[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]T[/dropcap]In the last 30 or so years the importance of Jesus in US elections has increased substantially. This is in the situation where Christianity– in the church going/ family values sense – has seen a decline.
The number of births out of wedlock has increased to more than 50 percent and that itself shows the weakening of traditional Church influence on American citizens.
But the campaigners particularly on the Republican side wants to project themselves as “true believers” and “Born again Christians”. Even the democrats can’t project themselves as agnostics and Obama visited his Church and showed that he is a “believer”.
Majority of number of births in the last year were that of non-whites and many were to first and second generation migrants. For Information Technology and University oriented Indians, Unites States implies California and Boston – West and North-East.
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]B[/dropcap]ut there are vast areas US populated by aging Whites in the Bible belt as well as what is called as “home land”. Many of us may not have heard about South and North Dakota or even Kansas and South Carolina or Louisiana. The number of what are called red-necks in these areas are as much in abundance as Parthenium in Bangalore parks. Most are semi-literate and do not possess any passports and would not know the difference between Iraq and India and also between Muslims and Hindus leave alone Sikhs.
This segment has several groupings like Gun lobby/ Tea Party lobby/ Evangelical/ Pro-life etc. Some of them are intersecting groups and most of them are angry. They feel “their” United States founded on the principle of Christian principles – which is contested by many – is lost and the reason for that is the liberals and homosexuals and Pro-abortion and “ghetto-blacks” groups. Now Islam is added as a new threat thanks to Trump.
The white ageing America cannot win elections for POTUS but can create enough local level damage. Jesus is now more like being “secular” in India – everybody says they are secular but nobody believes them. Same way every candidate in US claims he is a “Church going / Believer in values of Bible” but no one believes them.
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]T[/dropcap]here is a race between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz who are fighting for the Bible thumpers more for financing needs.. it is important to remember that US elections require millions of dollars of money and other than business groups the Church groups have become a major source of funding.
Hence that requires genuflection before these “born again” groups. These groups may not support a single candidate since each group has its own agenda and predilections. One thing which unites them all is the perception that US is not what it used to be. Most of “Jesus groups” are aging ones. The younger lot is not so enthusiastic. Women are less enthusiastic than men. Of course colored people like Latinos may be God fearing and Church going but may not share the views of the “Born agains”.
This will only increase the frustrations of these groups and their inability to control White House and can give rise to individuals of these groups indulging in violence and mayhem.
The future of US belong to settlers of another dimensions – not that of Irish and Italians but that of Latinos / Chinese/ Indians and even Vietnamese.
The Bible belt knows it and it is angry about it but demography is destiny and it cannot do much about it.
Cho S Ramaswamy Visiting Chair Professor of Public policy[CRVCPPP]
Sastra University
An expert in Finance and a two times Fulbright Scholar, Prof. R Vaidyanathan is a much sought after author, speaker and TV commentator on all items related to Money and Finance.
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“Jesus as a candidate in US elections” – very good analysis