評論
打印
With Mitt Romney's presidential nomination confirmed in a barnstorming acceptance speech two days ago,
米特·羅姆尼兩天前的提名巡回演講進一步鞏固了他總統(tǒng)候選人提名的身份。
the race to the White House is now well under way.
通往白宮的角逐正在順利展開。
For most of us outside the United States, the battle for power is as inscrutable as a test match is to the average American.
對于我們這些局外人而言，權(quán)力的斗爭就像美國民眾眼中的國際橄欖球錦標賽一樣難以預料。
In the coming months the party machines will meander across America's consciousness.
在以后的數(shù)月里，各政黨組織將成為美國人時刻關(guān)注的對象。
For a whole litany of reasons, presidential politics is an Olympian spectacle like no other,
由于種種原因，和其他政治活動不同，總統(tǒng)競選是威嚴莊重的，
not least because religious belief is an indispensable political accessory for presidents.
不僅僅因為宗教信仰是總統(tǒng)的一件不可缺少的政治附屬品。
America definitely does do God.
美國確實信奉上帝。
But for the first time the nation finds itself in something of an understated dilemma:
然而，這個國家頭一次發(fā)現(xiàn)自已陷入一個進退兩難的境地：
America has an African-American incumbent whose Christian credentials continue to be challenged,
非洲裔美國人很難拿到基督教證明，
and a Mormon whose faith has been marginalised by mainstream America.
摩門教徒被主流宗教信仰排擠。
In the next three months the entire world will be drawn into the events of this campaign, which will have consequences for the whole world.
在接下來的三個月內(nèi)，這場大選將吸引全世界的目光，其結(jié)果會造成世界性的影響。
And rightly, we will hope that political substance will trump platitudes and costly, negative adverts.
而且，我們希望這次選舉不再充斥著陳詞濫調(diào)以及昂貴且毫無作用的廣告。
But there will be many like myself, people of faith,
不過，有許多人和我一樣是虔誠的教徒，
who are anxious to see what the relationship between the God talk and campaigning looks like in the months ahead.
急切地想一睹未來幾個月里上帝箴言會如何對大選產(chǎn)生影響。
"Thou shalt keep things positive during presidential campaigns" would have been a very helpful bible verse.
“總統(tǒng)大選時，你應保持積極”如果圣經(jīng)有這樣一句話應該會很有幫助。
But in its absence Christians have a lot of other options to work with.
但正因沒有這句話，基督教徒們則有了許多其他選擇。
Whatever things are lovely think on these. Do not repay evil for evil. Do not bear false witness. Speak the truth in love. The list is endless.
“不管事物是否美好，你都應該面對。”“不可以惡報惡。”“不可作假證。”“用愛心說實話。”諸如此類，舉不勝舉。
I'll be the first to admit that in the heat of political battle such ideas can turn out to be simplistic
我承認，在政治斗爭中，這樣的思想太過單純，
and a little hard to bolt onto our strategic plans when the stakes are high.
當賭注太高的時候，這些想法很難和政治決策脫離干系。
But these are religious ideas for religious people.
但這些是宗教信徒的宗教思想。
A so-called "fact-free environment" is a dangerous place to be.
所謂的“無事實環(huán)境”是十分危險的。
And if our politics is to deliver substance over rhetoric it will need powerful and enduring values as much as effective policies.
如果我們的政見不是夸夸其談，而是傳遞實質(zhì)內(nèi)容，那么強有力的價值觀和有效的政策措施同等重要。
All of us who believe that faith should inform public duty
所有認為必須把社會責任賦予信仰的人
must transcribe these lofty aspirations into the realities of a competitive world for the common good.
都必須把雄心壯志轉(zhuǎn)化成現(xiàn)實，在競爭激烈的社會中為大眾謀福祉。
That, after all, is the whole point of a living faith.
這才是活著的信仰的全部含義。
