The Pew Research Center has released the results of its latest study into American attitudes regarding religion and politics. On the question: “Do you think there has been too much, too little or the right
amount of expressions of religious faith and prayer by political leaders?” 38% of respondents say there’s been too much.
More interesting than the percentage is the trend line. 38% compares with 29% who answered that way in 2010, and only 12% who said the same in 2001.
So, what has changed? Have people’s general attitudes objecting to religious expression by politicians really swelled so much in recent years? I have a different theory.
It could be that what Americans are responding to is not so much the fact of religious expression as the nature of it today. In other words, it’s not that American views are changing; our politicians are. And not for the better. Religion is increasingly used as a political tool, an agent of division, a means of sowing doubt about a rival candidate’s character, or worse yet an exploitation of negative stereotypes some have about minority faiths.It seems to me the American people are saying “enough with all of that” in increasing numbers.
How high does this percentage have to get before politicians actually back off? Would 50% persuade them it’s not worth impugning their opponent’s faith? Would 65% be convincing that trying to make the American people afraid of mosques, or Sharia, is simply not a winning strategy? Will the backlash have to reach 75% before candidates stop suggesting that the election of their opponents would mean the end of religious liberty as we know it?
Notably, Democratic, Republican and Independent respondents all fall on a similar trend line. Increasingly fed up. When will politicians take notice?
