Politics, Generosity, and Atheism

Before the last presidential election, Obama’s religious mentor was Rev. Wright. The Reverend was angry and outright anti-American. Yet Obama sat in front of him for years, taking in Wright’s philosophies. Obama’s association with Wright almost cost Obama my vote. Had McCain selected a better vice presidential candidate than Sarah Palin, I very possibly could have voted for McCain, all because of Rev. Wright. Obama finally got his wits about him and ditched Wright, but that did not entirely excuse the association in the first place, at least not in my mind.

I was reading a [I]Newsweek Magazine[/I] the other day and there was an editorial that stated Mitt Romney’s Mormonism would be an asset. I can’t remember the article line-for-line but it suggested that though Romney is wealthy and somewhat aloof as a person, his Mormon religion often inspires him to be magnanimous.

Relative to size of incomes, I know people who are far more generous and charitable than is Romney. I know individuals who do not receive huge paychecks yet they will go to the grocery store and spend upwards to $100 of their own money for a workplace food drive. Many of these same people will regularly donate blood. What’s more, they are friendly, polite folks. They are also atheists.

I had a girlfriend who would make all but the smallest decisions based on her religious beliefs. Her manner of dress, desire to have many children, even the time she set her alarm clock, all depended upon what she thought would be most agreeable to her god. Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore and she became less a friend and more an acquaintance.

I’m glad Mitt Romney is magnanimous. But I’d feel a little bit better about it if he didn’t find the inspiration from the Bible or the Book of Mormon. I’m always more impressed with the people who do good things without there being a pay-off at the end, even when the pay-off is heaven.