Certainly, I have for some time been the politician not associated with religion or the values that go along with it. Tonight however I was again the only elected official at a Prayer Vigil rally in favor of a right to life.
The rally in front of City Hall on a chilly Monday night attract some 150 plus people who held candles, heard music, and listened to friendly reminders that life is sacred and abortion, euthanasia and eugenics are not so sacred.
A couple months ago I hosted a prayer breakfast put on by local clergy.
The similarity in both events is no elected officials attended.
Now I believe in a reasonable separation of church and state, but the faith and values I find at events like tonight are a reminder of the right way to govern. So I wonder why the pols who run on family values and tell you what church they go to, spurn such events.
Perhaps its that in the secular world of politics that hanging out with right to lifers is like hanging out with terrorists. That's too bad, because values matter,especially in governing.
I may have been the one to eliminate the Lord's Prayer from the Council meeting but that doesn't mean I think public leaders should eliminate the values of religion from governing.
There were a lot of Catholics there tonight so I am sure my fellow lawmakers of that faith would have felt at home. Too bad they skipped this one.
4 comments:
Since you're "the only elected official" who has been willing to make himself accessible to those who believe that "values matter, especially in governing", then would you mind telling us whether or not you agree with the Supreme Court's ruling of Roe v. Wade?
I can understand why they wouldn't be there - when abortion is a hot item and can make or break a campaign - I don't blame them. Simply because they don't show up to an event doesn't mean they don't incorporate religious values into their policies and actions.
I haven't been to church in 30 years. Okay, 35. Somehow, one retains all those "family values" one learned growing up - AND in church and Sunday School. Amazing how that works.
It's easy to say "values matter, especially in governing" and knock other politicians, while never taking a principled stance yourself. An elected representative who is genuinely concerned about values and understands the need for voters to be informed about their elected representatives' values would answer the question posed in the first comment. For that reason, I'm certain there will be no answer to that question.
Post a Comment