Upon entering the college campus, we were “greeted” by two groups – Divided We Fail (which deals with affordable health care) and anti-abortionists.    Messiah is a small Christian college near Harrisburg, PA; it is not a hub of multi-religious life.  Yet, the Forum presented an opportunity for representatives of many religious faiths – Jewish, Christian and Muslim – to voice their concerns and pose questions to each candidate. 

The Forum allotted equal time to each candidate.  And each candidate was able to address real human, heart-wrenching questions that were posed to them – topics that included reproductive rights, euthanasia, China’s abuse of human rights and the environment – as well as questions about their personal religious beliefs.  There was a time constraint and so, of course, many other topics could not be addressed. The forum was a live taped event and the questions, were not rehearsed. At times, you could see the candidates struggling to find the right words to convey the right sentiments.  But when Senators Clinton and Obama spoke, they made themselves vulnerable, and they spoke passionately and from the heart.  (The full transcript of the event: http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0804/13/se.01.html)

As uncomfortable as it may be for many to speak about and hear about religion in the public square, Americans need to listen to more of this type of rhetoric.  The candidates’ language doesn’t always have to be polished – and it is often more honest when comments are made off the cuff.  In this era when we feel a sense of entitlement to know every thing about every one, it is especially important for voters to know how and why a candidate reaches his or her decision on any given issue – especially on issues that strike a chord deep within our consciences. 

The Republican Party, relying heavily on religious beliefs, has always been able convey such messages clearly.  And since the 2000 elections, the Democratic Party has similarly tried to send a clear message to Americans to bridge this “God-Gap.” Democrats have proven that they too rely on their faith beliefs to help reach these important policy decisions – and that such decisions are not limited to questions of abortion, gay marriage and euthanasia.  

That brings me back to Senator McCain’s absence.  I’m sorry that he was not a part of the Compassion Forum.  Whether you were the one asking the question or the one answering it, there was a place for every type of person, from every background, at this event.  And because this was a forum and not a debate, it really would have been a good opportunity, with much of America tuning in, to listen to Senator McCain describe how his conscience dictates his actions:  to hear, in this setting, how he wants to make lives better both in America and around the world.  No doubt, there were tough questions, and there were some tough moments. I understand that there are many demands made on a presidential candidate’s schedule – and that Senator McCain receives far more invitations that he can accept; still, partaking in this forum would have been a valuable and powerful use of his time.