Cheapening Faith

This column was written by CBS News Sunday Morning producer Brian Healy.

Last Sunday, the Family Research Council staged a televised rally called "Justice Sunday." Its purpose was to pressure Senate Democrats not to filibuster two of the President's nominees to the Federal Courts. Both judges have raised questions about abortion rights. The FRC has often been the Administration's voice on such issues as stem cell research, abortion, and same sex marriage.

Not this time.

The FRC's charge that Democrats were attacking "people of faith" with their opposition to the nominees was even too much for the President. He said the Democrats were attacking the "judicial philosophy" of the two judges, not their religious beliefs.

Claiming that a political opponent disagrees with you because of your religious faith is a dangerous path to travel. It turns our religious heritage into a bumper sticker slogan. It attempts to divide the country into the "infidels" and "the Party of God." It cheapens the word "faith" so precious to millions of America.

Here's why. There is no universally accepted theological position I've ever read on the filibuster. Both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have used it. There is no "Thou Shall Not Filibuster" in the Decalogue. Maimonides, Aquinas and Martin Luther had more important things on their minds.

Let's be clear about what's happening here. It's about abortion.

The president has appointed two judges who, he believes, will be unfriendly, if not hostile, to abortion rights. The Democrats propose to stop them since abortion does appear to be the party's litmus test on whether a judicial nominee is acceptable.

It's a dry run for the big event many expect this summer -- the resignation of a Supreme Court justice.

The difficulty is that there is no one position by "people of faith" on abortion.

Theologians have been arguing for centuries over when life begins. Ensoulment -- when a soul enters the human body -- is still argued over in seminaries. Aristotle may have started it with his De Anima….Jung was enthralled with it. To many people of religious faith, when the soul enters the body is when life begins.

There is no one Protestant view on abortion. The Catholic Church is opposed to all abortions but many of its adherents disagree. Thirty-three per cent of American Catholics in a recent CBS News Poll say abortion should be generally available in the United States.

But in many ways, all of that misses the point.

The role religious faith should play in political life is not a settled one. Some argue religion is a private matter and does not have equal standing in political debate with, say, economics, or historical precedent, or simple logic. Others, including me, argue religion animates people's actions and should play a part in the public arena, along with one's race, gender, economic situation; whatever one wants to bring to the table.

However, using religious faith as a willy nilly political weapon -- a hot button slogan -- does not serve any useful purpose. It is divisive, it smacks of theocracy and it is simplistic.

The Family Research Council -- founded by my friend Dr. James Dobson of Focus In The Family -- had better put that ugly weapon back in the closet. It's a nuclear option better left unused.

And if you don't agree with me, just ask your own President.

By Brian Healy