Things aren’t much different here at the University of Mississippi than they were at my Christian preparatory school. Though Ole Miss is officially non-denominational, the campus has a very Christian feel. Bible studies are a dime a dozen here. Churches and thirteen Christian student organizations compete with fraternity parties for turning out large crowds. Hundreds of Bible-clutching students routinely gather in Oxford to watch a guitar-wielding worship leader carry a contemporary Christian tune.
Most of the time, these students’ faith in Christ translates into faith in George W. Bush. When I went looking for Democrats at campus bible studies, most students just laughed in my face. Some squirmed at my question. A few clever ones pointed fingers unsuspecting friends, calling them “Democrats” as though membership in the party were some kind of unpopular disease.
John Kerry will have to compete with that kind of stigma at my school if he wins the Democratic nomination. Of course, there are some voters among the faithful here who don’t fall lockstep behind the GOP. Plenty of religious students are upset about the Bush administration’s handling of prewar intelligence and the struggling economy nationwide. But students affiliated with religious groups like Campus Crusade and Reformed University Fellowship are almost unanimously opposed to abortion and gay marriage. In the current political climate, it’s hard for religious students to stifle their beliefs on those issues and support a Democratic nominee.
Bush’s biggest advantage, meanwhile, may lie in the almost iconic images of his own Christian faith. The president has made tremendous headway with Ole Miss’ student believers by showing them he shares their beliefs. It’s easier for students to accept some of the president’s more controversial decisions since they believe he’s arrived at them through prayer. Campus Christians forgive the President’s missteps, accept his humanity and ultimately believe he is guided by a higher purpose. Bush’s frequent use of religious language in political speeches helps too. By publicly practicing his religion, the president makes himself accessible to all the students here who share his beliefs.
Considering these advantages it’s no wonder that John Kerry has hinted he won’t fight too hard for the South. Plenty of Ole Miss students seem to believe that Bush has God on his side. That’s enough for them to trust the president with four more years in the White House.
