A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, "Let me explain the problem science has with religion." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

"You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"

"Yes sir," the student says.

"So you believe in God?"

"Absolutely."

"Is God good?"

"Sure! God's good."

"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"

"Yes."

"Are you good or evil?"

"The Bible says I'm evil."

The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment. "Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."

"So you're good...!"

"I wouldn't say that."

"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and ed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"

The student remains silent.

"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax.

"Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?"

"Er...yes," the student says.

"Is Satan good?"

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."

"Then where does Satan come from?"

The student falters. "From God"

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?"

"Yes, sir."

"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"

"Yes."

"So who created evil?" The professor continued, "If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil."

Again, the student has no answer. "Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?"

The student squirms on his feet. "Yes."

"So who created them?"

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. "Who created them?" There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. "Tell me," he continues onto another student. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?"

The student's voice betrays him and . "Yes, professor, I do."

The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"

"No sir. I've never seen Him."

"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"

"No, sir, I have not."

"Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?"

"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."

"Yet you still believe in him?"

"Yes."

"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?"

"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."

"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. "Professor, is there such thing as heat?"

"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."

"And is there such a thing as cold?"

"Yes, son, there's cold too."

"No sir, there isn't."

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. "You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit up to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees."

"Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?"

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word."

"In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. "So what point are you making, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed."

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?"

"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's ; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought."

"It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that cannot exist as a substantive thing. is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it."

"Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do."

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean."

The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter.

"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir."

"So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable.

Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. "I guess you'll have to take them on faith."

"Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life," the student continues. "Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?"

Now uncertain, the professor responds, "Of course, there is. We see it everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light."

The professor sat down.

One is not ignorant simply because he or she disagrees with you. That would mean Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson, Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Nicola Tesla, Carl Sagan, Mohattma Ghandi, and many other brilliant people who changed the world were "ignorant". Obviously, they were not, Evelyn. There are many paths to the same wisdom. I wish you well on yours.

I wish you luck on your journey whether to heaven or hell. God Bless!

All I did was present direct quotes. I do not see how I have twisted and deceived anything. Perhaps you are just being exposed to other interpretations of the Bible, after a lifetime of assuming the interpretation with which you have been indoctrinated must be the one and only correct interpretation.

I'm highly skeptical that you have actually read the Bible. And, even if you have, I am highly skeptical that you have read it from the perspective of the time in which it was written and in the idioms of that day. The literal interpretations touted by Evangelical Christianity are really less than 100 years old, projecting modern sentiments, selecting passages (such as ignoring the mandate to not eat shrimp or wear more than one type of fabric, but a couple passages away obsessing over the mandate that man should not lay with other men). The problem with the interpretations you present is that they are completely subjective and, I might add, very flimsy.

Also, you are confused why a "non-believer" (even though I regularly have conversations with the actual Jesus Christ) would be bothered with the Bible. In your simple black-and-white worldview, someone couldn't possibly study the Bible and walk away from it knowing it is not true. In your black-and-white worldview, there are believers and non-believers and it is your job to introduce the heathens to the savior. You don't realize how much more educated most "heathens" are than you are when it comes to the Bible and spirituality.

I would go so far as to suggest you have not even explored Native American spirituality, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, or any other spiritual path in which enlightenment has been achieved to be sure that yours is the only true way. No, I'm pretty sure that's what you were told and you can't imagine someone you respect as a leader might be ignorant too.

You probably thought the liars and criminals of this Bush administration that steal elections, murder innocent people, and live in a corrupt world of croniism came to do "God's" work as well.

Please do not respond. You say nothing different and I am convinced you have not read the Bible. You have only allowed yourself to be indoctrinated by the very flimsy interpretations of those who have. I will not be checking this page again and obviously you and I are the only ones who do – so please do NOT respond. You have made your point and I don't have time to keep proving you wrong.

Ephesians 6:5 "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ."
That means simply to obey your elders and people who are in authority over you such as the government, police, etc. You should obey them just like you should Christ, which obviously you don't do so why even quote this?

1 Corinthians 7:4 "The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife."
This simply means, for those who understand God's will for us, is that when you become married you become ONE IN CHRIST, therefore the woman belongs to the man and the man to the woman. That also goes back to Genesis 2:24 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become ONE flesh".

As far as the peace, Jesus doesn't make everything easy for us. If that were case, we'd all want everything handed to us and that's not why Jesus died for us. Although things are tough for us, Jesus does not put anything on us that we can not handle.

Again, as far as me being right or wrong about God. If I'm right, then I know I'm going to Heaven instead of hell. If I'm wrong, at least I did what was right instead of not caring and automatically going to hell. You can lead a horse (people) to the water (bible or God) but you can't make them drink (listen or believe).

The Bible's support of slavery:

"When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be punished; for the slave is his money."
..........Exodus 21:20

"Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ...."
..........Ephesians 6:5

"And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating."
..........Luke 12:47

The Bible's directive to murder boys, kidnap virgins, and rape them:

"Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves."
..........Numbers 31:17 (Moses)

The Bible's support of pedophilia:
"If a man has sex with a slave girl he is not to be punished. She is a slave."
....Levitcus 19:20

The Bible's directive that women must not speak in church:

"As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silence in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as even the law says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church."
..........1 Corinthians 14:34

"Let a woman learn in silence with all submissiveness. I permit no woman to teach or have authority over men; she is to keep silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor."
..........Timothy 2:11

Women as property and sexual servants for men to whom they are not married:

"For the wife does not rule over her own body, but the husband does..."
..........1 Corinthians 7:4

"...I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the light of this sun."
..........2 Samuel 12:11

The Bible on The Prince of Peace's efforts to break families apart with fighting:

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother- in-law...."
..........Matthew 10:34

or, if you don't believe Matty, try Luke:

"Do you think I have to come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother- in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in- law."
..........Luke 12:51

"And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one."
..........Luke 22:36

Evelyn, I could go on and on but you get the picture. There are very good reasons why people don't believe your "truth". It is riddled with hypocrisy and absurdity. Christ is real, though, and more incredible than anything we have yet imagined – without judgment and existing only in pure love.

God bless you Evelyn.

You're not doing much to refute stereotypes of West Virginia. Obviously, you have not been exposed to much thinking beyond your own small, isolated town. You can't say "the truth is the truth" and then submit as your evidence quotes from the Bible. That's not evidence. It's a belief you have that what's been written in the Bible is still true.

First of all, the books chosen to be included in the Bible centuries after Jesus lived were hand selected by church leaders to convey a specific message of adherence the dogma of fear and control that the leaders of that time desired (and still desire today). The decision to exclude Christ's teachings in favor of reincarnation, for example, were excluded because church leaders felt that if people knew that had more than one life to evolve their consciousness, they would not be so compelled to join and financially support the church.

The subsequent translations and reinterpretations over the many centuries have made what wisdom there once was in the Bible irrelevant. For example, in the original text, "virgin" simply meant young. It had nothing to do with lacking sexual experience. When that was translated into English, they used the word virgin. That one word alters the entire fundamental mythology of Christianity as a virgin birth.

I could go on, but you get the picture. The Bible has been used as a tool of control by powerful leaders throughout history. It is still used today. The sooner we move beyond any belief that the message of God exists in any one book, the sooner we will understand Christ's true teachings.

This is all going right over your head, I know. But perhaps someday, either in this life or the next, you will begin to think for yourself and break from the cult of fundamentalism. Then you will find God and Jesus you believe you have found in a book.

I do wish you well in your journey, but you are not open to conversation on this topic. So, neither shall I be any further..

You say I do not believe God is coming back.

The Second Coming of which you speak has already just begun, but it will be a long time before you recognize it because it will not come through one messiah, not through one faction of one religion, but throughout all of humanity.

The perceived physical limitations of humanity will be shattered. The belief – and it is a belief, Evelyn, no matter how much you want one interpretation of a book to hold all the truth – that Jesus ever demanded worship and servitude in order to gain access to "Heaven" will become an increasingly difficult position to defend. Miracles will abound from all walks of life. Prepare yourself by opening your mind beyond your own dogma.

All is One, Evelyn. All is God.

To Glen, Boston, MA: I'm truly amazed at how ignorant Lucifer has made you. You really don't belive the truth that God is coming back one day and the only way to get to heaven is to be saved through God's son, Jesus Christ. And by the way, apparently you don't know where true miracles come from. Only God can make the impossible happen. It doesn't just happen. BTW, I'm not forcing any beliefs on anyone. I'm just stating facts. Whether people choose to believe them and become saved through Jesus Christ so that they may enter Heaven is a different story. Regardless, everyone will give account on judgement day and will either enter Heaven's Gates or be cast into Hell. There is no in between.

TO Schier Norwalk, CT: The point is not what I believe. The TRUTH is that no one comes from monkeys or the big bang theory. GOD created everything and everyone just like Tom from GA has stated several times in here. And again, like I stated above, I'm not forcing any beliefs on anyone. I'm just stating facts. Whether you choose to go to Heaven by being saved or to go to Hell is your choice. BTW, if you really are atheist, like most people claim until they are on their death bed afraid of hell, why don't you give me all of your money? Regardless of when it happened, all of our money says "IN GOD WE TRUST". Apparently you don't believe in the miracles that God does, the beautiful world that God has created, or that you only have two choices which are to be saved through God's son, Jesus Christ and enter Heaven on judgement day or to be cast into Hell, so why not just give me your money.

Sir, I’m not assuming anything. It’s a fact mankind itself is immoral and sinful. We were born into it when we came in the world. You have the right to believe however you see fit. I actually agree with you churches/synagogues/temples are full of immoral people. Till the day we die we will live in a world of sin. All of us have fallen short of perfection. Even pastors and preachers. No matter how hard a person tries to live, that person could never be good enough. No one as been. That’s why God sent his son through a virgin birth to live a perfect life for us. Because of our sin He took that upon himself to be a sacrifice for it. Sir if you could go through the rest of the day and not commit one sin, in thought word or deed, I would stand corrected. However you can not. Its impossible. Out of all the imagination you can create in your mind, you can’t think of one sin that’s not listed in God’s commandments. They are perfect and complete. No one can live up to them, but God. He himself came lived in the same world you and I live in, faced every temptation imaginable and did it with out sin. That way He and only He could be a worthy sacrifice. We just receive it as a gift. Just asks us to believe in that sacrifice. How would you feel if you did something extraordinary for someone and they didn’t appreciate it or even believe it? You would be upset. God is the same way. We were made in His image.

When you accept Him, you see things much clearer, He teaches you. Then you can see how we as Christians strive to stand for good and morality. Even when we live in such a world absent from it. We still fail, and try our best, but our fate lies not in how good we can live but in the faith of the ONLY one who lived perfectly for us.

I know many will perish; our purpose is to share this good news with as many as we can. We vote for lawmakers and leaders who can preserve that right. In addition try to the best of their ability to implement standards God has put in place. Standards He calls moral and decent.

"In God We Trust" was added to money over a century after the country was founded. So was "Under God" in the pledge of allegiance. Also, "God" does not in any way suggest or denote support of one religion.

Eveyln writes: "I also don't believe that if God wasn't the foundation for our country, there wouldn't specifically be a clause in the 1st Amendment that states we have "FREEDOM OF RELIGION". And I repeat again: "GOVERNMENT(STATE) OUT OF RELIGION(CHURCH)" not the other way."

Again, "God" is not a religion. The founding fathers were mostly deists who understood the need for freedom of spiritual exploration.
Giving people the freedom of religion does not denote a government support of any particular relgion. Again, God is. God is not something you believe in or don't. "God" is the life that flows through all. It is scientific as well as spiritual.

Lastly, where is the statement in any of the founding documents "Government out of church" You put that in quotes as if it were a foundation of our country. It is not. If a lie is repeated enough, it becomes the truth.

You are right; Christianity is not part of common law. It wasn’t designed to be. I didn’t personally know the founding father nor did you, but I do know ALL authority is given by GOD. He and He alone allows all things to happen, and everything that has happened is no surprise to Him. We don’t and never will understand the mind of God, but it’s His plan. He only allows us to know what we need to know.

It kills me to see people try to find all of God’s mysteries but not accept Him and His love. People try to study so they can argue his existence. But take a second and look around everything you see and hear and smell has all been created by God. No artist could paint a sunset, with out first seeing the one God created.

The vastness of God is beyond comprehension, but for some reason He loves us, and lets us know Him through His witnesses and His Word. He has preserved that for us. He helps us understand it also. First you must know him through His Son Jesus Christ, then many answers you seek to find, I promise you will. God said wisdom can be man’s downfall, often it is. He would rather have us come to him as a child.

As for this country, God has used us to do mighty work. The United States does more missionary work than any country ever. Also our support for the Nation of Israel.

God has blessed this country, even with Godless leadership. I’m not saying GW Bush is perfect, he has made mistakes, and the Republican Party has issues as well, as all parties do. This is God’s plan. We are living in a generation that could see the coming of Christ. Know one knows the day or hour, but He is coming. We all will stand and give account one day. Those who know Jesus will be saved, those who do not, will be punished. That’s very fair, He gave His Son for all our sin. All He asks is we accept that gift and love him for it. To Richard and all other people who post here, could you give your only child’s life for another person, even a stranger, or murderer, or much worse? God did!!!

I thought just like you Richard, till I stop being so wise.

"We true christians do know our savior will be coming soon. I can't wait to be in his arms rejoicing in heaven. The sad part is that everyone could be there but they won't open their eyes and hearts and see the truth. THE TRUTH OF GOD WILL SET YOU FREE!"

This is my very point…politics are being influenced by those who want to start a "final" war because it's so-called "Prophecy". This fits in really nice with Israel's intent to dominate and oppress, and as Richard in FL so eloquently stated, is serving to bankrupt the country and send it to ruin. And Tom in Macon, GA: Are you assuming I am immoral, or support immoral activities, because I'm pagan, atheist, or whatever you choose to call me??? I've lost count of the hypocrates I've seen walking out of churches/temples/synagogues etc..I'm not going to stand for policies being set and influenced by faith related mysticisms that have NO basis in absolute FACT…

This is my very point...politics are being influenced by those who want to start a "final" war because it's so-called "Prophecy". This fits in really nice with Israel's intent to dominate and oppress, and as Richard in FL so eloquently stated, is serving to bankrupt the country and send it to ruin. And Tom in Macon, GA: Are you assuming I am immoral, or support immoral activities, because I'm pagan, atheist, or whatever you choose to call me??? I've lost count of the hypocrates I've seen walking out of churches/temples/synagogues etc..I'm not going to stand for policies being set and influenced by faith related mysticisms that have NO basis in absolute FACT...

Your capitalized statement is the KEY POINT: "I" as in "I" "me" and "myself"
DON'T think so. THat is very fine FOR YOU...IT HAS NO PLACE FOR ME, and it should not influence decisions being made THAT AFFECT ME....You can believe all you want...there is now way you could, or should force me to !!

Your argument is based on flawed logic.

You believe X. You have experienced miracles Y and Z. Therefore, X must be true.

This is a common mistake of many religious adherents. Just because you achieved positive results from a specific belief system does not mean it is the only way to achieve those same results, or greater.

One need only look at the Shamans of Native Americans or the Sufis of Islam or the Bodhisatvas of Buddhism to see the universal power of human potential inherent in many spiritual and non-spiritual paths.

I have personally experienced everything from seeing glowing eyes to shape-shifting humans to actual conversations with the one we know as Christ. He's far greater than any religion has ever imagined him to be, yet never demanded worship or said that through him is the only way.

Those were concepts put into the books that were selected for the Bible centuries after he lived.

I wish you well in your journey, but please stop forcing your belief structure on others. You need that structure for this phase of your growth. Many have already outgrown it.

Unless you are claiming that God created Adam, Eve, Jesus, dinosaurs, and, retroactively, the Roman Empire, at the same time 2000 years ago, I would like to think that your comment was a typo. I don't think there are ANY scientists or religious leaders who believe that.

You certainly are entitled to your opinion. All I would hope for is that you do some research before making statements. Let's start with the Constitution. That is THE document that defines our nation. It was created over several months by some of our finest minds. They were given the unique opportunity to freely design the best government they could think of. When they got done, these predominantly Christian men designed a document that NEVER ONCE mentions God. God isn't even referenced in the Preamble that lists their objectives. The only references to religion were prohibitions on it. No one could require religious tests to run for office and "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion". It is without question that these religious men believed that the best government was one that kept religion and government separate. Thomas Jefferson, the guiding force on the Constitution said "Christianity neither is, nor ever was a part of the common law”. Please look at the Constitution and study history.

I have only one interest and that is in truth. You stated that I "have totally twisted everything I've said." Please give details. If I have said anything false, I want to correct it.

THANK YOU TOM, GA: We true christians do know our savior will be coming soon. I can't wait to be in his arms rejoicing in heaven. The sad part is that everyone could be there but they won't open their eyes and hearts and see the truth. THE TRUTH OF GOD WILL SET YOU FREE!

To Richard, Glen, R. Schier, & Jeremy: You have totally twisted everything I've said. There is good people everywhere regardless of your beliefs. Also, how do you think you got here? From the big bang theory or monkeys? I DON'T THINK SO!! Also, none of us is GOD. There is only one God and he reigns in Heaven and will be back one day to take me with him. ARE YOU GOING TO HEAVEN WITH GOD??? Also, I do have proof of my living God who reigns in heaven. Not only is it in the bible, but I've seen it with my own eyes as well. No one can tell me that the miraculous things and miracles that have happened in my life didn't come from GOD! I thank you God that I do know the truth instead of all the worldly myths. I'm not perfect and I don't have every answer but I know my savior is real and is alive today and will take me to heaven one day.

I also hope you care about your children enough to feel guilty about the huge tax burden your "moral" president has imposed upon them. He is totally unchallenged as the largest debt-generating president in history. Your children will have a higher percentage of their taxes NOT spent on new services like bridges, but just to pay debt than any generation in history.

I also hope that the morals you stress to your children include appreciation and honesty. The freedom we cherish has come about because of the sacrifices made by our brave soldiers. When we think of them and show appreciation, we need to be honest and realize that an estimated 15% of them do not believe in God. Tell your children about them, too. It is your "moral" president who has sent 3,800 Americans to die and 28,000 to be wounded in a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. Your "moral" president hasn't caught the person who killed 2,900 Americans in our nation, but of course, as he said, "You know, I just don't spend that much time on him, Kelly, to be honest with you" and "I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about (Osama bin Laden)."

The good news is your children will have a chance to make that decision for themselves because will do live in a free country with democracy. That has come to this country because of the blessings of God. I will not debate you on the existence or the teachings of God. I know what Jesus has done in my life. That point sir, you could never argue.

To the affect we should include in government, I will debate you. To condone and teach immorality through government funded institutions is against my rights as an American tax payer. I elect to vote for someone who will represent what I hold true to the best of their ability. Everyone has a choice, that’s something God gives everyone believer and nonbelievers. Free will.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"
–Excerpt from Amendment I, Constitution of the United States

Congress cannot pass laws abridging the free exercise of religion, nor can it establish an official state religion. Religion cannot be used as a criteria to prohibit an individual from holding elected office. Period, that's it. There's not another single reference to religion in the document, and the word "God" does not appear at all.

Any and all claims for removing religion from the public sphere rely on interpretation of part of the 14th Amendment - not on the 1st Amendment or any part of the original text of the Constitution:

"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

I offer this not to take a position on this issue, but simply to add some actual facts to the discourse. If you're going to claim you know the intentions of the founding fathers, or use the Constitution to back your argument, you should at least know what it actually says.

Keep your fairy tale stuff AT HOME. I don't want, or need, anybody else's self-fulfilling prophecy; it has absolutely NO PLACE in a true democracy. This has nothing to do with hate...it has all to do with SENSE....I want to have a future left for my children, and want those like yourself to butt out from it....

Posted By Evelyn, Princeton, WV : October 6, 2007 2:31 pm

Grrrr.... this irritates me. HOW DARE YOU SPEAK OF IGNORANCE!!! Ignorance and faith have practically the same definition... belief in something without proof or knowledge. Also, you are absolutely wrong about the founding of this country. Religion was absolutely intended to stay out of government, as the perversions of that influence could be seen in the British government leading to persecution of other religious believers. Who do you think persecutes religions... other religions of course (aka competition). I also like the bit about "not judging" though you clearly are, which also makes you dishonest. Bravo! I am ashamed I share a country with you... how is that for judgement. Also, I beg you to not vote again... ever.

The lunatics have taken over the crazy house for sure.

You are correct, good and bad lie in all of mankind, no matter what their religious beliefs are. That is because sin is in every one as well. No denying that. No mater what a person’s title or position is, its still there. I would encourage you to study this for yourself, before you go making assumptions. The good news is, Jesus paid for it on the cross with His Blood. Once you understand that, you will see her post differently.

I do agree the God-O-Meter is not right. Just look at how the candidates stand for things. You will see who is true and who is not. A tree is known by its fruit.

Those of you who mock the Holy Bible on here let me just say. God preserves His Word. Many people have done the same thing, but it has stood thru all, many wars, even. Its still here and will always be.

Study before you make all those assumptions. You will see all the statements that are being said were foreseen long ago. True Christians rejoice, we know our Savior will be coming soon.

I am not impressed by a candidate's harping on his/her faith, and who needs this ridiculous and offensive "meter?" A candidate who talks constantly about his/her faith and what a hot-shot religious person he/she is should draw our cynicism, not our blind support. "By their fruits you shall know them."

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By the way – this is perhaps the most illogical statement made on this entire list of comments.

Freedom for religion has NOTHING to do with establishing one religion as the only one deemed worthy of that freedom (i.e. a Christian nation).

I think many people hear the word "God" and they automatically project their interpretation of that word upon the context. So when "God" is mentioned in government documents, some presume it means their particular Christian interpretation of God. They never really study the issue, and only parrot what religious and political leaders they trust tell them.

But, as Thomas Jefferson himself so eloquently wrote in a letter:

"Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the common law."

Case closed. We are all Christians. We are all Pagans. We are all Jews. We are all Muslims. We are all God.

You bless.

What a joke American politics is. A more evolved society would understand that the concept we consider to be "God" is simply an energy that flows through all of life and provides capacities far greater than anything any religion or scientific dogma has concieved. But, people must project their own perceptions on that formless force – be it as a person, a cheerleader for one religion, or a complete absence – and politicians must pander to those projections for votes, thus validating those projections as if this country were founded on one or another of them.

The cycle goes round and round. Silly, silly Americans.

If it was not a typo error, we may have located the only person in the entire world that actually thinks the world is only 2,000 years. There's not one piece of evidence anywhere that this is true. Read some books!

When I said "Humans and Primates" what I meant was "Humans and Non-Human Primates". Humans are actually a sub-set of the larger group of Primates. My HAA (Heavenly Administrative Assistant) gently pointed that out to me.

Sorry about that kids...

Newsflash, for the rest of you, Judgement Day will be moved back another 1000 years to give my slower children a chance to catch up.
Love, GOD