Politicians Not Shy of Talking Up Religion

U.S. politicians are not shy of talking about their religion and regularly appear in church.

In recent decades, part of the American political drama has been scripted by the "religious right" -- mostly white evangelical Protestants united by strong opposition to abortion and gay marriage who have been a key base of support for the Republican Party.

Republican hopeful Mike Huckabee, who scooped up strong evangelical support but whose campaign is fading ahead of next Tuesday's nominating contests across the country, is a Baptist preacher who peppers his speeches with Biblical allusions.

Mitt Romney is a Mormon who was moved to address questions about his faith in a speech in December. John McCain has long sought to smooth relations after including leaders of the religious right among those he called "agents of intolerance" during his failed presidential bid in 2000.

The leading Democratic presidential contenders have also been open and candid about their faith.

That faith, and that of the Republican candidates, is Christian, although candidates have also spoken about the need for religious tolerance.

A false rumor that has circulated on the Internet about Democratic candidate Barack Obama, whose father was Kenyan, is that he is Muslim who has lied about his religion. The rumor appears to illustrate the importance some voters attach to a candidate being Christian.

Mike Huckabee: Real Faith Makes Us Humble

Mike Huckabee says,

...a voter asked if my personal faith informed my decisions. My answer was simple, just as it always has been: my faith is my life - it defines me. My faith doesn't influence my decisions, it drives them.

Real faith makes us humble and mindful, not of the faults of others, but of our own. Because of our faith, we become less judgmental in that we see others having the same frailties as ourselves. Faith gives us strength in the face of injustice and motivates us to do our best for "the least of us."

Our forefathers birthed this great nation in a spirit of faith - not a mandate telling us what to believe, but an acknowledgment that divine providence pervades our world.

I firmly believe the greatness of our nation then, does not come from our government or politicians, but lies in the hopeful, optimistic spirit of everyday Americans. Americans who acknowledge that providence has set us apart.

At the beginning of our nation we were ill-equipped for revolution, yet we persevered and gained our independence. Our country was once divided by a costly Civil War, but we survived to heal and build a stronger union. Through the 20th century and into current times we have seen great conflicts and economic upheavals. However, the same spirit that guided the inception of our country continues to lead us out of times of trouble better than we went in. In spite of our trials we remain a people of hope, a people of faith, and we are stronger because of it.