Blog Post 5: Lyndon B. Johnson & Richard Nixon

In chapter two of God in the White House, by Randall Balmer, he discussed the religious beliefs and influences that both Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon had during their presidencies. Lyndon B. Johnson had a mixture of influences growing up from his mother who considered herself as a Baptist and his father whose religious beliefs had roots in Christadelphians, but did not have as much thought into formal religious beliefs. LBJ gravitated toward a Protestant group, and eventually become baptized. Johnson held onto this belief of the stronger looking after the weaker which was taught to him as a child by his mother about his role in his family. He took this belief into his presidency and into his philosophy. He brought it to his policies and bills that were passed under him as a president such as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Johnson brought this way of thinking into his prosecution on the Vietnam war. Balmer, referred to Johnson as having the essentials or knowing the "golden rule" to Christianity. His vision for America consisted of this idea of creating a "Great Society" that would use these "golden rule" Christian values of banishing poverty, banning racial discrimination, and banning the inadequate access to healthcare, but all these reforms were undermined by his persistent dedication to the Vietnam war (56-57). Ones who opposed the war, questioned his moral visions of the "Great Society". Major Catholic and Protestant voices raised opposition towards Johnson view on being involved in the war. Some conservative Protestants said that Johnson could be the man that saved Christianity. LBJ had major backlash from both his past Catholic and other religious groups supporters because of the Vietnam War. 

Richard Nixon converted to evangelical Christianity as a boy, but similarly to Johnson he was said to be a man of abiding faith. Nixon held worship services in the White House when he was elected president. He may have not been as public about his Christian faith or "golden rule" Christian faith as Johnson, but he had a strong advocate known as Billy Graham. Graham "detected vast reservoirs of piety and moral vision" (64) for Nixon. Graham was not only a gave spiritual advice, but also political. For instance, Graham wanted Nixon to elect an opposing evangelical of the Vietnam War as his running mate. Nixon didn't seem to have a personal religious and moral reasoning behind the Vietnam War without influences like Graham. Throughout Nixon’s scandals, he lost his support because of all his lies. He did remain with some support of Billy Graham who still referring to Nixon as a "great man". Graham had also said that he was more upset about Nixon’s foul language in the tapes that were released than by his “attempts to subvert the constitution” (67). Nixon's moral and Christian values would seem to show less in "attempts to subvert the constitution" rather than his foul language.