Recent history begs the question: What Does Faith Have To Do With It?

From 2007, on through the primaries, this year’s crop of presidential candidates seemed to fall over each other vying for camera time to talk about their faith. For years, most of these candidates, especially the democrats, have stood idly by as the ACLU, and a handful of liberal activist judges, have succeeded in suppressing freedom of religion expression in America. Suddenly these same see-or-hear no evil politicians couldn’t wait to climb onto the nearest soapbox and piously proclaim the depth of their faith, what it has meant in their lives, and how it will shape their term as America’s 44th president.

On Saturday, senators McCain and Obama participated in a “Presidential Forum On Faith And Leadership” conducted by Pastor Rick Warren at his Saddleback Church. Both senators conducted themselves well in accordance with the underlying theme of “let’s all work together for what’s good for America and our fellow man.” The questions, if not given to the candidates beforehand, were certainly anticipated. This allowed for well prepared answers designed to tell the Christian audience what they wanted to hear. And, if at all possible, the answers from both candidates included tie-ins to faith, prayer, Christianity, or The Lord Himself.

So What? What does faith really have to do with a critical appraisal of the next president? Recent history indicates that there is virtually no correlation between a candidate’s profession of faith and competency in the oval office.

Jimmy Carter was the most outwardly pious, sanctimonious presidental candidate in memory- and the worst president. President Carter was unceremoniously tossed by the electorate after four years in which he “led” America to double digit inflation, 20% interest rates and a series of foreign policy debacles culminating in the shameful specter of US diplomats being held captive for over a year by Iranian Muslim militants (they were freed only after the inauguration of President Reagan). If Mr Carter were a candidate in the current environment, he would be on his knees, bible in hand, leading pray-ins on Leno and Letterman. And if elected, would still be a horrible president. And for all of his displays of piety and proclamations of humanity, Jimmy Carter is a dedicated anti-Semite to boot.

Born-again George Bush blatantly brandished his faith while courting Christian voters in 2000, going so far as to proclaim Jesus Christ as his personal hero during a debate. Clearly a deeply devoted Christian, at best President Bush has been a lesser evil than candidates Gore and Kerry. And the Bush II presidency is to be gratefully credited with the legislation outlawing partial birth abortion and the Bush tax cuts.

But those achievements are clearly outweighed by the failures. The war in Iraq has been horribly mismanaged. And as over 4,000 of America’s finest gave their lives in the name of national security, America’s southern border was left wide open to possible terrorist infiltration. During the Bush years, millions of illegal immigrants were allowed to pour across these open borders breaking the backs of our healthcare systems, schools and social service agencies. During his stewardship, from 2001 thru 2006, George W Bush, and his republican congress, also presided over one of the most disgraceful government spending sprees in history. Apparently the president had faith that future generations will find an easy way to pay for it.

Ronald Regan, though well known as a man of faith, was not one to make overt professions of piety. Faith was not emphasized during his two campaigns. Yet he proved to be one of our great presidents, who left America, and the world, far better off for his eight years in office.

Candidate Reagan spent virtually no time taking about his faith, but the American people could clearly sense in his sincerity and clearness of purpose, a leader for America and the free world. Unlike the squeaker elections that gave us presidents, Carter, Clinton and Bush, Ronald Regan was elected by a wide majority in 1980 and by virtual landslide in 1984. America knows the real thing when they see it.

In the election of 2008, Obama girls and fainters aside, it is clear by the polls that no one seems to see the real thing in either candidate. But as conscientious Christian American voters, we should know by now that all the pointed professions of faith by Senators Obama and McCain we sat through during the Saddleback forum, should have very little to do with selecting one or the other to be our next president.

So come November, vote based upon your reasoned opinions, your common sense and conscience. But don’t be foolish enough to put one of these men in the White House because he managed to “sell ‘em Jesus” on a Saturday night.