For Clinton, a Daily Dose of Faith Along With Politics

[UrbScotty]

It's no secret that Clinton is a lifelong Methodist. But Shillady — who officiated at Chelsea Clinton's wedding, led a memorial service for Clinton's mother, Dorothy Rodham, and gave the closing benediction at the Democratic National Convention — feels that many people don't really know how much her faith "is a daily thing."

He says this is because Clinton's faith is of a personal variety, one she's not very comfortable with broadcasting.

As Clinton said at a presidential forum in 2007: "I take my faith very seriously and very personally. And I come from a tradition that is perhaps a little too suspicious of people who wear their faith on their sleeves ... a lot of the talk about and advertising about faith doesn't come naturally to me."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/clinton-daily-dose-faith-politics-42827438

[polmaven]

1. This United Methodist member

is 100% with her on this issue. Our faith is meant to be a personal relationship, and not widely broadcast.

[raging moderate]

2. Franklin Graham got Hillary Clinton defeated.

Last edited Sun Dec 18, 2016, 09:47 AM - Edit history (1)

He boasts about it. He runs The Samaritan's Purse, which does do some very good things. Many churches, including United Methodist Churches, work actively to support The Samaritan's Purse. Members go down to the main distribution center to help package the contributed items. They come back with glowing reports and increased loyalty to Franklin Graham. Unfortunately, he is very right-wing. And eager to win converts to his right-wing agenda. One of the things the Clinton campaign could have done would have been to show Hillary Clinton attending church. It would have been helpful to tell us where she attends church services most of the time, and where she is a member these days. I could have used that in the United Methodist Church I have been attending and which I just joined. I am afraid that Franklin Graham's cohorts swept the electorate in my church, but a more obviously United Methodist membership could have won many votes for Hillary Clinton in this area. And, as my fellow United Methodist member points out elsewhere in this thread, the United Methodist Church tradition discourages ostentatious, sanctimonious, and judgemental behavior. Really, guys, we don't think we are better than other people. Not even if we are prosperous. No Calvinism. Social justice is an old Methodist tradition.

[bekkilyn]

3. I'm also a United Methodist and

also believe what is in Matthew 6:5-6: "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

However, I also believe that we do not need to be quiet about our faith as if we were ashamed of it. John Wesley was certainly not quiet and went around all over the place on horseback preaching everywhere, and often under a lot of persecution, because it was so very important to reach people concerning Christ's salvation and love.

It's easy for people to get caught up in right-wing doctrines and Calvinism if it seems that their own faith is silent, unassuming, and unexciting. As United Methodists, I think we do need to speak out more and be more visible, not so we can get acclaim and earthly rewards for doing so, but to be positive and enthusiastic witnesses for our faith for the benefit of others. It also helps us to understand our faith more so that we are not deceived by the followers of people such as Franklin Graham and his politics. (If only he was more like his father.)

Unfortunately, Hillary was so quiet about her faith during the campaign that it gave the appearance that she was complacent and lifeless in it. Whether that's actually true or false, I don't know, and I wouldn't want her to just go around speaking God and Jesus with no real heart like it seems so many right-wing personalities tend to do just to try to compete with them, but maybe she could have done something differently to reassure Christian constituents and show people in general something that is a more personal and meaningful part of herself, while at the same time not alienating people of other faiths which she didn't want to do. It's a very difficult balance for a politician.