Journalism Has a Religion Problem

I recall hearing in college a little throwaway line: “Do you know what you get when you talk about religion and politics? Politics.”

This is an expression meant to cynically demonstrate how politics ends up infecting everything. But rather than go with cynicism, why not ask the obvious: If politics is about ordering our lives together in society, how could one’s deepest convictions, which are typically viewed as the province of religion, not spill over into political concerns?

Everyone, “secular” and “religious” alike, should state the foundations of their beliefs about morality and justice. If you are an atheist, just admit that your views on justice stem from figures such as David Hume and Charles Darwin. If you are a Christian, just admit that your views ultimately stem from the Judeo-Christian worldview. Being clear about those foundations allows us to go about the task of sorting out our real differences within a democracy. Fully airing our views allows us to be honest about the possibility of convergence or, instead, irreconcilable disagreement.