Political question/poll on a President promoting a religion

Should the President publicly endorse a specific religion?


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GACfan

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Disclaimer: The question and the poll I posted is generalized and it can be answered by any Christian Forums member (American or not). I thought my question would be an interesting topic to discuss.

Do you believe that it is the responsibility of the President of the United States to publicly endorse and promote a specific religion? Let's use Christianity as an example, since we are on a Christian forum and most of the members here are Christians. Please be aware that this is not a personal attack on Christianity or on any specific sect of the Christian faith. I'm only using Christianity as an example.

I would greatly appreciate it if we could keep this discussion in my thread civil, with no angry political jabs at Republicans or Democrats. My thread isn't a springboard to gripe about Donald Trump or any of the Democratic politicians either. I'd like to keep this discussion on topic as much as possible.

Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation.
 
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Occams Barber

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Disclaimer: The question and the poll I posted is generalized and it can be answered by any Christian Forums member (American or not). I thought my question would be an interesting topic to discuss.

Do you believe that it is the responsibility of the President of the United States to publicly endorse and promote a specific religion? Let's use Christianity as an example, since we are on a Christian forum and most of the members here are Christians. Please be aware that this is not a personal attack on Christianity or on any specific sect of the Christian faith. I'm only using Christianity as an example.

I would greatly appreciate it if we could keep this discussion in my thread civil, with no angry political jabs at Republicans or Democrats. My thread isn't a springboard to gripe about Donald Trump or any of the Democratic politicians either. I'd like to keep this discussion on topic as much as possible.

Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation.

In an ideal world, the political leader of any country must be seen to broadly represent the interests of all of the country's citizens.

A leader who promotes or publicly endorses a particular religion can be suspected of favouring people of that religion and/or beliefs/behaviour associated with that religion. This belief, real or imagined, will be a source of disharmony, or worse.
OB
 
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summerville

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Disclaimer: The question and the poll I posted is generalized and it can be answered by any Christian Forums member (American or not). I thought my question would be an interesting topic to discuss.

Do you believe that it is the responsibility of the President of the United States to publicly endorse and promote a specific religion? Let's use Christianity as an example, since we are on a Christian forum and most of the members here are Christians. Please be aware that this is not a personal attack on Christianity or on any specific sect of the Christian faith. I'm only using Christianity as an example.

I would greatly appreciate it if we could keep this discussion in my thread civil, with no angry political jabs at Republicans or Democrats. My thread isn't a springboard to gripe about Donald Trump or any of the Democratic politicians either. I'd like to keep this discussion on topic as much as possible.

Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation.

Absolutely NOT.
 
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hedrick

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There's a fine line. Presidents often go to church, and will talk about their religion. I think that's fine. But their policies and official actions need to be neutral as far as religion is concerned.
 
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LostMarbels

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Disclaimer: The question and the poll I posted is generalized and it can be answered by any Christian Forums member (American or not). I thought my question would be an interesting topic to discuss.
Not taking a religious stance is practicing your belief considering religion.

Practicing your religion while in office is practicing your religion.

Practising your religion as a form of government, as the ruling class, that has it's on military force, laws, law enforcement, taxation ...etc. As the papacy is, its own religious government, is what the separation of church and state is about.
 
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Desk trauma

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I think if the majority of Republicans were Scientologists Trump would acted more pumped than Tom Cruise about it in order to court their votes. It's not about the religion it's about baiting voters.
And imagine the havoc scientologists would cause in our already inadequate mental health care system if they were more interested in inflicting their ideas on non-members via government power...
 
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Occams Barber

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There's a fine line. Presidents often go to church, and will talk about their religion. I think that's fine. But their policies and official actions need to be neutral as far as religion is concerned.

Doesn't your President have an advisory body made up of Christian pastors/ministers? Where does this fit with religious neutrality and church/state separation?

I'm honestly curious since this body appears to breach the church/state boundary. Even if it is considered legally OK it comes across as a form of religious favouritism.
OB
 
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Cimorene

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And imagine the havoc scientologists would cause in our already inadequate mental health care system if they were more interested in inflicting their ideas on non-members via government power...

Well that's not hard to imagine at all considering that not just scientologists but Christians & other religions who already do inflict their ideas on ppl to the detriment of mental health.
 
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Occams Barber

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They are not official positions.


Thanks DT.

Even though they may be unofficial, their very public connection with your president as an advisory body (do they have meetings?) appears to breach the spirit of church/state separation and could give non-Christians legitimate cause for concern.
OB
 
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hedrick

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Thanks DT.

Even though they may be unofficial, their very public connection with your president as an advisory body (do they have meetings?) appears to breach the spirit of church/state separation and could give non-Christians legitimate cause for concern.
OB
It depends upon the nature of the group and what it does.

Here's an example from Obama: About the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Here's an example from Trump: How the religious right gained unprecedented access to Trump
 
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Occams Barber

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It depends upon the nature of the group and what it does.

Here's an example from Obama: About the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships

Here's an example from Trump: How the religious right gained unprecedented access to Trump

Thanks Hedrick. After reading both articles the differences are blindingly obvious. One group is a cross section of Christian and non-Christian religions represented by people with significant expertise on social issues. The other appears to be a collection of assorted right wing Christian evangelists.

If I were an American, the Trump group would leave me feeling a little nervous.
OB
 
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Speedwell

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Thanks Hedrick. After reading both articles the differences are blindingly obvious. One group is a cross section of Christian and non-Christian religions represented by people with significant expertise on social issues. The other appears to be a collection of assorted right wing Christian evangelists.

If I were an American, the Trump group would leave me feeling a little nervous.
OB
Yes, it does.
 
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