In Theory:

Christian organizations in the United Kingdom are pushing for candidates to become more open about their religious beliefs, the BBC reported this week. With an election coming up May 6, would it be worthwhile for candidates to open up about their beliefs “if it means a few more votes?” the article asks. While religion plays a big role in the funding and organization of politics in the U.S., the article says, in the U.K. it is less influential; as such, some believe that having candidates talk about their religious beliefs publicly would turn around British politics — “doing God” would not be such a rarity anymore within the political spectrum of the U.K. What do you think? Should the U.K. candidates play the God card in an effort to gain more votes even if it means going against the grain of U.K. politics? How much influence do you think this would have?

?

While I understand that the U.K. has a different political culture than the United States, I think that those seeking office should be proud of their spiritual and ethical principles, and ought to offer these traits as a positive reasons to vote for them.

I believe that religious sincerity and morality define a person’s character, and can determine if he or she will properly represent their constituency as an honest public servant. It is vitally important that individuals who hold public office possess a solid spiritual compass to guide them along a path of wisdom and justice.

However, while I feel strongly about a candidate having sound religious bearings, I don’t think that his or her specific religious affiliation is important. Regardless of their faith, a man or woman who believes in God as a higher authority — and therefore displays humility and adheres to a principled way of life — should qualify for our vote. Whether the person is Christian, Jewish or Muslim is far less important than the overarching necessity for a candidate who is righteous, leads an honorable life and shows respect for people of all religious denominations, as well as for those who profess no religion at all.