The NY Times has an interesting article about the Bush campaign seeking to rally conservative churches and their members.



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According to the article, the Bush campaign "has asked 'people of faith team leaders' to help identify thousands of "friendly congregations" around the country. It asked religious outreach volunteers to petition their pastors to hold voter registration drives, and to speak on behalf of the campaign to Bible studies and church groups. . . .



As about 500 people gathered for the 5 p.m. Saturday Mass at the St. Peter Parish Church in St. Charles, his appeals appeared to fall on fertile ground. The Rev. John J. Ghio included a prayer for "reverence for all human life from conception" in the service. A Catholic voting guide in the program noted that Archbishop Raymond L. Burke of the Archdiocese of St. Louis has said it is a sin to vote for candidates who support abortion rights, a group that includes Senator John Kerry. The guide listed "non-negotiable" issues of abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, human cloning and same-sex marriage.



"I don't know how a Catholic in good conscience could vote for a candidate who was pro abortion," Father Ghio said after the service."



Just to play devil's advocate, pun intended, I feel obligated to point out here that not everyone who is pro-choice is pro-abortion. It is possible to feel quite strongly that abortions should be functionally eliminated by providing the education, social services, and financial support necessary to allow for women with an unwanted pregnancy to choose adoption and/or keeping the child, without supporting legislation that puts these same women at risk for criminal prosecution or prison. Some of these people actually get out and do something to help, like funding women's shelters and aid for the needy. Can't they be considered "good Catholics" if they chose to support Kerry based on his pro-choice position?



What about people who are pro-life in every sense, want a constitutional amendment criminalizing it as murder, but also feel strongly against military action due to religious beliefs, and choose to weigh the balance of their vote in favor of stopping the war first and dealing with the pro-life issue later? You can disagree with their beliefs, but does it make any of them a "bad" (insert religious denomination of your choice)?



The article points to quotes by "team leaders" at a prayer breakfast in a St. Louis suburbian Assembly of God church:



"'He has proven that he will do what is right, and he will look to God first.' . . . 'Don't you feel it is a spiritual battle?'"



Are they implying John Kerry is in league with the antichrist? I mean, he does look a little like Lurch, but I don't think he exactly lights little black candles in chalk pentagrams in the back of the campaign train.



I've no problem with the church discussing social issues, it is after all there to provide guidance to parishoners on how to lead their lives in compliance with the religious beliefs of the faith. But choosing a candidate is a complex balancing process, and attempts to enforce conformity at the polls by religious leaders generally annoy me. It's hard enough to get voters to independently analyze the issues without either side resorting to "God wants you to vote for me."



I don't put it past politicians to try just about every trick while cruising along the campaign trail, but I'm disappointed in the churches that choose to go along for the ride.