Why do speechwriters in the US often use religious words?

Because they are effective. Speeches are about rhetorical persuasion, not rational argument. Religious language is one way to get people emotionally invested in what you’re saying. Therefore, religious language makes for great oratory.

Because so much of the country is religious, and they feel more comfortable with someone who believes in and refers to a religion. Religion is a huge part of our politics, more so than many other countries.

MLK was a pastor.

Martin Luther King was a Baptist Minister.

But, to answer the question, the majority of America is Christian and respond to religious words and quotes.

Religious metaphors are also very useful because they are widely understood and easy to use.

What @SavoirFaire said.

Religion is tied closely to emotion; done properly, it’s about a relationship between yourself and God. Religiously-flavored rhetoric grants access to these heartstrings.

There are also times when there is a legitimate religious tie-in, or else the speaker is trying to make a point within the context of a religion.

Using MLK as an example isn’t good because he was a religious person. Most of the times speakers use religious words as a trap point. Most americans are religious, and hearing those words kinda gives them a connection point. The first thing you learn when writing papers is that you want the listeners to have a connection with what your saying, so that they maintain their concentration on what your talking about

Current ‘speech writers’ (especially the ones who write for Politicians) use religious words because the ultra-conservative faction is using religion as a rallying point (as in ‘you are either with us or against us’). Since few Politicians are willing to be seen as being not religious, we are now being subjected to an avalanche of religion in the speeches to which we are having to listen – being ‘religious’ has become a ‘style’. Unfortunately, too many try to out-do each other in their reach for the religious voter – it does not bode well for the separation of church & state.

A lot of speechwriters (and their clients) are religious?

Not necessarily, ‘Nullo’, but they are intelligent enough to know what the people that hire them want to hear – after all, if writing speeches is what you do for a living, then you are going to give people what they want even if you do not personally believe any of it.

That demonstrates disgusting degrees of disingenuity.

One typically refers to his fellow jellies by using the @ symbol, as in @Linda_Owl .

@Nullo Are you really surprised that there are disgusting degrees of disingenuousness in American oratorical endeavors?

@SavoirFaire, GA!

@SavoirFaire It does not. But I am vexed all the same.
Figures that you’d get the GA for my alliteration.

We’re tough on spelling errors here. Besides, I added a bit of slant alliteration of my own.

@Nullo, GA! ;0). (I obviously wasn’t paying attention!)

@SavoirFaire I see your alliterative efforts, and give them their due. “Disingenuity” is properly spelled. Its troubles lie in application.

@Nullo Can a word be properly spelled if it is not a proper word? It’s a conundrum; yes, a quandary. A question for our company.