Santorum argues for religion in government

Rick Santorum

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - On the eve of the Michigan primary, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum told an enthusiastic crowd that not only was the separation of church and state not absolute, there is a role for religious faith in the federal government.

Building on statements he first made over the weekend, Santorum said that the definition of separation of church and state does not appear verbatim in the Constitution. "What does [appear] is the term the free exercise of religion. Those words do appear, so religion is to be freed from the dictates of government. But ... the government is not to be free of the influence of faith and people of faith," he said.

Special Section: Campaign 2012

Speaking to an audience of about 300 people at the Heritage Christian Academy, an elementary school, the former senator from Pennsylvania said discussion of religious faith should extend to the public square. "We have an opportunity to paint another vision, one that is a welcoming ... that says to people of faith, any faith, 'Come on in, talk about it. Make your case. Make your argument to the people. I don't have to agree with you, but I respect the fact that you're here and you know what? Just because you have a different opinion than me doesn't mean that you hate me, or I hate you. That's what America's about," Santorum said.

Santorum's blurring of the line between the religion and government has raised eyebrows, including at the Washington Post, which ran an editorial Monday asking, "Does Mr. Santorum really understand the difference between talking about a policy and imposing his views?"

The crowd gave Santorum prolonged applause throughout his speech. Organizers said hundreds of people had been turned away when the school filled up, evidenced by the hordes of residents trudging away from the school in the chilly night before the event started.

Santorum told the crowd that liberals are the real bigots in the debate over same-sex marriage because, he said, they argue that conservatives oppose gay marriage because of "hatred and bigotry." He cited a recent decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that California's same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional, and that the ban "serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California." Santorum said this was tantamount to the court saying, "If you believe marriage is between a man and a woman, it is either because you are a hater or a bigot."

[peterfrohwein]

There should be a separation of church and state.
There SHOULD NOT be a separation of God and state.

We are currently seeing what the systematic removal of God from
our society and government is doing. The proliferation of hate, fear, revenge, anger,
and selfishness all in the name of freedom of action and speech.
We are moving away from God, God is Love, Peace, kindness, forgiveness,
purity, unselfishness, truthfullness.

It is a clear choice: Do we want a Loving society and government OR
do we want a society and government based on fear and hate and lies ???

I choose Love ! I choose God !

Peace be with you.

[nfission]

I've never seen anybody talk out of both sides of their mouth in one breath. Insanetorum is the most duplicitous character I have ever seen. How the hell did he operate as an attorney? Did the jury go, Huh? Nothing he says is clear, he blows like the wind__in every direction! This guy will never be President of the United States, we can all thank our lucky stars that he is so delusional and unhinged that he can't help sounding stupid every time he opens his flap trap.

[KansasCity-2012]

Santorum finds sanctuary in religion, because he trusts his well-being to nothing else. Now, he wants to find that government can be a sanctuary for people like himself and wants government to employ religion.

My experience in the Air Force when I saw Chaplains employed by the government, was simple. Those Chaplains had the Air Force's interests in their hearts and it was foolish to believe they didn't. It gave me quite a perspective on what can happen when the government sanctions a religion and pays the salary of the cleric.

Further reading about the matter is quite an interesting read in the Wikipedia topic - military chaplain.

I could imagine the result when government becomes the employer of religion...we will have less people faithful to religion and more people distrustful of government.

[tsigili]

Precisely why I have opposed his candidacy from the beginning.

[occupy_cbs]

MarineVet46: "Santorum has six children. In 1996, he had son born prematurely who lived for only two hours. He and wife brought the child home and introduced the dead infant to the rest of their children as 'your brother Gabriel' and slept with the body overnight."



Yes, little ricky sanitorium sure has some very bizarre behavior, but then again, this can be expected from any of these religious zealots!

That sanitorium is really sick!

[occupy_cbs]

I wonder if sanitorium and his wife tried to home school the youngster?

[occupy_cbs]

leftyintexas: "What Santorum wants to accomplish is to make The United States into a government run by religious fanatics like himself.



YIKES!!!

It's the attack of the religious zealots trying to turn America into a theocracy!

[JV1970]

The more I hear from Santorum the more I like him! I agree with everything he's saying!

[stupa5]

Your Sick!

[stupa5]

Your Sick! Ithought Sarah was your babe!

[occupy_cbs]

"Rick Santorum told an enthusiastic crowd that not only was the separation of church and state not absolute, there is a role for religious faith in the federal government."



Religious zealots like little ricky sanitarium have no business at all in government, which is probably why he got kicked to the curb in PA back in 2006, and will eventually get kicked to the curb in 2012 for his radical social conservatism and ideology!

[mryoubrian]

That is EXACTLY why the people of Pa. voted him out of office by the widest margin in history. They could not get rid of him fast enough.
He sounded good on the campaign trail for Congress but once he got in there is was a frightening story.
1. He used $100,000 dollars of public education money to school his kids while bashing public education.
2. He voted for a $250,000 cap on suing doctors while his wife sued for $500,000 ( which they won $350,000) What he said on the witness stand to win he the law suit was shocking to say the least!
3. He wants to make all contraceptives illegal.
4. He was voted the 3rd MOST CORRUPT member of the United States Congress.

[myth1958]

Rebecca Kaplan has the unenviable task of clarifying Rick Santorum's fuzzy logic over religion. He flies in the face of over 200 years of protocol delineating a firm wall between church and state on the many issues both have interests in. Are we ready - as Americans - to cast aside what has worked just fine for generations so Santorum can experiment with our government? I think not. Although he has found plenty of support among his conservative base, outside that prayerful cohort he is skating on very thin ice. So be it: he who lives by the outrageous comment is tied to it forever. This will be an interesting footnote to this race - one President Obama, after his second term, can write about in his memoirs as a key reason the voters kept him on.

[CFBruno]

Mr. Hamilton, I believe the passage you are looking for is Matthew 6:1,

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father
in heaven."

The GOP seems to be a little unclear on that concept as well.