Schizoid Man wrote:


"Michael McKelvy" wrote in message
"Schizoid Man" wrote in message


While some may argue that Christmas is a religious holiday, it is not
recognized as such here officially. It is treated as a holiday in the
sense
that many people take time off. We have no official state religious
holidays. The religious element in this country has far less influence
than
you might think. The main effect is that if the religious right does not
vote, the GOP candidate does not have a good chance at winning.


I beg to differ. A couple of weeks ago I was reading a headline in a
right-wing scandal sheet - aka The Drudge Report - that screamed "Kerry Not
Sure God On America's Side".

Elizabeth Bumiller of the New York Times asked Kerry: "President Bush has
said that freedom and fear have always been at war, and God is not neutral
between them. He's made quite clear in his speeches that he feels God is on
America's side.

"Is God on America's side?"

Kerry: Well, God will -- look, I think -- I believe in God, but I don't
believe, the way President Bush does, in invoking it all the time in that
way. I think it is -- we pray that God is on our side, and we pray hard. And
God has been on our side through most of our existence.

'nuff said.

There is no way anybody is getting elected to higher office without strongly
promoting his Christian faith and 'family values'. I've lived in this
country for 3 and a half years and even I know that.









All of the candidates, as well as virtually all past presidents, have been
widely photographed at various religious appearances on the campaign trail. In
addition, it is pretty commonplace to have news reports of presidents and
candidates alike attending church services on Sundays. That said, I wouldn't
want to speculate on just how "religious:" each of them has been, other than to
say that they all have obviously not been shy about demonstrating that they are
men of faith.

Of course, it remains true that no non-Christian president has been elected in
the last century, at least. But I'm also reminded that at one time not *that*
long ago, it was widely felt that a Catholic could never be elected as
president. Kennedy overcame that precedent.

Also, if you want to define "getting elected to higher office" as including US
senators and state governors, then it is definitely *NOT* true that strongly
promoting one's Christian faith and "family values" is a prerequisite.



Bruce J. Richman