leaders should be elected based on their political views, not their faith. And they should run the country with everyone's interest at heart, not just one religion's interests.
According to what he has told me, it seems like he wants a pseudo-autocratic fascist theocracy. And that's no good.