Do we need a preacher-in-chief?

Texas governor - and potential GOP Presidential candidate - Rick Perry hosted and spoke at a meeting over the weekend.  Nothing surprising about that, except that the "meeting" was a prayer rally that took place in Reliant Stadium in Houston, attended by about 30,000 of the Christian faithful.  During his remarks at the rally, which was named "The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis", Governor Perry led a prayer, called on his audience to turn to God for answers to the country's troubles, and read several passages from the Bible. 

I want to make it clear  that I have no problem with religion, or religious people, or prayer rallies per se.  What I do have a problem with is an elected official using his office to promote a religious event, and publicly calling on people, many of whom are his constituents, to pray to any particular deity.  Governor Perry used his office's letterhead, web site, and status to promote the event. And not only did Perry call on people to pray for help for the United States, but he stated explicitly that "The Response" was an event to bring people together to Christian unity during a time of national crisis. 

In a time of crisis, I don't want my President turning to God for answers.  I want him to turn to his Cabinet and trusted advisers.  I don't care if he prays for guidance, but the last thing I want is for him (or her, ahem, Michelle Bachmann) to say - no, to boast - that God told him what to do.  What if I don't believe in God?  What if I'm Jewish or Buddhist? A President who calls for the people to put their trust in Jesus effectively leaves me out.  The United States is supposed to be religiously inclusive, not exclusive.  Melting pot, remember?  I guess Perry doesn't.

Nine days before the rally, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against Governor Perry by a national group of atheists, who argued that participating in the rally in his official capacity as governor violated the First Amendment’s requirement of the separation of church and state.  It is important to note that the suit was dismissed because the judge said that the plaintiffs did not have standing, and not because the suit did not have merit. Members and supporters of this group protested outside the stadium, as did gay rights activists who objected to the anti-gay views of the American Family Association, who sponsored the event and of which Perry is a member.  So there was plenty of objection to the rally and to Governor Perry's use of religion for political gain.  But there was also plenty of support, both within and outside of Reliant Stadium.  And that's the really frightening part of all of this. People who know nothing of Rick Perry's record - and if he becomes a candidate, believe me, that record will come under close scrutiny - are supporting him simply because he is an evangelical Christian.  It's admirable to be a person of faith, but to think that God alone will save our country is naive, and potentially disastrous.

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