Friday, January 18, 2008

Jonathon Edwards

Though extremely late coming, here is John Edwards reply to the question of the faithless in America:

Dear Elena,

Thank you for writing John Edwards about faith in America. We
appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts and concerns
with us. We enjoy the opportunity to hear ideas from people all over
the country about issues that are important to them.

Faith has played a huge role in John's life. It does every single day;
it's what gives him strength to keep going. He grew up in the Southern
Baptist church and was baptized in the Baptist Church at a very young
age.

But, we have a strong tradition of separation of church and state in
America and Senator Edwards would not, under any circumstances, try to
impose his personal faith and beliefs on the rest of the country. He
doesn't think that's right. The president of the United States should
not use his or her belief system to govern or impose that belief system
on the rest of the country.

John Edwards has seen faith-based organizations all across the country
working on poverty. In many places, there would be no support for the
poor if there were no faith-based groups. He thinks religious
organizations should be eligible for federal funding consistent with our
civil rights laws. Many are making an incredible difference in their
communities. We shouldn't shy away from supporting what works,
consistent with those laws and with the Constitution.

And finally, the decision about whether to bear a child is one of the
most difficult and personal decisions that a woman can face. It is a
decision every woman should make with her family, her doctor, and in the
context of her religious or ethical values, but it is not a decision for
the government. John Edwards firmly believes that a woman's right to
choose is constitutionally protected. And at the same time, we should
support measures to reduce unwanted pregnancies, including improved
access to birth control and family planning services for all women.

Again, your thoughts on faith are important to us and we appreciate
hearing from you.

Sincerely,
The Edwards Team