Kenneth D. Wald Quote

"Given the ambiguity of religious texts and teachings, the mixed historical record, and the empirical evidence, it would be foolhardy to assert that religious faith necessarily upholds democratic values."

by:	Kenneth D. Wald
Source:	Religion and Politics in the United States, 1986
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Categories:	Religion, Democracy, Freedom, Liberty, Spirituality, Responsibility, Agnostic
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foolhardy ? What are democratic values ? Values that portray the malignant totalitarianism that is democracy ? The values associated with a democratic process in a de jure representative republic ? By a broad but hard set definition of religion, it is precisely religious faith that upholds democratic values (both good and bad). There is a great ambiguity within religious texts and teachings. Religion has an abundantly arrayed, extremely mixed historical record (some phenomenal, some good, some poor, some horrific), all fraught with empirical evidence. Is it foolhardy to assert that it is specifically and literally religious faith that necessarily upholds the democratic values of the occupying statist theocracy that infests this land ? NO ! It does ! Due to man's religious ambiguity, some religious faith will uphold democratic values, some won't. By empirical evidence, it is apparent that the author's here statement is an attempt to redefine religious faith (throwing out the baby with the bath water) and hold up as superior, democratic values.  -- Mike, Norwalk
It would be foolhardy to assert that religious faith necessarily upholds democratic values. It would be more foolhardy to assert that religious faith has anything to do with democratic values.  -- Guest
this is his own 'fool-hardy' summation of, what I assume, is a slap at God's Holy Word, the Bible. Not only is it the most read book in the world, but, it's historical (archaeological) accuracy is being confirmed daily. 'I have found, personally, that one has to experience 'religious faith', to ever hope to be able to comprehend it, to tout its eternal veracity, or, on the other hand, to decide against and denounce it.' My Quote - Layna Jan Wilson Vancouver, Canada.  -- LAYNA JAN WILSON, VANCOUVER CANADA
Thank God that people who have a value system and core of moral and ethical beliefs do not necessarily uphold democratic values. Our nation has twice democratically elected a man with a political vision antithetical to all that is good, courageous, and noble in our nation. We have a nation which more than 50% vote is paid for with welfare and obamaphones. A democracy will function well only if the electorate is moral and intelligent. Witness hitler, and obama to understand the issue clearly.  -- joe stimpert, Rochester
In the middle ages the church ruled and government was no republic.  -- cal, lewisville, TX
Mr. Wald knows not what he speakth. He must not know anything about the history of America. The Founding Fathers knew that only a "Republic" Under God would be successful as the new nation moved forward. They to a man considered "Democracy" as "Despotism" which is "Tyranny" and Mob Rule. Over 65% of data used for the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution was from the Bible. A few of the hundreds and hundreds of Founder’s quotes: “The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity” President John Adams “The name of the Lord (says the Scripture) is a strong tower; thither the righteous flee and are safe [Proverbs 18:10]. Let us secure His favor and He will lead us through the journey of this life and at length receive us to a better” Samuel Adams “I am a real Christian – that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ” President Thomas Jefferson “While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.” President George Washington “A watchful eye must be kept on ourselves lest, while we are building ideal monuments of renown and bliss here, we neglect to have our names enrolled in the Annals of Heaven” President James Madison “Sensible of the importance of Christian piety and virtue to the order and happiness of a state, I cannot but earnestly commend to you every measure for their support and encouragement.” John Hancock Even Benjamin Franklin “As to Jesus of Nazareth, my opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the system of morals and His religion as He left them to us, the best the world ever saw or is likely to see.” “The simple believes every word, But a wise man considers a matter.” Proverbs 14:15  -- Taylor Hoynes, Cumming GA
Taylor Hoynes, I'd be careful with that Thomas Jefferson Quote you used. Jefferson was a Deist and did not believe in the virgin birth, the resurrection, and despised the teaching of the trinity. Proverbs 14:15 could read, "The simple believes every word in the Bible, but a wise man considers a matter".  -- jim k, Austin, Tx
Lanya Jan Wilson, what on earth does the term 'God's Holy Word" even mean. That God somehow wrote or dictated the Bible ? If he did , then someone should have told him or the various writers that the world is round . The Bible was written by a lot of primitive people who thought that epilepsy was demon possession . You say it's historical accuracy is being confirmed daily, then you must be reading different scientists than I read. Check out Neal Degrasee Tyson on YouTube and you may get another idea. I doubt that you will since Bible thumpers like you are more interested in believing than questioning or thinking.  -- jim k, Austin, Tx
I was a longtime fundamentalist until I woke up.  -- jim k, Austin, Tx
The fool says in his heart; "There is no God."  -- Denise, Colorado
This quote is ambiguous.  -- warren, olathe
The deist crap is over sold. I doubt that the founding fathers had any idea what a deist was. Jefferson and the other founders with perhaps the exception of Franklin, were Christians. People try to pervert history for their own purposes and the rest of us get sucked up in it through ignorance. The founding fathers believed that religion was a personal choice not a choice to be made by the government. The use of a generic god in the documents and writings pertaining to government philosophy were an indication of this fact and not of their religious convictions.  -- warren, olathe
hey jim, for your information the bible refers to the earth in Isaiah as being round. That is a hell of a long time before men ever figured it out and other that god Isaiah had no source for that information. Sorry for your ignorance but many have been trying for long time to use the sciences to disprove the bible all unsuccessful. Many have started out to disprove and became converts in the process. You may not be able to prove the bible 100% accurate but you can not disprove it either.  -- warren, olathe
warren, long time no hear from, it would be great if you could jump in more often.  -- Mike, Norwalk
As far as the quote goes, religious texts and teachings (pick a religion) do NOT uphold democratic values -- how could they? Religious sentiments or dogma cannot be up for vote. Of course, democratic values do not hold up 'republican' values either. ;-) Do not look for 'democracy' to uphold rights to property, or individual rights at all, only collective rights treating everything as 'public' and up for vote. Regarding the quotes by Taylor above, well, they are selective and some taken out of context. There is a big difference between Christian as an adjective and Christian as a noun. All Englishmen were 'Christians' by birth as well as subjects to the Crown -- to question the divine inspiration of the Bible was heresy and punishable by torture and death. Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin have a great deal of writings AFTER the freedom of religion was secured. I have no interest in trying to change a religionist's mind about his beliefs, but if you want to claim these Founders believed what you believe, you need only read ALL of these gentlemen's writings on the subject. And BTW, the knowledge that the world was round has been known for thousands of years by ancient astrologers/astronomers -- the shadow of the Earth during an eclipse was evidence to those that understood. The Bible has not added anything to science, but its followers have done a great deal to prevent scientific discoveries not in accordance with the Bible. There's not an astronomer or geologist in the world that does not know that the Earth is billions of years old, contrary to what some who call themselves Christian believe because of their interpretation of the Bible. Belief in God is one thing, belief in the Bible another, belief in the teaching of Jesus another, and the belief in the divinity of Jesus and his Salvation yet another.  -- E Archer, NYC

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