Dear President Obama, Mr. Romney, Mr. Gingrich, Mr Pawlenty, Rep. Paul (R-TX), Rep. Bachmann (R-MN), Mr. Huntsman, Mrs Palin, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Cain, Gov. Perry, Gov. Christie, Mr. Giuliani, Mr Johnson and any other person considering a bid for the United States Presidency in 2012,
Please remember that there are other religious groups in this country other than the Evangelical Christian voting bloc. Religiously based pledges such as opposition to same-sex marriage or abortion are NOT the way to harness the mainstream voters. Stances on religion similar to those put forth at the recent "The Response" prayer rally in Houston "that regardless of what other religions say, "there is no other God besides Jesus" nor any other standard of truth" are not acceptable in a country where religious plurality was considered to be a foundational value.
Thomas Jefferson delayed a White House dinner in 1805 because a Muslim ambassador requested the time be moved to later in the day because of Ramadan. (Whether this actually constituted an "iftar" dinner is a matter of debate, which I feel ignores the basic issue) He is also famously quoted as saying the following:
Even IF we say that the United States was founded as a nation with a majority Christian population, this does not negate the rights of the minority religions in this country -- some who DO worship the God of Abraham, and some who do NOT. Freedoms defined in the Constitution apply to us all -- yes, even the freedom to marry or freedom of women to define what can and cannot be done to their own bodies.
Please remember that there are other religious groups in this country other than the Evangelical Christian voting bloc. Religiously based pledges such as opposition to same-sex marriage or abortion are NOT the way to harness the mainstream voters. Stances on religion similar to those put forth at the recent "The Response" prayer rally in Houston "that regardless of what other religions say, "there is no other God besides Jesus" nor any other standard of truth" are not acceptable in a country where religious plurality was considered to be a foundational value.
Thomas Jefferson delayed a White House dinner in 1805 because a Muslim ambassador requested the time be moved to later in the day because of Ramadan. (Whether this actually constituted an "iftar" dinner is a matter of debate, which I feel ignores the basic issue) He is also famously quoted as saying the following:
"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties."This is the REASON that Article Six of the US Constitution (even before the Bill of Rights was added) states that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States". It is also the reason that we CANNOT say that the United States was "founded as a 'Christian' Nation".
Even IF we say that the United States was founded as a nation with a majority Christian population, this does not negate the rights of the minority religions in this country -- some who DO worship the God of Abraham, and some who do NOT. Freedoms defined in the Constitution apply to us all -- yes, even the freedom to marry or freedom of women to define what can and cannot be done to their own bodies.
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