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Religion and politics expert, Bethany Blankley, on how a candidate's spirituality can impact an election
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But first the issue itself.
Politics and religion and is an important that we -- that political leaders so a strong religious faith.
Tony Blankley is a religion and political expert and she joins me now she's in the studio while -- actually out of location welcome Bethany.
-- -- -- -- What's great to have you here Unita has stuck by this.
Statistic it's it's 70% of voters want the presidential candidates to hold strong religious beliefs why is that that's absolutely.
Right that came out a couple months ago and basically.
What it's saying is that.
People care about a president's faith.
And they also care about they care about the faith because it influences there policies and how they act in the decisions that they -- America I understand it -- seven.
Yeah go ahead go ahead America has always had a history of religion and people of faith have always wait and I'm.
Issues that they cared about.
And this election is no different from previous election.
Is it that they want their.
Political candidates.
To be.
Religious or they want them to share their religious views because -- somebody is religious but does not -- the same religion.
Friday as supportive.
-- -- excuse me.
That's right well and the Saint Paul that you're referring to 20% of those people of those voters said.
That they it was very important for the presidential candidates -- hold the same views that they hold.
So we're seeing that that's a -- went.
Voters and there -- preferences when it comes to values.
And how they -- They're very interest that you know what was it that -- Avago.
At the University of Virginia.
Political science professor -- he's -- faith and politics is a paraphrase of it and faith and politics.
It's a tender box that can explode in your face and it seems as though it is right now but you know has faith and politics ever been separated really.
Not.
History of this country and it's really interesting because when I have lived in the UK this is the question that I got all the time from -- Europeans was white Americans care so much about the thing.
And -- -- -- -- tied with politics in the United States is very unique to our country.
And so what we've seen this since the founding of this country -- religious freedom.
That faith has always played a role.
And how people vote and the ideas that are important to them better.
Characterized in the social issues that each of the candidates -- south.
And here we're seeing -- people who wore -- supposedly both.
People afraid.
Let's just to stay Christians for Aniston insists for instance and you got people on both sides of the issue of of same sex marriage and abortion and here just because an endorsement university and that secretary of State's -- -- -- secretary of health and human services.
Countless lives of aliases speak in the public policy institute.
And -- you've got people were both religious people saying.
-- you know.
It's okay vPro choice and that other people have never protesters behind me saying calling -- because she believes that what is it what what kind of of and it's time for Halloween moving -- to -- that this.
Debate of faith and politics is really getting quite it has incendiary.
Live think.
What you seem especially with the president's recent statement about same sex marriage and his support of that.
And also the moves that they HHS mandate is.
Defiant redefining religious organizations.
Not just about birth control.
It's not just about religious freedom but it's about redefining the definition of what -- religious organization ends and so with these.
Changes in public policy that are.
-- -- Face definitions to the tip of that go to the core of what -- religious organization as.
-- it really is bringing up First Amendment issues that.
Where religious organizations and people of faith have great concern.
And so I think that that within the -- community we have disparate views and colors polarizing views but also.
People who.
Are seeing that play out with it -- presidential candidates -- and I need to business.
And it do you see here in our society that we are starting to redefine actually what what would -- -- -- actually means that this is something that really.
Has defined American culture and yet we are actually starting to redefine what religious freedom actually means.
You're absolutely right and I think one of the issues of HHS -- In particular.
Is that it.
It's a lot he Obama with through Kathryn Sebelius.
Created this law.
That really defines whether religious organization as and the fact it -- -- says that.
You are only a religious organization if you provide services to the people who have the same faith that you -- And so that was against the grain of what people of faith beliefs regardless if they're Catholic reprise synergy US.
Basically in effect -- What her mandated -- is that as a presbyterian.
I can't receive services if I needed them and I went to a Catholic Church.
And so this is very very into it goes into the heart of that definition of who we are as people are safe defines -- in Iraq.
And that affects how we behave the choices we make and the policies that would just implement.
But that anybody Elena thank you very much for being here as there -- debates.
I was over there -- in the studio but here here and and lot going on here as well but thank you very much for joining us thank you for having me.
