Politicians seem to enjoy playing their Jesus card.

In the coming elections next November, religion seems to be playing a bigger part than in the past. And if past elections are any indication, alignments will start to appear on issues such as the right to life, a ban on gay marriage and the death penalty. Candidates will announce their stances, and likely hope to earn the votes of those who agree with them.

But you have to wonder how much faith really matters to anyone – whether it’s the people using it as a way to earn votes or the ones voting.

Religion is full of people who’ll use it at their convenience, no matter what they believe.

It’s kind of disgusting how politicians will use Jesus or Buddha or Allah or whoever you happen to believe in to earn your vote, because they have no other way to appeal to you. Politicians don’t even bother making promises they can’t keep anymore; instead, they ask you what your God would want.

I would bet that God wants you to vote for the person you feel will run the country best, not the man feeding you lies about his religion. Many candidates realize that immigration and globalization are going to be tough issues for many voters to understand. For several, whether Democrat or Republican, going straight to the heart with religion is an easy way to earn a vote and a home in Washington, D.C.

Religion isn’t about concerning yourself with getting the vote, nor is it about converting everyone you meet; and it’s not about using it as it’s convenient for you.

This may seem shocking, but religion is actually a set of common beliefs shared by a group of people, generally centered on a god or set of gods. Even more commonly, many people just live morally in nondenominational faiths.

On the Washington Post’s website, there is a list of the candidates and how many times they have discussed or mentioned certain issues. Rudy Giuliani has discussed abortion many times in speeches and interviews. He is pro-choice but also advertises himself as a Catholic. The Catholic Church teaches the right to life; so Giuliani appears to be trying to favor both Catholics as well as those who are pro-choice. Meanwhile, John Edwards, a Methodist, also is pro-choice although the Methodist Church generally doesn’t agree with it. Both Giuliani and Edwards have made their religion known through various websites.

Meanwhile, the most religious of all the candidates appears to be Mitt Romney, a Mormon who allows his faith to strongly influence his political decisions in all areas. He follows his beliefs not to appeal to many but because he truly believes in his faith. Yet according to a recent Pew poll, a quarter of those polled said they felt uncomfortable voting for a Mormon. Romney could have the political qualifications, but many might not vote for him because he is Mormon.

Using religion to get the vote and for no other purpose is wrong. However, it is also not right to judge a person and vote for them based on their religious beliefs. This country is not run by religion and its leaders shouldn’t be elected based on religious bias.

Religion wasn’t intended to be a political playground. People who believe have reasons for their beliefs, and the beliefs don’t dictate who to vote for.