Like concerns about Romney's conservatism and pro-life record, theological issues have been brushed aside in anticipation of November's election.

According to Tony Perkins from the Family Research Council, 'growing enthusiasm' for Romney's campaign has much to do with the Obama administration's support for same-sex marriage and his Contraceptive Mandate, which forces religiously affiliated organisations such as hospitals and universities to include coverage for contraceptives in their health insurance plans. Read more

Sources

• Zac Alstin in Eureka Street
• Image: HotBedInfo

Zac Alstin is a freelance writer and part-time research officer for Southern Cross Bioethics Institute in Adelaide, Australia.

With Mitt Romney's recent choice of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as running mate, this campaign is the first in which Catholics are on both major party tickets. Vice President Joe Biden and Ryan are lifelong Catholics who attend Mass regularly and credit the church with shaping their views.

At the same time, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan plans a prime-time appearance next week by giving the benediction at the Republican National Convention after Romney becomes the first Mormon presidential nominee from a major political party. Read more

Sources

• Rachel Zoll in The Philadelphia Inquirer
• Image: NY Daily News

Rachel Zoll writes about religion for Associated Press.

Her platform is simple: unlike Romney and his running mate, nuns know what real-life Americans go through because they actually work with low-income people on a regular basis and run programs that need federal funding to succeed. She told The Daily Beast that it's the economy that's hurting Americans, not a so-called "dependence" on social programs. "The problem is not enough jobs and low wages," she said. "Catholic teaching is based on solidarity. Ryan doesn't understand that all decisions need to be made with the common good in mind." Sister Simone for president in 2016, anyone?

The "Nuns on the Bus" tour, which covered nine states in two weeks, further convinced Sister Simone that Ryan must be stopped. "The more we were on the road, the more impassioned we became," she said. "We saw all these low-income communities, all the people who would be affected. By the end, we were fairly nuts about it."

Sister Simone even invited Ryan and Romney to spend a day with her and the poor; unfortunately, neither man has gotten back to her yet. Continue reading

That this view was swept away in the deluge of sad commentary on Friday was surprising to me, an outsider.

By this standard James Holmes was not a young man armed more heavily than the soldiers the US fields in Afghanistan, but an event, an act of god, to be weathered rather than countered. Read more

Sources

• Nick O'Malley in The Sydney Morning Herald
• Image: International Business Times

Nick O'Malley is the US correspondent of The Sydney Morning Herald

Most important are evangelical Christians, one of the most powerful and reliable voting blocs in the Republican party. Many of them are unsettled by Romney's Mormon faith.

Obama has turned many evangelicals off with his support for abortion rights and his new backing of same-sex marriage, which are anathema to Christian conservatives. Many fundamentalist Christians consider Romney's religion a sect and not Christian.

Furthermore, Romney's positions on certain social issues like abortion have shifted over the years, fueling doubts among some Republicans about his conservative convictions. He now says he opposes abortion. Continue reading

The survey indicated people are of the view the import of religion in politics is a reasonably recent occurrence, with Democrats and independents being the main culprits.

However, according to a Washington Post-ABC poll released last week, in general, Americans continue to think the nation has gone too far in keeping religion and government separate

The poll showed Americans to be more wary of religion's influence on politicians themselves: 63 percent continue to say political leaders should not rely on their religious beliefs in making policy decisions.

Supporters of Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, a clearly identified Catholic, take a very different view on religion's role in politics in both polls.

Nearly 60% of Santorum's supporters in the Post-ABC poll say the country has gone too far in keeping church and state separate compared with fewer than 40% of Mitt Romney's supporters or the overall public says this.

While 30 percent of all Americans and 24% of Romney backers say there's been "too little" talk of faith and politics in the Pew survey, that surges to 55% among Santorum's supporters.

Turning the attention of the Poll to US President, Barack Obama, nearly twice as many white Catholics say the Obama administration is unfriendly toward religion as said this two years ago, (up from 17 to 31%).

It is not clear why people are thinking this way, however pollsters suggest it might be the result of the birth control controversy, although Obama's approval rating among white Catholics has changed little since the controversy gained steam.

Source

• Washington Post
• Image: Washington Post