Post by Joseph M-

Santorum just told a crowd of tea party people in an Ohio hotel that Obama's agenda was based on "some phony theology," and that it was "not a theology based on the Bible."  I suppose Santorum is the new prophet of the people as Romney's poll numbers fall faster than Adam and Eve after... well, the Fall.

Rick Santorum: Obama Agenda Not 'Based On Bible'

So this is where I am puzzled.  Everyone seems so afraid that Mitt Romney is attached by invisible puppet strings to the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City or that he'll center his presidency on the Book of Mormon, but yet we have Santorum indirectly proclaiming that he hopes to run America based on his mangled interpretation of a two-thousand-year-old document?

It isn't as if I don't want a moral president, but I just can't understand why it is so important that the president is some certain type of Christian.  I am not comforted by the idea that a president would rely too completely on his own interpretation of God and His Holy Word to make decisions that might affect me.  I think they tried that in the dark ages.  Additionally, I object to one candidate accusing another of not being Christian enough or that a candidate would peddle his holiness and supposed religiosity to garner votes.

The separation of church and state is a good thing.  In fact, I do not agree with the conservatives who call for prayer in school.  I grew up with prayer in school; we all said grace, (as it was called in the South where I'm from,) before heading to the cafeteria for lunch. It went something like this:

God is great; God is Good

and we thank Him for our food

Ah-men!

And then the Catholics would cross themselves, and I'd feel confused.  I wasn't taught to pray that way; I was taught to say, "Dear Heavenly Father," and "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen," and most always, "We ask Thee to bless the Prophet."  I suppose that if I found the daily prayer-chanting in school isolating and confusing, a Buddhist or Muslim or Jew might find it even more so.  But maybe we don't care about them; maybe this country is for Christians only, everyone else be damned.

And by the way, this goes for us Mormons too: for those of you voting for tea party candidates, just remember that they most certainly believe that you belong to a cult and that you also adhere to a "phony theology," but they'll still take your vote  and your campaign donations anyway.

So onto my final point here, a point that I have made previously: I am not interested in the religion of my president.  Although my faith guides choices in my life and who I vote for, I am not more likely to vote for a Mormon than a Catholic president.  Additionally, some right-wingers seem hell-bent on calling President Obama out as a Muslim (or even an atheist.)  But I wonder what's the big deal?  I wouldn't have a problem voting for a Muslim, just like many Muslims don't take issue voting for a Christian.  (Besides, am I supposed to be worried that a Muslim president would wear an explosive vest to the State of the Union address?)  I would be just as likely to vote for a Buddhist, a Jew, a Jain, or even a Christian for that matter, so long as their political beliefs coincided with mine and with my faith.

So Santorum: I am not voting for the next Preacher of the United States of America, so hush up about your religion and your Bible, and run for president already.