In Iowa, Pete Buttigieg wants to talk about faith: 'There's kind of a need that's been going unmet'

[babylonsister]

In Iowa, Pete Buttigieg wants to talk about faith: 'There's kind of a need that's been going unmet'
Barbara Rodriguez, Des Moines Register Published 7:07 p.m. CT Aug. 20, 2019 | Updated 7:09 p.m. CT Aug. 20, 2019


TIPTON, Ia. — When Pete Buttigieg wants to practice his Christian faith on the road, the Democratic presidential candidate sometimes attends services at the nearest Episcopal church he can find. If pressed for time, he always does what he calls "scriptural mediation" on a phone app.

The South Bend, Indiana, mayor also makes room for his faith in the town halls, meet-and-greets and other events that make up the campaign trail.

"Time to establish once and for all that God does not belong to a political party," the Democrat told a crowd in eastern Iowa this month.

"Scripture tells us that we ought to lift up those most in need," he continued. "Concern ourselves with the poor. Identify with the prisoner. Welcome the stranger and love our neighbor. We are not seeing that in Washington today. And people of faith need to know they have a choice when it comes to what kind of moral, as well as political leadership, we're going to send to Washington."

Buttigieg has highlighted his faith on the trail since the earliest days of his campaign for president. But he's seen a noticeable uptick in people asking or commenting about it. Many approach him at rope lines after an event.

"It makes me think that there's kind of a need that's been going unmet," Buttigieg told the Des Moines Register. "A desire for somebody to vocalize this idea that faith can lead you in a different direction politically."

'People have been looking for something a little more genuine'

In his 2019 memoir, "Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future," Buttigieg wrote about growing up in South Bend and attending St. Joseph High School, a Catholic school up the hill from his home.

"This offered its own sort of political education," he wrote. "At Saint Joe, we were brought up not only to learn church doctrine on matters like sexuality and abortion, but also to understand the history of the church as a voice for the oppressed and downtrodden."

more...

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2019/08/20/iowa-caucuses-mayor-indiana-democrat-pete-buttigieg-christian-faith-campaign-trail-episcopalian-2020/2021257001/

[Iliyah]

1. K & R

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. His faith is integral to him.

It's not a coat he puts on on a Sunday.........it is part and parcel of who he is.

He lives it, every moment. It is who he is.

I respect him for this faith, even though I do not partake the way he does.

[customerserviceguy]

10. I'm an atheist

but I do admire his authenticity on this. Should he become President, it will be the path on which he will attempt to unify Americans.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

12. Yes, he is nothing if not authentic. His faith is certainly part of that.

I am spiritual, but not religious.

You could be right about his path to unify Americans.

[stopbush]

3. Faith is about the cheapest commodity going.

There’s a lot to admire about Pete. Belief in make-believe gods and touting bigoted, misogynistic and paternalistic religious structures is not admirable, IMO.

[thesquanderer]

4. He doesn't talk about God, he talks about a life consistent with religious teachings,

at least from what I've seen. That is, he presents being a good Christian not as being about accepting Christ as your savior (or as you might say, belief in make-believe gods and touting bigoted, misogynistic and paternalistic religious structures), but rather about behaving in a manner consistent with the ideals of Christianity, i.e. helping the poor, etc.

[babylonsister]

5. He doesn't 'tout' a thing. And just because

you don't have the same religious persuasion as he does (I don't either) doesn't mean his is any less valid.

[BootinUp]

8. He's a politician

and this is not the year 2085. Lol.

[Blue_true]

13. His faith is important to him.

Hillary has very deep faith, but she seems to be very quiet about it. Coincidentally, she is Methodist as is Mayor Pete.

A person who I totally admire is Jimmy Carter, Former President Carter. He is a person of deep and enduring faith, yet he does not embrace any of the nasty things that you listed. All of my siblings are deeply Christian (I am a Deist), but not a single one of them will try to take away a woman's right to choose or hate LGBTQ people, all of them think Trump is a monster and can't wait to vote him out.

[casterle]

19. Small correction...

Pete is an Episcopalian (as am I) rather than a Methodist.

Pete shares our admiration for Jimmy Carter. I read that he and Chasten had tea with the Carters last May, in fact.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. Thanks for this, something I did not know.

And I'm a big admirer of President Carter, as well. I liked him from the time he first ran, but I've since come to admire him even more after reading his autobiography (actually I have the audio version, read by the author!) "A Full Life: Reflections at 90." He really has led a fascinating life. And he is a man of very deep faith, but that hasn't ruled the decisions he's made - he has respect for different cultures and beliefs. As he's said, his signature issue has always been human rights.

Welcome to DU! It's great to have you with us!

[Devil Child]

18. How do you feel about Sen. Harris's expression of faith in Iowa a few days ago?

“It is the church where we go when we need upliftment,” she said to the congregation of about 200. “It is the church where we go when times like these test our faith and we need to be reminded of all of Christ’s teachings and what Jesus has taught us about the good in people.”

https://news.yahoo.com/kamala-harris-at-church-this-is-where-we-go-when-the-times-test-our-faith-130204326.html

I see nothing wrong with Democratic candidates expressing their faith.

[stopbush]

22. I'm not a fan of any politician playing the religion card, including Harris.

Our species needs to grow up and throw off the shackles of religion. One may as well cite Harry Potter as inspiration.

[dsc]

23. but funny you left out this when criticizing her use of religion

touting bigoted, misogynistic and paternalistic religious structures is not admirable

why oh why could that be. It isn't that those words in any way, shape, or form accurately describe what Buttigieg is doing.

[stopbush]

24. The thread is about Pete, not Kamala. I get that you'd love to turn it into

a bash Harris thread, but I’m not playing along.

[casterle]

20. Whaaaa?

> touting bigoted, misogynistic and paternalistic religious structures is not admirable

You paint with a pretty broad brush. I, like Pete, am an Episcopalian. I don't hear bigotry, misogyny or paternalism on Sunday and I bet he doesn't either. Our priest, BTW, is a woman as was her predecessor - one of the many benefits of the Episcopal way of thinking.

[trixie2]

6. And........................

I'm out!

[True Dough]

7. Biden supporter, huh?

Joe Biden: ‘I Happen to be a Practicing Catholic’

In a speech introducing President Barack Obama at the White House Easter Prayer Breakfast, Vice President Joe Biden said that “we all practice the same basic faith.”

“We all practice the same basic faith but different faiths,” said Biden. “I happen to be a practicing Catholic, and I grew up learning from the nuns and the priests who taught me what we used to call Catholic social doctrine. But it's not fundamentally different than a doctrine of any of the great confessional faiths.”

https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/cnsnewscom-staff/joe-biden-i-happen-be-practicing-catholic

[Celerity]

14. +1

[trixie2]

15. I thought we had to pick someone. I will vote for whoever is chosen in the primary

When people start spouting religion I shut down and turn the channel, or leave the space. I won't apologize for my utter distaste for religion and what horror it brings.

[trixie2]

16. Better?

[not_the_one]

9. If he can peel off some "so-called" christians who had no problem going to the dark side - fine.

Otherwise, I don't give a fuck about his religion. (I will ignore his religious musings...) At least it is a visible START, by a christian, at the political level, of them taking back their religion from the assholes that Jesus would deny (thrice before dawn).

Been there, done that, decided to think for myself and question, and promptly tossed it in the trash pile.

I DO think his takes on different issues, and policies he has put forward, ARE the change needed. I will try to concentrate on that.

But I am extremely wary of such blatant christianity. If I remember correctly, the hypocrites were the Pharisees, standing on the corner blabbing on about how "christian" they were, expressing great pride (a BIG NO-NO)... and were to be shunned.

I don't say Pete is a "pharisee", but I get very uncomfortable if I think someone is about to lapse in the cultish "godspeak"... As long as he doesn't go there, I will still be with him.

One of my biggest electoral mistakes was not realizing what a good man Jimmy Carter was, because he was a pastor. I voted my only vote for a republican EVER, that election, for Gerald Ford. I liked Betty more than I did Jimmy.

My bad.

[trixie2]

17. I am trying to click on the "Like" button

[Blue_true]

11. If that is what it takes to beat Trump, I am all in.

What Mayor Pete should realize is the people republican voters are sending to Washington are "I win, you lose types".