Politicking Religiously From Bully Pulpits

It worked for Billy Graham and a couple generations of sinners, so why not for the Rev. Jesse Jackson?

You give a speech, you touch their souls and then you beseech them to come forward and repent.

From pulpits around the world, Graham has gone in search of the unchurched.

On Monday at Santa Ana College, Jackson went in search of the unregistered.

After talking politics to the student crowd, Jackson exhorted the politically unbaptized in the crowd of about 300 to 400 to come forward. Press accounts indicate about 25 people responded, which suggests that Jackson either lacks Graham’s persuasiveness or that politics is a tougher sell than Paradise. Perhaps some inspirational music would have helped.

What better symbolism for this election year--in which presidential candidates are talking a lot of religion--than to have a preacher-politician blend the two in one crowd-pleasing move?

When you think about it, though, how much difference is there between politics and religion?

Both involve personal decisions of the head and the heart.

Both can provoke strenuous arguments.

Both attract strong, charismatic personalities to leadership roles.

Both are designed to be participatory. Sure, you can sit on the sidelines, but, if you’re a true believer, isn’t it better to get involved?

We could go on.

I’ll give Jackson one thing. He is, after all, a man of the cloth.

But what about our presidential candidates, who sometimes have sounded on the campaign trail as though they’d like to add a clerical title to their names?

Always Seeking God’s Endorsement

With Democrat Joe Lieberman and Republican George W. Bush being most outspoken in their professions of faith, the four national-ticket candidates have at times overwhelmed us with their protestations of belief.

Orange County politicians, usually not ahead of the curve, may have been on this one. They probably hit their religious peak in the 1990s, when a group of influential Republican Party leaders were closely identified with Christian conservatism.

That strain seems less evident today, as even the local party itself has dueled over how closely it wants to be associated with politics that invoke religion.

Still, says county GOP Executive Director Bill Christiansen, the national invoking of religion “shows that people are very concerned about restoring morality and dignity to public offices.”

Since most people’s sense of morality stems from their religious upbringing, Christiansen says, it’s not surprising that religion has entered the public dialogue.

A Republican partisan, Christiansen is happy to connect the dots from this year’s increased talk of religion to President Clinton’s ethical lapses.

When Clinton leaves, I asked Christiansen, does that suggest the increased emphasis on religion this year will prove a fad?

“I think it’s always there,” he said. “It’s not something that goes in or out of vogue.”

I beg to differ. The subject seems much more in vogue now than ever, at least on the national scene.

Locally, one wonders if the evangelism that streaked Republican politics will ever surface again.

If it does, it most likely will be in Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez’s reelection race against Gloria Matta Tuchman.

The burning moral issue? Sanchez’s decision to hold a fund-raiser in August at the Playboy Mansion. Once the Republicans got hold of that one and made a stink, the Democratic National Committee panicked, chastised Sanchez and made sure the event was moved.

Christiansen says Tuchman’s polling indicates the Playboy issue might work to her benefit.

Well, if you see a wave you might as well ride it.

In the meantime, could a Tuchman offensive force Sanchez to “go religious”?

Which brings us back to Jesse Jackson.

A coincidence that the reverend was here on her behalf?

I think not.

Jackson and Sanchez probably talked politics.

And religion.

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Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers can reach Parsons by calling (714) 966-7821 or by e-mail to dana.parsons@latimes.com.