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Can Gauck be president 'while living in sin?'
Published: 22 Feb 12 07:47 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/opinion/20120222-40885.html
Germans generally agree that Joachim Gauck is a good choice for president. But can the ex-pastor be the nation's moral authority while staying married to one woman yet living with another set to become First Lady? Have your say.
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Former President Christian Wulff used his soapbox to promote integration of Germany's Muslims. Others have expounded on various aspects of German society.
But some conservative politicians – particularly in the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) – have said Gauck’s personal situation makes him an odd choice to be a moral authority figure.
In fact, Gauck has been separated from his legal wife for years, but has been living with his partner Daniela Schadt since 2000.
The arrangement raised the hackles of prominent CSU Bundestag member Norbert Geis who called on Gauck to “arrange his personal affairs as quickly as possible.”
Others, including Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, have defended the likely president’s personal life, saying they’re nobody’s business. So far, Gauck has refused to comment on the matter.
Does the country’s conscience need to get properly married in order to be effective? Have your say below.
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Your comments about this article:
Why do we even need a moral authority? Aren't we intelligent people that can decide for ourselves whether an action is moral or immoral?
Honestly, who cares what his relationship status is if he's an effective leader. 1 wife, 10 wives, 15 lovers, has no bearing whatsoever on his ability to lead. To be honest, the more partners he can handle at once, the more convinced I am that A: He's able to manage his time effectively, B. Handle crises, and C. Has awesome people skills!
It really should not be an issue concerning the Presidency.
Surely this was discussed prior to his appointment and deemed not seriously significant.
or
will it become so?
In my opinion politicians can do as they like in their private time as long as it's not against the law. I guess that's why they call it "private life".
'In my opinion politicians can do as they like in their private time as long as it's not against the law. I guess that's why they call it "private life". '
Ha. Yes, as long as they are not practicing Christianity, you are fine with that. Wow, your tolerance is truly exemplary .
That being said, this office has always been one to exemplify the best in public service, sadly now we our going to compound the moral corruptness of CW with the moral indifference of Gauck.
To my mind politicians can pray on their knees to Jesus, Allah, Amun-Ra or Odin for hours, as long as they do it at home, don't bother anyone with it and fulfil their duties in their office. They can divorce, they can have girl-friends, they can be homosexual or lesbian, I don't give a @#&! about it as long as they do their job properly. I really don't care. And I am absolutely no fan of pretending to have a perfect marriage or a flawless life just for the press and public. Everybody stinks on the privy anyway.
This is certainly an unusual life style. While some playboys might think having a wife and mistress sounds cool, most feminist would throw such a man out the door.
So, is it any of our business how Gauck rationalises his personal life style in light of his former office as a protestant minister?
If we think Gauck will apply the same logical thinking he uses to rationalise his private life to his official duties, then yes it is our business. If we think he will use a different yardstick for his official duties than he uses in private, then the answer is no.
This is nothing more than the old debate of whether or not "character" matters when it comes to public office holders. Some people say "yes it does", some people say "no it doesn't".
My observation is that when a politician's character is questionable, their supporters say it doesn't matter while their opponents say it does (recall all the discussions surrounding Clinton or Schröder).
Unfortunately we can only know afterwards when we compare the rationalisations for their public acts with the rationalisations for their private behaviour whether or not politicians can keep the two realms separate.
This has nothing to do with feminism. His actual wife can claim herself to be a feminist, if she is the one making her own choices to divorce him or remain married to him.
Hillary Clinton is a feminist, but it's up to her to accept her husband as he is and remain with him, despite his affair(s). It's the power over exercising her own choices that makes her a feminist, not Bill's behavior.
"Sin", "Family values", "Morals"... a pile of voodoo to distract the conversation from reality. These are just the thin end of the wedge which opens the crack into the "room with too many lawyers, police, judges, concentration camps."
this is just awesome!!!!!!!
Morality, I don't think so. Germany needs honest politicans and this man seems to fit the ticket. As long as he is forthright about finances,again, who cares?
Also, who among us is in a postion to judge him?
He sounds good for the country, bring him on!
I was wondering though if Gauck's girlfriend, or however she correctly may be referred, and Merkel have the same barber or hair stylist. They do look eerily similar in their severely cropped tidy little hair-dos. Maybe that's a sign that Gauck will be a good fit for the job.
But after all, he's always been honest and does not hide it and -in contrast to many other politicians, esp. Wulff- he does not preach water whilst having wine.
For my liking, he's far better than those "pillars of society" who attend mass twice a week, but when at home beat their wives or mess around with their own or neighbours' kids...
There is no need for me to know what anybody does in his bedroom as long as both partners are adults, able-minded and act in mutual consent.
And for the hardcore-Christians: Read the story of the Samaritan!
The Wonderer
Taking money, then being sneaky about it and then retiring with 200,000 Euro a year for life! Now that is immoral!
well, if it involves his family then that means he has hurt and set a strange example for the members of his family, who are part of society. normally, there are laws against hurting other people. we don't have that, but at least you could have the strength to call it what it is.
spouses and children who are hurt by the disloyal actions of a family member, will be jaded to one degree or another. that hurt and the ripples it causes moving outward damage society. so how can we judge what goes on between him and his family? the same way we would if he was beating his wife or stealing from her, etc...
us? Hahaha it it pathetic? No wonder that an Austrian misfit could get it right to lead us proud Germans into Armageddon? What the hell is next?? We are already catering to the Immans, Banks and Homosexuals and now? Gauck get married and make us proud of you, even if it is only for morality"s sake. It is after all, (for here and now) the right thing to do........
"It is rather strange to see how many European countries were, or are, being run by leaders who are not even capable of sorting out their own family life. Morality would no longer seem to be a requirement when decisions of national or world importance are made."
________________________
What has marriage got to do with morality? Would you call Newt Gingrich's marriages morality?? Ha! I'm happy NOT to have this insanely stuffy GOP attitude here in Berlin. Long live Stephanie Miller and her sexy Liberals!
Either way it is irrelevant as it does not affect his ability to do the job. I do not base my judgments of morals based on religious beliefs. I do not want to be ruled by anyone who bases their decisions on a fictional god. Any persuasion towards one religion or another automatically makes them biased and I would prefer a leader who sees the whole picture and not just their distorted view of the world. They can them make decisions that is for the WHOLE population.
Sometimes marriages fail and for different reasons. Maybe it was the wife that was the problem. It isn't always them man's fault !!