Wrapped in a Flag and Carrying a Cross: Patriotic and Religious Values of Politicians
Darrell Williams
October 04, 2007
Politicians have to present an acceptable public image of themselves if they want to be elected to an office or sell their agenda to the nation. Politicians are salespersons and their image is just as important as anything else they do. Every salesperson in every profession, strives to make themselves look good to their potential customers (or constituents). Often, too much value is placed on this real or pretended public perception. In most instances it would be better if voters placed more emphasis on performance, accomplishments, character and vision. However, in today’s world of sophisticated advertising and mass media, image will continue to dominate the way in which politicians are elected to office. The politicians who have the largest amount of money to spend on professional advertising will continue winning elections. This is currently the biggest fault in our democratic election system, but there is little possibility that it will change in the near future. Long gone are the days in which an honest but poor politician could serve our nation.
In our system of government, a politician is traditionally considered to be a public servant. A politician should be an honest individual who seeks election for the purpose of using their talents and skills to serve the nation, and not just to personally acquire power, wealth or fame. To acquire the support of enough voters to succeed in winning an election, a politician must convince the public that they are patriotic and loyal to our nation, especially in times of war. Wearing a tiny American flag pin conspicuously is like wrapping oneself in a flag. It is a symbolic gesture of patriotism for the sole purpose of winning political support. Whenever a politician gives a public speech, there is usually one or more Americans flags on the stage, usually very close to the speaker or conspicuously in the background. The intention is to create the impression that the politician is patriotic and is defending our flag and that anyone in the audience that opposes the speaker or their agenda, is also opposing the flag and our nation. This is of course a fallacy, like most other sales tactics. Any politician, like any salesperson, should not be judged solely by their image but by their actions and their product (or agenda). Any politician can wear a flag pin or stand in front of a flag, even if they are simultaneously being deceptive. Every politician in every nation does exactly the same thing. Flag waving is as old as civilization.
It should be assumed that all Americans are patriotic. We all love our nation, even those who criticize it, and we all want to protect and defend it against all enemies foreign and domestic. We should also assume that all politicians are also patriotic and it is generally a waste of time and money for any one politician to try to prove that they are more patriotic than their opponent. For one politician to accuse another of being unpatriotic simply because they disagree on issues is nonsense and undignified behavior for someone who is a national leader. Americans deserve leaders who are broad minded and have a true sense of vision. Narrow minded arguments about who is more patriotic often diverts attention away from more important issues. Flag waving may make a person temporarily feel good, but it doesn’t really accomplish anything.
The U.S. Constitution states that no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any government or public office in the United States (Article VI).
Despite this Constitutional prohibition concerning religion, religion has always been a factor in politics. The individuals who wrote the U.S. Constitution were painfully aware of the previous history in Europe of establishing state religions. Freedom of religion and freedom of thought are not possible in any theocracy. Even most religious leaders today recognize that true freedom of religion can only exist if there is absolute separation of church and state. When any one religion acquires political power, the other religions are discriminated against or completely outlawed.
The majority of Americans belong to some religious institution. They believe that their own religious group represents the one and only truth, and they tend to trust politicians who share their religious beliefs.
The spirit of the law in the U.S. Constitution was intended to separate religion and state. It was intended to prevent discrimination against politicians and government employees based on religious affiliations and to prevent the establishment of a state religion. Even though the Constitution forbids requiring a religious test, there is nothing that can prevent voters from discriminating when they support a politician. When voters are alone in the voting booths, they will continue to vote for a politician that has the same religious beliefs as themselves regardless of what the Constitution says.
Because of this practice, politicians will continue to present a public image of themselves that is agreeable to the religious majority regardless of what majority it is. Symbolically carrying a Cross (or a Bible) is no different from flag waving (or wearing a flag pin). Most politicians join some religious institution and attend services regularly. Whether or not the politician actually has any beliefs that could be called religious, can never be known. The physical act of joining a religion or silently sitting through a religious sermon, does not in any way mean that the politician has any moral or ethical values. This practice is, in many instances just a sales tactic to impress the public and get more votes in the next election, like shaking hands or kissing babies. No one knows what a politician is thinking. Individual politicians may be deeply religious or they may have no beliefs at all. This should be a personal issue and not a public one.
In order to keep religion separate from government and politics, every religion should make some fundamental adjustments in the way they view other religions. In other words, they should be more tolerant. Individuals who vote for politicians because they belong to their own religion are doing so because they want their elected representatives to have the same moral and ethical values as they do. This practice is based on a fallacy. This fallacy is based on the assumption that other religions have different moral and ethical values. This is absolutely false. All religions have the same moral and ethical values and anyone who says that they do not is misinformed about other religions. Religions disagree on dogmas, creeds, customs and traditions but they do not disagree on moral and ethical values. It should also be noted that non-religious Americans also share these same patriotic, moral and ethical values and love of our nation.
If this principle of common values would be universally recognized, religious affiliations could be separated from politics. Politicians should not even publicly proclaim which particular religion, if any, that they belong to. This should be a private matter that should concern no one else. All politicians, if they want to be elected, will practice acceptable ethical and moral behavior and this has nothing to do with any particular religion. Any politician who displays unacceptable behavior (embezzling, lying, cheating, sex scandals, etc.) should be removed from office as a result of that behavior. This unacceptable personal behavior can be committed by anyone who belongs to any religion or no religion. During past administrations essentially all of the political scandals or illegal acts, were committed by politicians who were members of a religion and regularly attended religious services. Belonging to, or professing to belong to a religious organization does not mean that the individual will be any better or any worse at fulfilling the responsibilities of their government job. Politicians should be elected because of their character, honesty, truthfulness, experience and general ability to successfully accomplish worthwhile goals and not their religious affiliations.
Religion and politics are not good partners. Politicians should have values which are beneficial to themselves, to their families and to the public that they serve. But they should also recognize that these are not limited to any one religion or group. These are common values that all Americans share.
In our system of government, a politician is traditionally considered to be a public servant. A politician should be an honest individual who seeks election for the purpose of using their talents and skills to serve the nation, and not just to personally acquire power, wealth or fame. To acquire the support of enough voters to succeed in winning an election, a politician must convince the public that they are patriotic and loyal to our nation, especially in times of war. Wearing a tiny American flag pin conspicuously is like wrapping oneself in a flag. It is a symbolic gesture of patriotism for the sole purpose of winning political support. Whenever a politician gives a public speech, there is usually one or more Americans flags on the stage, usually very close to the speaker or conspicuously in the background. The intention is to create the impression that the politician is patriotic and is defending our flag and that anyone in the audience that opposes the speaker or their agenda, is also opposing the flag and our nation. This is of course a fallacy, like most other sales tactics. Any politician, like any salesperson, should not be judged solely by their image but by their actions and their product (or agenda). Any politician can wear a flag pin or stand in front of a flag, even if they are simultaneously being deceptive. Every politician in every nation does exactly the same thing. Flag waving is as old as civilization.
It should be assumed that all Americans are patriotic. We all love our nation, even those who criticize it, and we all want to protect and defend it against all enemies foreign and domestic. We should also assume that all politicians are also patriotic and it is generally a waste of time and money for any one politician to try to prove that they are more patriotic than their opponent. For one politician to accuse another of being unpatriotic simply because they disagree on issues is nonsense and undignified behavior for someone who is a national leader. Americans deserve leaders who are broad minded and have a true sense of vision. Narrow minded arguments about who is more patriotic often diverts attention away from more important issues. Flag waving may make a person temporarily feel good, but it doesn’t really accomplish anything.
The U.S. Constitution states that no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any government or public office in the United States (Article VI).
Despite this Constitutional prohibition concerning religion, religion has always been a factor in politics. The individuals who wrote the U.S. Constitution were painfully aware of the previous history in Europe of establishing state religions. Freedom of religion and freedom of thought are not possible in any theocracy. Even most religious leaders today recognize that true freedom of religion can only exist if there is absolute separation of church and state. When any one religion acquires political power, the other religions are discriminated against or completely outlawed.
The majority of Americans belong to some religious institution. They believe that their own religious group represents the one and only truth, and they tend to trust politicians who share their religious beliefs.
The spirit of the law in the U.S. Constitution was intended to separate religion and state. It was intended to prevent discrimination against politicians and government employees based on religious affiliations and to prevent the establishment of a state religion. Even though the Constitution forbids requiring a religious test, there is nothing that can prevent voters from discriminating when they support a politician. When voters are alone in the voting booths, they will continue to vote for a politician that has the same religious beliefs as themselves regardless of what the Constitution says.
Because of this practice, politicians will continue to present a public image of themselves that is agreeable to the religious majority regardless of what majority it is. Symbolically carrying a Cross (or a Bible) is no different from flag waving (or wearing a flag pin). Most politicians join some religious institution and attend services regularly. Whether or not the politician actually has any beliefs that could be called religious, can never be known. The physical act of joining a religion or silently sitting through a religious sermon, does not in any way mean that the politician has any moral or ethical values. This practice is, in many instances just a sales tactic to impress the public and get more votes in the next election, like shaking hands or kissing babies. No one knows what a politician is thinking. Individual politicians may be deeply religious or they may have no beliefs at all. This should be a personal issue and not a public one.
In order to keep religion separate from government and politics, every religion should make some fundamental adjustments in the way they view other religions. In other words, they should be more tolerant. Individuals who vote for politicians because they belong to their own religion are doing so because they want their elected representatives to have the same moral and ethical values as they do. This practice is based on a fallacy. This fallacy is based on the assumption that other religions have different moral and ethical values. This is absolutely false. All religions have the same moral and ethical values and anyone who says that they do not is misinformed about other religions. Religions disagree on dogmas, creeds, customs and traditions but they do not disagree on moral and ethical values. It should also be noted that non-religious Americans also share these same patriotic, moral and ethical values and love of our nation.
If this principle of common values would be universally recognized, religious affiliations could be separated from politics. Politicians should not even publicly proclaim which particular religion, if any, that they belong to. This should be a private matter that should concern no one else. All politicians, if they want to be elected, will practice acceptable ethical and moral behavior and this has nothing to do with any particular religion. Any politician who displays unacceptable behavior (embezzling, lying, cheating, sex scandals, etc.) should be removed from office as a result of that behavior. This unacceptable personal behavior can be committed by anyone who belongs to any religion or no religion. During past administrations essentially all of the political scandals or illegal acts, were committed by politicians who were members of a religion and regularly attended religious services. Belonging to, or professing to belong to a religious organization does not mean that the individual will be any better or any worse at fulfilling the responsibilities of their government job. Politicians should be elected because of their character, honesty, truthfulness, experience and general ability to successfully accomplish worthwhile goals and not their religious affiliations.
Religion and politics are not good partners. Politicians should have values which are beneficial to themselves, to their families and to the public that they serve. But they should also recognize that these are not limited to any one religion or group. These are common values that all Americans share.