I’ve previously made known my stance on how the religion of a major election candidate should be treated. My goal now is to document where each major candidate stands on religion in the upcoming presidential election. This is not an exercise in reading between the lines. I am not talking about stances on abortion or gay marriage, strictly about religion. Hopefully there will be an election in my lifetime where this isn’t required knowledge before voting, but in today’s political (and religious) climate, it is required knowledge.

The following is Part 2 of a multi-part series on each candidates religious views, and how they fit into politics.

Rudy Giuliani – Roman Catholic

Quotes:

“That’s a personal discussion, and (the clergy) have a much better sense of how good a Catholic I am or how bad a Catholic I am, and that’s a matter of individual conscience. And I don’t think there should be a religious test for public office.”

“I don’t have a special appeal for the Catholic vote, nor do I have a special appeal for the Jewish vote or the African-American vote or the Hispanic vote or the Protestant vote or the evangelical vote. I’m the same guy. I don’t have different views, different accents.”

Source

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“My first class without prayers was my first day of law school.”

“I believe in God, I pray and ask him for help. I pray like a lawyer. I try to make a deal — get me out of this jam, and I’ll start going back to church.”

“No, I don’t attend Mass regularly, but I go to Mass occasionally.”

Source

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“You and I know I’m not a perfect person. I pray for forgiveness, I pray for strength…. I feel my faith deeply, although perhaps more privately than others, because of the way I was brought up.”

“We’ve got to find a way to be more inclusive. Christianity is all about inclusiveness. It’s built around the most profound act of love in human history, isn’t it? … I’m running for president of the United States because I believe I can bring us together. Strong leadership can help us find common solutions to our problems.”

Source

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More on Giuliani and religion:

Pat Robertson Endorses Giuliani

Giuliani and McCain Lead Among Evangelical Republicans

Gallup Poll

Giuliani Tries to Reassure Religious Conservatives

Bishop Says He’d Deny Giuliani Communion

Republican Candidates on Religion

Beliefnet.com’s God-O-Meter

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Summary:

Giuliani seems to be a Catholic by association only. He identifies himself as a Catholic, but doesn’t base his life or decisions on his religion. He prefers to keep his religion between himself and his church, and doesn’t believe that religion should play any role in policy making. His stances on abortion and gay marriage confirm his willingness to make political decisions that may contradict his religion’s stance.

As the 2008 Presidential campaign rolls on, Giuliani’s faith is being questioned more and more. Mostly because of his stance on abortion, Giuliani is facing fierce opposition in the religious world. Conservative Christians have vowed to run a third-party candidate if Rudy gets the GOP nomination, based only on his religious views.

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This page will be continuously updated with new quotes, or news items to provide the most accurate portrait of Giuliani’s religious viewpoints.

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