Americans insist Candidates be Christian, but aren't smear campaigns unchristianlike behavior?

A non-christian candidate wouldn't stand a chance in hell of getting nominated by either party, but isn't the type of campaign which both candidates are running, with all the negative ads and half-truths, inherently unchristian at their core?

To tell you the truth the smallest proportion of people that actually go to Church have an intimate and studied understanding of Christianity. Church for most people today is a mode of sociability. I actually have a big issue with people that go to Church and call themselves Christians just because they belong to some congregation.

[edit on 18-9-2008 by cognoscente]

Campaigns are full of double standards and contradictions.

Even the day we find a candidate who tells the whole truth and nothing but the truth, we will still think the person is lying.

Yes, its unchristian like behavior. But being Christians doesn't mean we are perfect. No I am not excusing it or condoning it. Just admiting that it is a part of politics and it will be done, Christian or not.

Forgive me for saying this, but I often find Christianity to be full of un-Christian-like behavior.

And to the poster who has such a "big issue" with people who don't appear to be "Christian" enough...and I mean this in the most compassionate way possible...it's really none of your business.

You have no idea of what's truly going on inside of another human being. You don't know their life, their story. Who are you to judge? Why the "big issue"? You take care of you...let God do the judgment, right, Christian?

In spite of our brillian First Amendment, this is, for better or for worse, a very Christian nation.

Christians are unChristian. Upset about abortion, but believe in the death penalty and guns. No gay marriage, but adultery is not punished and divorce is a law. Televangelist - enough said.

I don't have a 'big issue' with it, I just find it very ironic. I also, regretfully, have to agree with you on the U.S. becoming a Christian Theocracy, which makes it no better that the Islamic Theocracies that we so hell bent on destroying!

As far as why I started this tread, I also find it ironic that the candidate's faith was a HUGE issue during the primaries, just to be followed by such behavior, and Christians seem to think it's OK. At least from the standpoint of no one has made an issue from a Christian point of view. I find it dispicable from any point of view, and wish they both would stop and concentrate on the issues that face our nation in an honorable national debate!

C'mon would a real Christian, who follows the word of Christ, even be a candidate for president?

Isn't the point of Christianity to forgo personal gain and to follow the teachings of Christ?

The government is not a Christian entity, it puts control of man in the hands of man, completely apposed to what the Bible teaches.

You don't follow the word of God when you put your faith in government, you are following the word of a few men.

So no imo, Obama, McCain and the rest of them are NOT Christians, no matter what they claim.

It's all a game to keep you all under control. Nothing these leaches do is for your benefit. Don't be fooled by the 'great deception'....

Politics has nothing to do with Christianity.

Politics is about destroying your opponent. If your opponent happens not to be a Christian, that is just more ammo you have against him.

Look at this election cycle. Romney got hit because he was a Mormon, Obama got hit because of the uncertainty of his religion, and his anti-American pastor (If you say "God Damn America" that is surely anti-American), and Sarah Palin got hit because her Church was "too religious".

Is playing rough sports like Football, Hockey, or Boxing "unchristianlike"?
Politics is like sports, if you don't get the analogy...I can't help you.

RR, .

I rarely find myself in agreement with your posts, but you are absolutely right. The irony is that the players in this bloodsport often use religion as a weapon. Then again, maybe "irony" isn't the word for it at all. After all, there are few ways to get people more fired-up with emotion [in the meantime numbing their intellect] than stoking the flames of religious discourse.

Originally posted by RRconservative
Politics has nothing to do with Christianity.

That is unless you want to appeal to the Evangelicals, the moral majority, fundamentalist, or any of the Dobson, Falwell, Robertson followers.
Or any other TV preachers that certainly do tie politics to Christianity.

RR, if this concept is to deep...... I can't help you!!

[edit on 18-9-2008 by whaaa]

Originally posted by whaaa

That is unless you want to appeal to the Evangelicals, the moral majority, fundamentalist, or any of the Dobson, Falwell, Robertson followers.
Or any other TV preachers that certainly do tie politics to Christianity.

RR, if this concept is to deep...... I can't help you!!

[edit on 18-9-2008 by whaaa]

In sports you have to appeal to your base also. Got to sell them season tickets you know.

I'm great with sports analogies, and other concepts as well....no help needed here!

Well in 2000 we had Joe Lieberman, the first Jewish VP candidate I believe.

I don't think that it's impossible for a non-Christian to run for election here, certainly there are plenty of non-Christians in Congress.

Were you paying attention during the primaries? The candidates faith was a central point during this process. When we should be concentrating on issues, we keep getting blindsided by the faith issue. Look at how Sarah Palin has the conservative Christian base of the Republican party all excited now. In my opinion, faith should be personal and has no place in government. I believe our founding fathers felt the same way.

Well I tend to agree with a lot of what you said.

But let's remember that Sarah Palin's most enthusiastic support comes from the "religious right" - who actually constitute a minority (if a very organized and vocal one) of American Christians.

There are plenty of Christians out there that have a very different view of things than the stereotype.

That is why I said 'conservative Christian'. I know that not all Christians are conservative, regretfully though, they are the most vocal!