THE GOD GAP

In the final presidential debate, both President Bush and Senator Kerry talked openly about the impact of their faith on their political careers. Their comments illustrate the growing riff between the religious and secular voters in this election. A recent article in Christian World News explains:

Religion has become one of the major determiners of how you vote. To put it simply, those who pray a lot tend to vote Republican. Those who don't tend to vote Democrat.

A new poll shows 63 percent of those who attend religious services more than once a week say they'll vote Republican. Sixty-two percent of those who rarely or never attend such services, say they’ll vote Democrat.

Not only is there a gap between the religious and the secularist but there's a God gap within the professing church. A recent article in the conservative Christian magazine Touchstone reports:

The National Council of Churches recently published “Christian Principles in an Election Year,” which identifies “ten non-partisan, biblically based guidelines” for voters in this election year. What are the ten areas of concern? War/conflict, urban decay/poverty, foreign policy, economic justice, racial justice, environmental justice, immigration, health care, and criminal justice. The non-partisan guide makes no mention of “gay marriage” or sanctity of life issues such as abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, or euthanasia.

Now, don't get me wrong, I believe the social justice issues raised by the NCC are important issues, however, I do not believe they are the most critical issues facing us today. My list would include the following:

1. Defeat of global terrorism;

2. Control illegal immigration;

3. Restore states rights usurped by an activist federal judiciary;

4. Pass the Human Life Amendment to the US Constitution;

5. Pass the Protection of Marriage Amendment to the US Constitution;

6. Restore the right of private prayer in public school.