A Different View from the Pews

Since I know that post-election coverage will inevitably dwell on the social-conservative religious vote, I thought I'd mention an anecdotal observation that paints a different picture.

A couple of weeks ago we were visiting my girlfriend's family near Detroit. We went to mass at their Catholic church in Detroit. The priest tastefully encouraged people to vote, including introducing a woman dressed up as Auntie Same, and emphasized that voting was important in part because in Christian doctrine, all men are important. He emphasized that this year this is especially important because of voter suppression efforts. The obvious subtext is that other people must also feel that our votes are important, if they are going to go to the effort to restrict them.

He never explicitly endorsed a candidate, which I also felt was very tasteful.

This is the side of religion and politics that is unlikely to gain widespread recognition in the press, though I fear that it is not the experience in the pews of all church attenders.