Slog - Comments on Reichert's Religion

Comment by whatever

whatever — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:26:30 -0800

What's a pator? :D

Comment by ecce homo

ecce homo — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 12:36:51 -0800

Also, only missouri synod members can take communion. Everything else is heresy.

Comment by Chump Change

Chump Change — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 13:13:01 -0800

Yeah, you were right, right off the top. It isn't appropriate to talk about a candidate's religion. But the reason is wrong, since for you to do so would make you a fucking hypocrite for taking other candidates to task for doing the same thing.

The point is, people's religion may in fact matter a hell of a lot. It matters in the policies they may or may not support, it matters in the freedom they may or may not espouse, it matters in the kind of life they may or may not live, it matters in the discrimination they may have suffered, it matters in the money they raise. Romney is raising scads of money from other Mormons. It is news. It does matter. Just dont' be such a hypocrite about it.

Comment by whoa

whoa — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 15:24:25 -0800

When it's Missouri Synod, it matters. Holy cow, that's some fringey-ass stuff. I had no idea.

Comment by longball

longball — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 17:12:45 -0800

totally matters, should have been splashed accross front pages long ago.

Comment by Gitai

Gitai — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 18:46:37 -0800

I don't think there's any question whether a candidate's religion matters. Of course it does, particularly when you know that those religious views will directly influence their votes on legislation. I wouldn't vote for a Christian who would vote for blue laws, nor a Muslim who wanted Sharia law, nor a Jew who would cut off electricity on Shabbat to all but emergency services, and if those are the views a candidate holds, I damn well want to know.

Comment by praise me

praise me — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 22:38:11 -0800

Of course it matters. How many "outed" atheists are in public office? None too many.

Most people want their elected officials to believe in god or at least be "spiritual", whatever that means...

Comment by dirge

dirge — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 01:30:07 -0800

It is always appropriate, and extremely revealing, to talk about a candidate's religion.
Either they believe in doctrines of their church or they don't, and either position is fascinating.

Comment by unPC

unPC — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 14:43:13 -0800

What Darcy's religion?
Rodney's?
Any weird doctrines they subscribe to?
Atheism?
"I believe in the universal spirit but really don't go to church?"

And this:

does their religion believe in a" just war" and if so how to reconcile with the idea that if there is a one percent chance a nation may harm us we can go make war against them and create more terrorists and raise this to a ten percent chance?
Not actually kidding.

Comment by Luther Himself

Luther Himself — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 20:34:45 -0800

Josh-
Take a step back. I can't stand Reichert - and I also grew up in a MO Synod church *gasp*.

Basically it is as close to Catholicism with a few basic differences:

- no pergatory
- no emphasis placed on Mary (can't worship things that aren't God)
- no saints (see above)
- no confession - Lutherans skip the middleman and talk to God directly
- they don't touch little boys

True, MO Synod thinks they are better than the others. So do Catholics, Jews, Islamics and ELCA Lutherans. (fucking ELCA Lutherans).

In the end, it really isn't that big of a deal. There are really conservative churches and in the same town there can be a liberal church of the same denomonation. Like Catholic churches that are conservative and those who focus on their mission of community service.

If you want to demonize a protestant denomination, feel free...but have you ever met a person who attends a church and believes everything? If so, that is a lucky person to have found such a religion.

Same with a political party.

Comment by DOUG.

DOUG. — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 10:55:29 -0800

Fremont "Mayor" Suzie Burke has given Reichert $6,100 since late 2004.