[avant-garde]

Sarah Palin has been chosen as McCain's running mate. Apparently, she flaunts her pro-God views of government, is anti-abortion, and supports the 2nd amendment (right to bear arms). McCain has just chosen a religious conservative to serve at his side.

Do we need another pious president/vice-president? Do we need people like Bush cutting funds for stem cell research mainly because he believes that it is 'playing God'? Has anyone ever wondered why people (yes, including ourselves) are so limited and bound by past memories/experiences that we make assumptions based on sentiment, bias, and pride rather than logic? Explain.

[GO!zilla]

theres a reason why the Religion sub got removed... and i think we are going to see that reason.

but discuss on, im just trolling.

[My Sweet September]

Mmm. I don't like the lady he chose either. But my parents are all for her!

Whenever I bring up separation of Church and State, my parents have always fought back with our God and religion was the foundation from which this country was built on. They are quick to point out the references to God written all over our money and such.

*sigh*

We live in country of contradictions.

[Tuffcore]

I think a better question is, "is it possible to separate church from state?" To answer this question, we first have to realize the flaws and contradictions in the idea of separating church from state to begin with.

Quite simply, many who run states are members of churches themselves. It's fair to ask these people to drop their own beliefs and serve in the best interest of the majority. However, this brings us to the second point.

From what is quite obvious, the majority of Americans believe in higher power and to take it one step further, the majority of Americans believe in the Christian God. So, given how the majority of Americans are Christian and America believes in a government that should operate in the best interest of the majority, then is it even necessary to ask for a separation of church from state when the interest of the majority are the interest of Christians anyways?

That is the only question in need of an answer.

A popular follow-up question is, "how real is God?" but the answer actually has very little to do with the original topic question because no one can verify or refute God beyond a reason of doubt. God can be verified individually but in no manner can it be done to satisfy a state. Moreover, validation through sheers numbers alone cannot be sound in either the support of God or in argument against it.

So regardless of whether God is real or not, it only needs to be known that Christians make up the Majority of America. The question, "Why is America still a church and state bond?" One can argue that America is NOT a church and state bond. America is a majority rules democracy where the majority of Americans are Christians.

[kinein]

Sarah Palin has been chosen as McCain's running mate. Apparently, she flaunts her pro-God views of government, is anti-abortion, and supports the 2nd amendment (right to bear arms). McCain has just chosen a religious conservative to serve at his side.

Do we need another pious president/vice-president? Do we need people like Bush cutting funds for stem cell research mainly because he believes that it is 'playing God'? Has anyone ever wondered why people (yes, including ourselves) are so limited and bound by past memories/experiences that we make assumptions based on sentiment, bias, and pride rather than logic? Explain.

The people whom founded the USA all were deeply religious ~ The main people that helped create the country known as the United States of America and opposed England had fled to avoid religious persecution. The end ~ on the most part most American believe in God or a higher being ~ Atheists are a minority, a vocal minority but a minority. See Muslims, Hindus, Bhuddists, Satanists, Mormons, Ancestor Worshippers, etc oh and lets not forget Catholics and Christians. You don't think that after hundreds of years of warfare and modern day religious warfare that this issue doesn't have validity to society do you?

Take a few history courses. You can start with Middle Eastern History, the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, Christianity and the Greeks and Rome, take a course of Mohammed the Prophet etc. Though the cool stuff is Greek warfare, the citystates, Zeus and Olympia!!! Very exciting. See Sparta: Ares, Athens : Athena

[MiddleMan]

The first thing I can think up as people wanting pious leader is that most of us relate someone religious as equivalent to someone having morals. I know that people who are athiests argue that they can still live morally or have stronger conviction to morals without religion, but I'm just stating the general opionion of the populous.

While Edwards has exactly shown us a great example where if you are immoral, there will be a very slim chance of winning the presidency by dropping out of the race as he admitted his guilt about him being adulterous.

[Pho�n�x]

An outsider here...

is america fulled with majority of christians??
I thought there's more atheist now in america than christians.

although I'm a christian.. i still think leaders who are christian should not mix their belief or opinion when coming to ruling a secular democratic country.
i think i would support embryonic stem cells... which is sth bush is against off...he supports somatic stem cells

these conservative christians need to be liberated!!

[Tamago86]

An outsider here...

is america fulled with majority of christians??
I thought there's more atheist now in america than christians.

The largest religion in the US is Christianity by a long shot, though only a minority of those Christians are evangelicals (power of vocal minority > silent majority though). Atheists don't really play any role politically whatsoever, mostly because having an atheist party would never gain enough popularity to compete in a two party system where you don't have proportional representation like some countries do (for example if 5% of the US votes for an atheist party then the atheist party gets 5% of the seats in congress). The religious right has very powerful clout in the US, more in terms of solid support and votes than lobbying power, so religion plays more of a role in politics and policy than it does in almost any other educated first world country (for example things like creationism are essentially an American only phenomenon). According to the constitution the US government isn't supposed to favor any religious institution, but the issue is usually pretty gray instead of black and white, from little things like printing In God We Trust on coins to more complex issues like the state department partially funding and letting boy scout organizations use government facilities such as military bases for meetings and get togethers. (The boy scouts don't allow and kick out gays and atheists on the basis that according to the Scout Oath one needs to learn to serve God to be a good scout)

Our ancestors did come to escape religious prosecution but that doesn't mean they embraced religious freedom for all by the way, Quakers especially were tarred and feathered or worse in many places in the colonial US as were Puritans when they traveled away from their respective settlements. The immigration consisted not of one group but of many different groups who came to practice their various religions in the way they wanted to, and often if you believed something else you were on the wrong side. Not saying they fled persecution to persecute, but just something to think about... People will be people.

And the religion = morals thing is hard to measure or prove that a causation exists, as some of the most non-religious countries in the world (Norway, Japan) also have the lowest crime/rape/murder rates, whereas the US despite being one of the most religious first world countries also has one of the highest crime rates out of any of the first world countries as well, and then there are those who fall in the middle and so on and so forth...

[itrayya]

first of all, im pro-choice.
i think abortions should be allowed,
im not saying people should be able to do them left and right,
but if there is a circumstance then it should be allowed.

religion and god... that topic gives me a heavy headache.
but people do use their religion to guide them,
it should guide them, but shouldnt be pushed on to others.

ah, i have a headache already.

i'll be back.
keep sharing you guys!!

[HERMIT]

As a Catholic, I've been a little more concerned with separating clergy from congregation within the church - never mind separating church from state.

[cavil.]

Sarah Palin has been chosen as McCain's running mate. Apparently, she flaunts her pro-God views of government, is anti-abortion, and supports the 2nd amendment (right to bear arms). McCain has just chosen a religious conservative to serve at his side.

Do we need another pious president/vice-president? Do we need people like Bush cutting funds for stem cell research mainly because he believes that it is 'playing God'? Has anyone ever wondered why people (yes, including ourselves) are so limited and bound by past memories/experiences that we make assumptions based on sentiment, bias, and pride rather than logic? Explain.

Answer your own question.

Regardless, you ask the believer, the atheist, the businessman, the doctor, and the mother the same question. You will get different answers. It was how we were raised, how we were taught. This is how we are, and how it always will be. Unless you tie in the agendas of those who dictate the content of much of our medium then I don't see where you are going with this.

[Oni]

Answer your own question.

Regardless, you ask the believer, the atheist, the businessman, the doctor, and the mother the same question. You will get different answers. It was how we were raised, how we were taught. This is how we are, and how it always will be. Unless you tie in the agendas of those who dictate the content of much of our medium then I don't see where you are going with this.

Best damn comment on soompi. I applaud you for stating this. It takes me paragraphs to get my point across. I take it that person has an issue with religion. Just so he/she knows. IT IS RELIGION THAT GAVE THEM THEIR DAMN RIGHT OF FREEDOM. That's how they're sitting there in front of their computer debating this topic. If not for religion then equality would not exist. You see, the population that are sheeps need a guide which is hope given to them by their shepherd. They are the ones that are capable of living in peace with themselves and others because they have a sense of direction and belonging. The ones that are the stray flock roam about endlessly without purpose, and they are the ones that do more harm than good. Destroyers of the natural order. Women's rights, civil rights are ideologies that stem from religion. Mercy and compassion stems from religion. The majority of people that donate are of religious creed. Politics can exist without god, but peace cannot. People are entitled to their own beliefs, but to push your belief on someone else either of religious creed or not is unacceptable.

Atheists get upset when a god loving person preaches to them, so they shouldn't preach their godless antics upon others.

[Oni]

An outsider here...

is america fulled with majority of christians??
I thought there's more atheist now in america than christians.

although I'm a christian.. i still think leaders who are christian should not mix their belief or opinion when coming to ruling a secular democratic country.
i think i would support embryonic stem cells... which is sth bush is against off...he supports somatic stem cells

these conservative christians need to be liberated!!

It has been proven that embryonic stem cells aren't 100 percent efficient. They have had better results with somatic stem cells than embryonic stem cells. Also, president Bush is not against all abortions. He supports abortion in extreme cases such as a rape victim not wanting to bear the attacker's child or if the birth of the baby is ill fated for the mother. There are more atheists in the world now than ever before. You speak of being a christian. Revelation speaks about the times near the end time when the sons and daughters of the father turn against him. A lot of the prophecies bear some fruit of truth in them and what gets me is that these prophecies were told hundreds of years ago. I'm ready for the rapture. This world needs to end.