The Republican Party likes to call itself the Party of Lincoln, but if you check your history books you will find that Lincoln was one of two Presidents that DID NOT claim a religious affilation. When asked when he would join a church, Lincoln responded when he found one that practises what it preaches.

While I disgree with the good Senator McCain on many matters, and feel that he is past his time, one issue that he attempts to get across that I must gree with him on, dispite what appears at times his inability or his desire not to just come out and say it, religion has no place in politics. Yes I would vote for a Muslim for President, but I am more in line to vote for someone that shares my personnal values. Well, I hold that if relgion was placed where it should be, out side the political arena and if the canidates simply talked the issues we would discover the canidate that best represents our ideals, religious neutral.

We can not say that we are a Christain nation because our founding fathers were Christian. Our founders fleed Europe to seek their fortunes in a new land where they could pratice their religion as they saw fit. Now in many instances this meant that those seeking freedom were persecuted by those very people seeking religious freedom before them, but that did not kill the ideal this nation was founded upon. But no where within the founding documents does it proclaim that America is a "Christain" nation, it does use the word God so that all may view it in their own eyes.

You want religion go to church. Keep it out of politics. For me the quickest way not to get my vote is to wear ones religion on ones sleeve rather than stand upon ones views on the issues. If you desire a religious state there are a couple in the world today, have at it.

People have got to get it through their heads that one does not have to be a Christian to be a moral person. I'm more inclined to think that some of the things that people do, say, and believe in the name of Christ would draw rebuke from the Founder of that religion.

Frankly, I think this nation would be better served if we paid less attention to what God each candidate prays to. I certainly can't see where it has made a difference in the decision-making of the current occupant of the White House.

"Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, except (fill in your prejudices here)."

We have Christians calling atheism a "religion." My friends, it is not - by definition, atheism is the very lack of a religion. When you become atheist then you can tell me what atheism is.

We have people claiming that Christians are being "attacked." Criticism and attacks are not the same thing. And, for the record, I will criticize all religions equally. Christianity often gets singled out simply because it happens to be the most prominent, evangelical, and influential faith in America.

We have seen many compelling historical quotations that address the founding principles of our nation. I won't deny that plenty of the founding fathers were indeed Christians. But those would have been the odds, no? Really, I think the Treaty of Tripoli provides more solid insight into the matter of America and religion than do quotes from Jefferson or Henry - that was, after all, an official government document ratified by the congress and signed by the president, and fast on the heels of our nation's birth at that.

Finally we have posters who unabashedly claim that we are and should be a nation of, by and for Christians, period. That those who say otherwise should move to Canada. That Christians should have their own nation, insulated from all the gays and Muslims. It is suggested, ironically, that only then can they practice the love of fellow humans that is so central to the Christian way of life. Folks, does this not qualify as a theocracy? I have no doubt that there are many, many on the Christian right who would jump at the chance to establish Christianity as the official state religion. Many have at the least endorsed a de facto move to this effect. Dangerous ground. So much for the first amendment.

Posted By Brent : September 30, 2007 11:16 pm

LOL, one of the problems here is that many of the politically active "christians" in America don't sound like real christians.
They call themselves christians, like republican torture enablers and apologists, haters of blacks and all muslims (by lumping them all together with the 9-11 perpetrators) but if they met Jesus walking the earth today, they'd cuss him out as a "liberal" and one of the "sacs of scum" to hate.

Bridges collapsing, snow in the Spring,
scoundrels among us, riddle-ing stings,
look over there while we steal your cash
murder your brothers and brothel the past.

But the story to carry was kept quite secret,
they allied for centuries in silence to speak it
a code among men, and honor to stall,
willing to die, and swords for the small.

I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.

Talk about spin! This article takes Sen. McCain's comment completely out of context. Also, the comments are a disgraceful (yet convenient) platform to attack Christians. You people ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

Nobody is forcing Christianity upon you, and yet you feel the need to attack us at every opportunity. THIS is why Christians do not relate to modern liberalism.

If people said the same things about Muslims that you do about Christians, there would be riots, and ALL of you would come to their rescue with protests - you lying sacs of scum.

Posted By Anna, Woodbridge, VA : September 30, 2007 5:58 pm

Anna and Aaarin, something to think about:
If George Dubyah Bush had received the 10 Commandments instead of Moses, he would've appended a "signing statement" to the effect that they did not apply to him. LOL

Why do the right wing christians (republicans) want America to be a theocracy like right wing Muslims do in Iran or Afghanistan? It's Osama bin Laden's dream.

-----

Are you stupid? Obama is Christian. How ignorant do you have to be to assume someone's Muslim simply because his name is Barack Hussein Obama. Do some research first, you idiot

And the other half with all the evils, trust me it's gonna be destroyed by themselves because what you all the non-believers have in mind are only hate, suspicion, selfishness, anger, and all other evil ones.

If that's what you all the non-believers want, let's do that: Fall Apart. We the Christians would be very happy to live among other pure Christians so that we can grow together in a such peacefully way. God bless you, my friends.

"As the Government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the law, religion or tranquility of Musselmen; and as the states never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mohometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinion shall ever produce an interruption of harmony existing between the two countries."

This explicitly states that WE WERE NOT FOUNDED AS A CHRISTIAN NATION. Stop letting yourself be controlled. Don't believe something because you're told to. Get the facts for yourself.

'How tolerant of him!' one might say without actually reading the article. But then you read the first three paragraphs and...what? This guy, in fact, completely discriminates on the basis of religion! For CNN to frame it in the way that they have indicates that they see McCain as having deigned to a very low level to even consider voting for a Muslim. Jeers to McCain for his bigotry and to CNN for masking it.

You can find countless comments by the likes of George Washington and most notably Thomas Jefferson who confirm that this country was in fact not founded as a "Christian" nation.

It never ceases to gall me the way people continue to bandy about this myth in trying to rationalize the alarming influence of religion over politics.

Read Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" if you don't believe me. The evidence is plain as day.

You can persuade people to stop insisting that America was founded on Christian values but you can't deny history that it really was. Rather than you asked people to go and do research, why don't you do it by yourself and find the truth to convince yourself that it is true America was founded by the acknowledgement of God.

You might have an excuse that CNN didn't post it but why should we trust you if also never trust facts and history (don't talk about trust to God, I am sure you must be never trust God). The evils will always try to the destroy the truth but the truth will be never destroyed.

Here’s a few quick quotes form some of them (we’ll start off with the very Madison you claim was such an atheist):

James Madison, the fourth president, known as "The Father of Our Constitution" made the following statement, "We have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God."

Patrick Henry, that patriot and Founding Father of our country said, "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

No matter how someone chooses to interpret Madison's intent (something I won't try to do here, but rather will rely on the man's actual words alone), the fact remains that his reference to the Biblical Ten Commandments makes a clear and concise case for the inclusion of not only religion, but Christianity specifically in the creation of this nation.

I suggest John Adams by David McCullough. It is not a 'Christian' book and the author makes no claim concerning his religious beliefs. He works hard to state the facts as they are available. Read this telling portrayal of the creation of our nation, cross reference it with the list of resources used to compile the biography and I don't think you'll be able to make the case that the Constitution was drafted by a majority of atheists. It's quite the contrary.

The founding fathers never meant to remove religion from the landscape of our society. They meant to insure that all those who are so willing can freely practice their religion of choice (which includes atheists, since the mere belief in the absence of God is in fact by definition a religious belief).

Fifty-two of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established orthodox churches in the colonies. People often reference the separation of church and state. The Constitution you're referring to was drafted and signed by 52 Christians and three individuals who did not identify themselves as Christians.

The title is very misleading. It will
be posted in many places, many people
will see just that. This will hurt McCain.
On the other hand, the contents of the
interview, which will be not read by
many, makes clear and good points for him.
This is unfair.