Civil Debate, Maybe Graced by the Subject

I got a letter this week from a former newsroom friend. He recently took a job as an editor of a faith-based publication, a career move that surprised many of us.

He wrote:

“It is different, in a great way, to be here and not in a daily newspaper environment. The best thing about this place is that I’m doing the Lord’s work. His presence permeates this place--from meetings that begin with prayer to the respectful way everyone treats everyone else. Odd, but nice, to be in an office with such little gossip.”

I tossed the note on top of the mound of papers that always threatens to engulf my desk and headed over to Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa to hear a panel discussion about “God on the Campaign Trail.”

The speakers, a mix of Christian and Jewish attorneys, were natural adversaries: a conservative evangelical, the general counsel for the liberal People for the American Way Foundation, a 1st-Amendment specialist and a public-interest attorney who works to protect the free expression of all religious traditions.

With so many contentious religious issues swirling around the presidential campaign, I imagined a high-octane speak-fest, with the decorum falling somewhere between the action on “Crossfire” and “Jerry Springer.”

Turned out I was wrong.

The panelists were indeed intelligent and passionate about their respective causes. They delivered great anecdotes, forceful arguments and nice flourishes of political rhetoric, each from a unique viewpoint.

Lots on Political Horizon

The 60 audience members learned that:

* President Lincoln’s second inaugural address was as much a sermon as a speech.

* The recent pronouncements of faith by political candidates were a double-edged sword. Putting faith into the public arena can be seen as either a reflection of the candidate’s good character or a blatant attempt to pander to the electorate and, in the process, trivialize religion.

* The panelists gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to Stephen L. Carter’s new book, “God’s Name in Vain: The Wrongs and Rights of Religion in Politics.”

* The next president’s most likely legacy will be his Supreme Court appointments, which could affect the relationship between religion and government for decades.

* Forest Montgomery, the general counsel for the National Council of Evangelicals, doesn’t want the Ten Commandments posted in public schools, isn’t for prayer before football games or mandatory prayer in classrooms. “I can’t reconcile that with loving your neighbor,” Montgomery said, saying such actions could make non-Christians feel excluded.

* Douglas Mirrel, the 1st Amendment attorney, thinks politicians should spend less time publicly talking about their personal religiosity and more time on civil religiosity: “You may have your hand on a Bible, but you don’t take an oath to God. You take an oath to defend the Constitution.”

* Anthony Picarello, legal counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, is worried that the government is indeed trying to establish a religion: “Secularism.”

* Elliott Mincberg, general counsel for the People for the American Way Foundation, believes that “religion and politics will continue to be mixed. This won’t end next week [after the elections.] There’s a thirst for the divine.”

No Hostility Needed

And that was it. The evening of debate on religion and politics--a volatile mix that you’re supposed to refrain from talking about in polite company--seemed a little strange.

During the entire 90 minutes, there were no raised voices, interruptions, rolled eyes, smirks, finger pointing, snide remarks or personal attacks.

The panelists were actually nice to each other. Even when they disagreed. One speaker would often throw his arm around his colleague and explain to him--as a father would to his son--the error of his thinking.

The harshest retort: “Hogwash!”

That begot: “One man’s hogwash is another man’s fervent belief.”

Driving home, I thought about my day. The kindness my friend found at his new job. The underlying gentleness the panelists displayed while debating a heated issue.

Religion seemed to be the common denominator.

William Lobdell is the religion reportor-editor for The Times’ Orange County edition. His column runs Saturday. His e-mail address is bill.lobdell@latimes.com.