Faith Matters: Can Politics Exist Without Faith?

Will Bond is Chairman of Arkansas Democratic party. "Part of who a person is, is their faith, so it plays a role in politics because of that. Their faith is a part of who they are."

Doyle Webb is Chairman of Arkansas Republican party. "People of faith, and the freedom to think is very important in politics and there may not be enough of that."

They add, personal beliefs are important and they play a role when it comes to making decisions that shape the country.

Bond says, "What they believe and how they believe it and how they arrive at conclusions is important for people."

Webb adds, "What Arkansas democrats feel is important is responsible solutions based leadership. No matter what a person's faith."

Betsy Singleton Snyder is the pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Little Rock. She's also former Congressman Vic Snyder's wife.

She says, "As a pastor and I've been married to a person who's served in representative government...I do think that there are beliefs that impact an individual but I also believe that individual has to look at the whole picture because they are serving a variety of people with a variety of beliefs."

No matter which side of the aisle you take, Rev. Snyder cautions that as politics and faith goes the golden rule should go also.

She says, "Jesus was very much about us being neighbors to one another in ways that don't divide and that didn't hurt one another, so I think we should all be careful about that."