Religion Watch Archives

Monitoring Trends in Religion - From February 1990 to January 2016

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Archives
    • By Issue
    • By Article
    • By PDF (2008-14)
    • By PDF (1985-97)
    • All Articles
  • Sections
    • Current Research
    • Findings & Footnotes
    • On/File
  • Google Search
You are here: Home / Archive / Amish politically activated by Bush campaign?

Amish politically activated by Bush campaign?

November 1, 2004 by Richard Cimino

Print-friendly

The Amish are attracting new attention for their potential voting power and, in turn, have become more politically involved. The Economist (Oct. 16) reports that Republicans have been courting the Amish in the battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio.

The election boards in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Holmes County, Ohio, have seen a surge in Amish names among those registering to vote. The article adds, “The Amish seem to feel that one of their own is in the White House. Mr. Bush’s foreign wars do not accord with Amish pacifism, but his religious conviction and his stance on social issues [such as on gay marriage and abortion] have got their hearts aflutter.”

Although some church leaders are still cautioning against voting, the matter is left up to each individual, and some Amish have even joined activist ranks, launching informal voter-drives. One danger of the Amish entering politics is that they may draw criticism for the privileges they have won to maintain their culture, such as exemption from Social Security taxes, as well as draw more unwanted publicity to themselves.

 

Print-friendly

Filed Under: Archive

Also in this issue

  • On/File: November 2004
  • Findings & Footnotes: November 2004
  • Evangelical AIDS activists starting to debate prevention
  • Europe’s Catholics face new financial, secular challenges
  • Current Research: November 2004
  • Windsor — unlikely to heal Anglican divide
  • Faith-based social services falling short of promise?
  • Help wanted — forensic theologians
  • The rise of spiritual directors in Judaism
  • Southern Baptists’ new postmodern urban strategy
  • Postmodern churches — promise or challenge to mainline?
  • Emergence — the next science-spirituality paradigm?
  • Elections memo: The religious vote prevails?

Search the Site

Download the first issue of RELIGION WATCH (1980)

Download the first issue of RELIGION WATCH (1980)

Click on the image for downloading

© 2016-2020 Richard Cimino / Religioscope
·News Pro Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress