i didn't see the mitt romney "don't hate me because i belong to a freakish religion" speech yesterday. but as i read the speech afterwards and watched the coverage following it, i am just struck by how acceptable it is that politicians brazenly pander to religion. i know, i know, this is nothing new. i shouldn't be surprised by it, and considering my own irreligiousness, i really don't have a dog in this fight.
but i don't understand why religious people aren't offended by it. politicians keep pandering because there seems to be a political benefit to doing so. but why isn't there a cost? if i were religious, i would be pretty upset by all this, where my deeply held beliefs are just part of someone's political calculus.
then again, maybe i just imagine that it would seem offensive because i am an atheist. i take for granted that no one ever panders to me. so when i imagine being pandered to, it comes across as fake. if pandering to me were the norm, maybe i wouldn't see it as pandering anymore.
