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Red and Blue Churches
Is religion more influenced by our politics than the other way around?

...In his acceptance speech at last month’s Democratic National Convention, Kerry spoke more openly about his faith than ever before when he explained, “I don’t wear my own faith on my sleeve. But faith has given me values and hope to live by, from Vietnam to this day, from Sunday to Sunday. I don’t want to claim that God is on our side. As Abraham Lincoln told us, I want to pray humbly that we are on God’s side.”

Foolishly, I hoped this was just the beginning. I was sure Americans would want to hear far more about the beliefs of any man who might lead the nation. But then this week, I visited the Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zionsville, Ind., outside Indianapolis. And the believers I spoke to there convinced me this is not the case.

Because when I asked what more they’d like to know about how Kerry’s faith has formed him, their unanimous answer was: not a single thing. Some snickered at the very idea. “I want to hear nothing more about him” on any subject, said Linda Silverberg, whose husband, Jon, a retired naval aviator, agreed: “It wouldn’t make any difference at this point.”

Gala Wurdeman, wife of the assistant pastor at the fast-growing suburban church, said President George W. Bush’s faith is very important to her “because my faith is important to me.” But of Kerry’s beliefs, she said wryly, “I think I have a pretty good idea” already.

Another church member, Marilyn Mesh, said that in fact, she was infuriated when Kerry “started off quoting the Bible” at a local campaign appearance she saw on television. (”Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,” Kerry had said, quoting from the Psalms.) “I thought, “Oh, that sounds sacrilegious to me,” Mesh said, “speaking these words as if he were a prophet … I know his voting record is very liberal and to me that does not jibe with a profession of faith.”...