Romney and Religion

Many have attacked Mitt Romney on his religious affiliation to the Mormon Church, but this should not be a test for his presidency, though neither you nor I may like his affiliation. If he is true to the constitution and the writings of early Americans, his religion would have no negative bearing on his being president of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson said in his First Inaugural Address in 1801, "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and 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 and 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."

If political leaders want to make the Mormon religion (or any other religion) a political test, then what about making Catholicism a test? I remember well the days when John F. Kennedy ran for president, and many did not want him to be president because he was a Catholic. How many people running for president are now Roman Catholic? I do not know; but if some are, then why is that not a test now as it was in the days of John Kennedy?

Government should be run as a separate entity from established religion, and religion should be run separately from the government, although religion does have a bearing on the character of every person. I know that we cannot completely separate religion from government and that there is no such thing as a true wall of separation, but let us be honest, if there were a real wall of separation, then the only people who could run for office would be secularists. Atheists could not even run, because theirs is a religion, also.

Pray for our country and our leadership. Let us who are believers be real Christians and real believers. Let us be good citizens in our great country, and may God shed his grace on this country because of our seeking him. Politicians will not save this country--but God can if we truly believe in him and obey him.