Courting Christians -- and nobody else

Mike "Jesus is my social worker" Huckabee has been making political hay of worn-on-his-sleeve religious faith. His latest political ad, positioned as a Christmas greeting, makes it clear that he's an explicitly -- and possibly exclusively -- Christian candidate.



The floating window frame cum cross in the background really seals the deal.

Obviously, political candidates have the right to ride to office on crucifixes, Stars-of David or prayer rugs if they want to. But, by doing so, they define themselves in opposition to voters who don't share their faith. With Huckabee trudging his way to Iowa with a ten-pound cross swinging from his neck, he risks alienating non-Christians by giving the impression that he can never, truly, be on "their side."

To put it bluntly, speaking as an atheist, Huckabee creeps me out.

That doesn't mean that religious people can't run for office; it's when they define their candidacies by one faith that they risk driving away people who don't precisely share their theological views. Huckabee has been in politics long enough to know the divisive power of running an explicitly Christian campaign. That suggests that he just doesn't care about the votes of non-believers.

Update: Is it a surprise that Ron Paul may have the most appropriate response to Huckabee's me-and-God gambit?



If you can't or don't want to sit through the video, Paul's comment is:

"It reminds me of what Sinclair Lewis once said. He says, 'when fascism comes to this country, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross.' Now I don't know whether that's a fair assessment or not, but you wonder about using a cross, like he is the only Christian or implying that subtly. So, I don't think I would ever use anything like that."