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Ten Questions for Candidates
Where do our candidates stand on basic matters of separation of church and state and the constellation of values and issues that intersect this foundational doctrine of our culture and our constitution?
Unfortunately, this is not usually the kind of thing we see on traditional candidate questionnaires. To begin to redress this problem Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Interfaith Alliance Foundation joined forces to publish ten well-framed questions to help us find out where our candidates are at, and to initiate meaningful discussions of our core values and how they interact with public policy. |
Suggested uses include: Town Hall meetings or other locations where candidates for office will be gathering. You can copy and paste them into an email message to the candidates. Or, use these as suggestions to help formulate your own questions to candidates, to find out their views on safeguarding separation of church and state and protecting religious liberty.
These are things that can sometimes make candidates squirm, and they are sometimes coached not to talk about them. Nevertheless, some of us not only think that our candidates should, at the very least be prepared to answer such questions, and understand that we would probably like to hear good answers.
1) Leaders on the religious right often say that America is a "Christian Nation." Do you agree with this statement?
2) Do you think Houses of Worship should be allowed to endorse political candidates and retain their tax exempt status?
3) Do you think public schools should sponsor school prayer or, as a parent, should this choice be left to me?
4) Would you support a law that mandates teaching creationism in my child's public school science classes?
5) Do you think my pharmacist should be allowed to deny me doctor-prescribed medications based on his or her religious beliefs?
6) Will you respect the rights of those in our diverse communities of faith who deem same-gender marriage to be consistent with their religious creed?
7) Should "faith-based" charities that receive public funds be allowed to discriminate against employees or applicants based on religious beliefs?
8) Do you think one's right to disbelieve in God is protected by the same laws that protect someone else's right to believe?
9) Do you think everyone's religious freedom needs to be protected by what Thomas Jefferson called "a wall of separation" between church and state?
10) What should guide our policies on public health and medical research: science or religion?
Ten Questions for Candidates | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
Ten Questions for Candidates | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
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