Back in February, we reported that the potential frontrunners for the nomination in 2012 – Jindal, Palin, Pawlenty, Sanford – were all creationists. Well, good news/bad news time: while the field has changed, slightly, the supermajority are still creationists.
Huckabee, Palin, and Pawlenty are obvious, on the record, and proud of their ignorance. Potential dark horses Gingrich and Jeb Bush are right there with them. Romney, on the other hand, has actualy offered a pretty spot-on defense of “non-overlapping magisteria,” the idea that philosophy is and should be taught to be severable from religion, and at a point when he was trying to woo conservatives. Though otherwise crazy, he’s safe on this point.
So what’s it say about a political party, when 5/6 of its pool of potential presidents put religion (or pandering) ahead of reality? Surely nothing good: I keep hearing about these moderate Republicans, with good ideas and honest talking points, who’re set to reinvigorate the party. Well, moderate GOP – it’s time to wake up. Or don’t. Sixteen years of Democratic Presidents could work.
Weel, considering that the majority of Americans don’t strictly believe in evolution, it stands to reason that the vast majority of Republicans/conservatives at least have creationist sympathies if they don’t actually believe it themselves.
Posted by Kris | June 5, 2009, 1:59 pmReligion is not pandering. God Bless the candidates and people who still believe that this complex universe was craeted by a Supreme Being, God. God Bless!
Posted by dcmattozzi | June 5, 2009, 2:17 pmKris,
What’s really troubling, though, is that you don’t see the same trend among Democrats, the highly educated, the mainstream media, the courts, and all scientists except those working at Liberty University. I think it’s a grave reminder that the Religious Right still has a huge influence upon the GOP.
Posted by James F | June 5, 2009, 2:20 pmdcmattozzi,
Please don’t fall into the evolution = atheism trap. Millions of Christians accept evolution along with all the other scientific theories and believe in God as the Creator.
Posted by James F | June 5, 2009, 2:25 pmI am quite disappointed in the current Republican candidates (other than Romney).
If elected, what will these candidates do about the swine flu, since they don’t believe that it evolved? How will they treat science in their administrations if their personal preferences are going to override the evidence? Do we want people in office in charge of our military and civilian agencies who use this irrational and dangerous decision-making?
I remember well the briefings Bush received with Biblical quotes featured prominently on their covers. It’s time to remove religious extremism from the government, and I consider evolution-denying creationism to be extremism because it denies unmistakable evidence in the service of ideology.
Again I ask, do we want these kinds of extremists in charge of our country? No. And it is no wonder why more people are hesitant to vote for Republicans these days. Could they give us some sane(r) ones to vote for?
Posted by Teleprompter | June 5, 2009, 4:11 pmHi James,
I personally am a liberal and a believer in evolution. I was simply pointing out that, however sad it is, these candidates’ stances reflect their party and a great deal of Americans.
Creationism is unfortunately an issue that can only be used to rally liberals/Democrats against a candidate they would never have considered voting for anyway. At best, it may drive a few moderates away from the Republicans, but it really isn’t upsetting to the majority of Americans as it should be.
Posted by Kris | June 5, 2009, 4:52 pmI’m praying Huntsman and Sanford both decide to run. They would be good for the party.
Posted by Mike | June 5, 2009, 8:23 pm