I get flat out turned off when I see politcal candidates pandering to the religiously insane

[Stinky The Clown]

I don't give a flying fuck what they think about matters of "faith".

Yeah, I have a faith, too. What it is, is nobody's business. Neither should theirs.

[krabigirl]

1. I don't have a faith, and it makes me sick too.

[gateley]

2. It matters to a lot of people

(not to me, by the way - I'm about as anti-religion as it gets). So for those people, they should get a chance to hear the candidates' views. Just keep it in a dedicated forum like tonight's. Keep it out of the political debates.

[NJmaverick]

3. We need to come together as a nation

We need to find common ground between the religious and non-religious. That's what Obama is all about.

[Lars39]

4. Did he reach out to the non-religious tonight?

Did he stick up for their right to not believe? :hi:

[NJmaverick]

5. Yes, yes he made it a point to include the atheist

[Lars39]

8. That's good. :^)

[EFerrari]

9. Wouldn't it be pretty time consuming to reach out to people

who don't hold beliefs? Where would you start?!

"Do you believe in UFOs, astral projections, mental telepathy, ESP, clairvoyance, spirit photography, telekinetic movement, full trance mediums, the Loch Ness monster and the theory of Atlantis?" -- Ghost Busters

lol

[Lars39]

20. lol

oh, you!:P

[CANDO]

10. He absolutely did!

Look for it on the video forum or youtube. He had the balls to point out that this country isn't just a Christian nation, but a Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, etc, as well as an Atheist one.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. No. What we need to do is get religion the hell out of politics.

Religion (religious insanity, actually) is at the root of all the biggest troubles throughout history.

[riderinthestorm]

14. I agree. I am troubled that the candidates even participated in a debate such as this.

Clearly they believed it was necessary which is even more troubling.

[Beregond2]

7. ?

I can't imagine anything more important to know about candidates than what religion they subscribe too, if any, how they interpet it, how it informs their political philosophy, etc. You might as well say it is none of our business knkowing what political party they are a memeber of.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. Oh yeah?

Why?

[riderinthestorm]

12. Why is their religion the most important thing to know about a candidate?

Please explain this to me.

[Adsos Letter]

16. Why? This was designed as a secular government...

the Constitution is supposed to be the arbiter of our national direction. And it SPECIFICALLY PRECLUDES a religious test for holding office or position of trust...and what we have going in our current politics amounts to, de facto, a religious test.

And I think that is wrong.

[enlightenment]

22. Adso, I don't disagree with you, but I'm a bit confused about your

reasoning. Wasn't the debate tonight a religious test? What do you suppose would have happened in one of the candidates had stated that they didn't believe in any god or simply that they didn't have any faith?

Honestly. Not perfect world stuff - but what would really have happened? I think they would have been excoriated by both the people sponsoring the debate (a religious school) and the media who think this was next best thing to sliced bread. And they would have flushed their chances for election right down the toilet.

What happened tonight was a religious test in the true sense of the term. The candidates were tested to see if they would capitulate to the demand that they embrace faith and religion.

And they did. Tacking "atheists" onto the a list of religions barely acknowledges that there are plenty of people in this country who don't believe in any god or embrace any religion.

I am extremely disappointed in both candidates. There is enough religious pandering going on without accepting an invitation like this - it just points out the level of control that religion is exerting over our political process, which as you have rightly said, should be free from that influence.

[Adsos Letter]

24. I'm not sure what is confusing...

and I don't see us disagreeing on anything.

The fact that this country has adopted a de facto religious test to gain office or position of trust simply infuriates me. Your point that a failure to acknowledge faith "would have flushed their chances for election right down the toilet" simply underscores the matter.

And so, as the OP'er said, downline, now we have to operate within that.

And I think the unspoken fact that we do is pretty damn close to treasonous, in my humble and totally disgusted opinion.

[enlightenment]

30. Oops.

My bad - I thought your "Why?" was a response to the poster directly above you, not to the earlier post . . . I took it as an answer, not a question (okay - that made no sense . . . how about, I heard "why?" with the rising emphasis on the end instead of the dropping emphasis . . . drat - still doesn't make sense . . .)

Suffice to say - you're right. There's no disagreement between us and I'm no longer confused!

[Adsos Letter]

31. No problem...

trying to figure out the dissonance helped me focus and clarify my own thinking on the matter. :)

:hi:

[Harry Monroe]

19. I fail to see how this is important and how we can discern anything from it

Bush is a Methodist and claims to be a devout Christian. As a fellow Methodist, I am appalled. If this were some test as to their political philosophy, then I would infer that Methodists are evil. But they are not. Bush is the farthest thing from a Christian.

[Hissyspit]

23. How in the 'hell' do you know whether they are telling the truth about it?

The oppressive religious climate in this country precludes any real, honest discussion.

[nichomachus]

29. That might make sense, if . .

it mad any difference. I want to know how they feel about issues. I don't care where they got those ideas. Some people come to their ideas about issues from rational thought. Others get them from an imaginary friend in the clouds.

The problem in the US is that only certain versions of the imaginary friend story are acceptable. If you're an atheist, a Unitarian-Universalist, a member of the Church or Religious Science, or a pagan, you're not going to get elected -- not matter how ethical, compassionate, or exemplary your life is.

However, if your trot off to one of the approved churches every Sunday with a (badly translated) bible under your arm, and if you spout religious nonsense, then you can get elected even if you're a pathological liar, a corporate criminal, and a warmonger.

[Adsos Letter]

13. Article VI, section III of the Constitution:

"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

This is the law of the land, written as the Framers intended, in language which could not possibly be any clearer.

And intended, I might add, to ensure the freedom of conscience of ALL citizens in matters of religious faith.

And yet, we choose to ignore and abrogate, de facto if not de jure (yet), something designed for our own safety.

Unbelievable...

[Stinky The Clown]

15. And within that we have our choices for this election.

Shameless, pandering abrogaters.

[Adsos Letter]

17. I hear ya'. As for me......

I could not care less if they are panderers or serious as sin about their religious beliefs. The Constitution is quite clear on what is not allowed regarding public service.

That document, not the promises or reassurances of politicians is what guarantees our right to freedom of conscience under this government.

I just wish we could get some representatives with enough spine to protect our Constitution.

[Catch22Dem]

18. God is pretend

Give me a presidential candidate who says that, and I'll vote for that person. I swear, I'd probably throw away every other issue I care about, for that ONE statement.

[spoony]

21. So Mr. Rove can rely on your vote if he runs for office?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

25. It's scary when you think about it

The only greater sin Obama could have committed than associating with a nut like Reverend Wright, was if he hadn't associated with any holy man, religion or church in his life.........

I don't even think they really allow atheists to run at this point.

[anitar1]

26. Let's get religion out of politics or this nation will never heal.

Extremists do not want the country to heal. They love fighting and hating.

[stellanoir]

27. Remember when * was asked who was he favorite political strategist

and he said "Jesus Christ" back in '00. . .?

I thought, "Holy crap. He'll get us all crucified."

That forum last night made me really uncomfortable as well.

I agree with you as usual. Faith is a really personal matter.

But when there are those who advocate torture and war masquerading as Christians perhaps there is a need to have it addressed to some degree but not for a whole hour when there are so many other pressing issues.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

28. CNN has a poll right now-Is faith or religion important in your choice of presidential candidates?

It was running 62% No, to 37% yes (the backwash). (poll on front page of CNN)




When I think of this pandering I really get sick to my stomach.

[ensho]

32. Compassion Forum - what a crock

what has america come to when prez. candidates debate who has the most religious compassion (which is a compassion all to its self)

insanity.

[Lars39]

33. Sick really, when you realize the "president" just admitted to OKing torture.