Some Members Of Congress Prefer To Remain Vague On Their Religious Beliefs

[rug]

Last edited Sun Jan 11, 2015, 02:06 PM - Edit history (1)

Posted: 01/09/2015 6:01 pm EST
Updated: 01/09/2015 6:59 pm EST
Donté Stallworth

WASHINGTON -- As the 114th Congress was sworn in this week, a new Pew poll shed some light on how various religions are represented on Capitol Hill. Historically, Congress has been an overwhelmingly white, Christian institution, and while that is changing slightly, it's still largely the case. More than 90 percent of members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate consider themselves Christian. The only non-Christian Republican is Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York, who is Jewish. Small percentages of Democrats identify as Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim, among other religions.

There was also a more obscure category in the survey. Pew listed the religious affiliation of nine Democrats -- two senators and seven members of the House -- as “refused/don’t know.” But what, exactly, does that mean? According to Pew, CQ Roll Call compiled the bulk of the data "through questionnaires and follow-up phone calls to members’ and candidates’ offices, and the Pew Research Center supplemented this information with additional research.” A spokesman from Pew told The Huffington Post that most of these members "specifically declined to list a religious affiliation and are not widely reported as having a religious affiliation."

It's unclear why members of Congress would be so guarded about their religious beliefs, but there is a complex relationship between faith and politics. Religious affiliation affects how people view their neighbors and leaders. Another Pew study from July 2014 shows that Americans feel more "warmly" toward members of certain religions, with atheists eliciting some of the most negative reactions. And as Time noted in a story on a separate survey from May 2014 about the importance of religion among elected officials, “Americans would be less likely to support a Godless presidential candidate than an unfaithful or a pot-smoking one.” So in many cases, a politician's religious identity is significant.

The “refused/don’t know” group in the Pew survey consists of Sens. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Michael Bennet of Colorado, Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon, Reps. Judy Chu and Jared Huffman of California, Reps. Tammy Duckworth and Bill Foster of Illinois and Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/09/congress-religion_n_6437264.html

[Arkansas Granny]

1. I can understand why an elected official would be hesitant to acknowledge his religion,

or lack of it, considering the mistrust and outright hatred that is sometimes leveled against those who don't profess to be religiously inclined.

[rug]

2. A better reason not to answer is that it's irrelevant.

[Fred Sanders]

4. Secular state. Religion is irrelevant to governing. It is crucial to getting elected, too many Americans

demand their leaders be chosen by God.

I know of several local candidates who refuse to reveal their religion, even when obvious.

I support and salute them as I detest reporters who think it vital to know ones religion in a secular state.

[cbayer]

5. That's great news about your local candidates.

I would love to see more of that in the future.

[cbayer]

3. I think that is most likely a good sign.

I hope we are moving away from the demand that someone be a christian to be in congress. Well, at least in the house. The senate statistics are unnerving and not at all optimistic.

It is perhaps a positive step to be in the "refused/don't know" group and I hope we will see more people take that position or "come out" as atheists, agnostics and any number of other alternatives.

[brooklynite]

6. I once met with a candidate for the House who described herself as a "lapsed Unitarian"

[Jim__]

7. Your link takes me to a different article.

[cbayer]

8. Always telling when no one notes that for a whole day.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/09/congress-religion_n_6437264.html

[Jim__]

9. Thanks. I didn't realize the thread was that old. - n/t

[rug]

10. Sorry, fixed.

[Jim__]

11. Thanks. I didn't realize the thread was from yesterday. - n/t

[Prophet 451]

12. And that's their right

When the Constitution bans religious tests, it is every CongressCritter's right to keep their beliefs to themselves. I'll go further: Unless it involves sacrificing billy-goats or something as extreme, we probably shouldn't know their faith. They're not, or shouldn't be, elected to serve the interests of their religion so it shouldn't be an issue in their public lives.

[bvf]

13. Yes, but

"They're not, or shouldn't be, elected to serve the interests of their religion so it shouldn't be an issue in their public lives."

Tell that to their core constituencies.

Tell that to the "America is a christian nation" crowd.

Tell that to the so-called Moral Majority (is that still a thing?).

Tell that to bible-belt political strategists.

[Fumesucker]

14. Too bad candidates can't run for President without revealing their religion..