Grandpa Pruett was right, religion and politics don't mix

I can remember my Grandpa Pruett telling me many years ago that you'll never win a discussion/argument that has to do with religion or politics.

Mix them together, and it's a no-win situation.

With the presidential primary season just weeks away, and Christmas nearly here, what better time to mix religion and politics.

It's a volatile topic, and appears to be coming to a head on the Republican side.

Former New York Gov. Rudy Giuliani's personal life is being questioned by his challengers and the Democrats, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is a former Baptist minister.

Huckabee, also a Republican, has been under fire lately for a TV commercial showing what some believe is a cross in the background. Huckabee says it's a bookshelf, and if you watch the commercial, you'd probably agree with him. It's a shame some will go to any lengths to be negative.

Another Republican candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, has been questioned for months concerning his beliefs as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On the Democrat side, Sen. Barack Obama's religion was in the news because of his name. Some believe his name implies he's of the Muslim faith.

Sorry folks, he was born in Honolulu, and is a member of the United Church of Christ (according to his Web site).

The Greene County Daily World conducted a poll on our Web site the past few weeks. The question: Should a candidate's religion matter in the race for president?

The results:

* Yes: 50.1 percent.

* No: 49.9 percent.

See, my Grandpa Pruett was right. When it comes to politics and religion, most people are split down the middle.

The following are some of the comments from our Web site:

* "Too much of the world's problems are based on religion. We should be focusing on other more important issues rather than what version of a fictional story the candidates believe."

* "We need to put Christ back into the country!"

* "The president's views and beliefs are a part of his presidential decisions."

* "Of course a person's religious convictions should be given consideration. These are just a few of the things that drive a person to make a decision, a decision that affects us, the constituents. How can we not want to know what somebody's personal values are?"

* " 'He' should be a patriot. A Christian."

* "I don't think religion should matter in such an important race."

* "No, as long as the person is a uniter of people, it should not matter. We currently have a president that is a self-proclaimed religious figure, yet the country can't be more divided. Don't get me wrong, the president needs to have a moral base, but a specific religion should not be a concern of the people."

* "It should reflect the majority of the religious groups."

* "The way you chose to worship God has nothing to do with the way you run a country!"

* "Yes, of course it matters, We cannot have a Muslim president who would turn over this country to the radicals. But I have changed my mind and I could vote for a Romney. He is a businessman and seems to know how to turn this country around."

* "Absolutely! I don't want some atheist filling vacancies on the Supreme Court to mock our Christian heritage. I also don't want an Islamist or other cultist swearing on a Koran or falsely swearing on a Bible. I want to know what a candidate believes, as past performance indicates future results."

* "His conviction will govern his decisions. We want people who hold to a higher standard."

* "A person's religion should be kept out of any politics. After all a person's religion is their own private business."

* "I think it matters as a consideration, but not as a deciding or bias factor."

* "No. It's not the religion that I worry about, it is if they are going to do as they say. No one has ever did it yet."

* "(Our) English-speaking county was founded on Christian principles."

* "Everything matters."

* "I don't like how your question is worded. A candidate's religion should be made public, if that's what you mean. Let the voters use whatever criteria they deem important."

See what I mean?

This is a hot topic, and everyone seems to have an opinion.

Presidents are human. Humans sin. So-called "religious people" sin. We're all sinners.

I hope religion plays a part in a president's stay in the White House. Without religion and moral values, we'd be a country on the verge of ...

Chris is the general manager/editor of the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at 847-4487 or 1-800-947-4487 or by e-mail at cpruett79@hotmail.com