So are these moral/ethical leanings or political leanings that you tend to concur with?

Gore wasn't an idiot.

I have to ask, and this is in response to FerretBoy's post in the other Bitt thread: what has he done?

I would like to hear what Bush has done in his term in this regard to warrant your faith in him.

Because I can trust his sense of right & wrong are derived from the same source as mine.

I also can’t fathom him knowing about 911 and not stopping it if he had the power.

This is why I feel strongly that religion in general is very dangerous

then to go dragging it into the whitehouse is simply not acceptable.

Bush has shown clear cut examples of criminal negligence that HAS affected everyone in America

But hey, he's Christian right? He can't be too bad? Right? Better then a Democrat right?

Clinton did a decent job, but because of that stupid Lewinski incident he got labled a piece of trash. Bush has shown clear cut examples of criminal negligence that HAS affected everyone in america, he's lied,

His own administration admitted to knowing something was going to happen, for them to say they couldn't imagine using planes as bombs is absolutely retarded.

It is because I trust the source of Bush’s moral compass that I still don’t believe he invaded Iraq to gain oil or finish some vendetta.

Also, being presented with ``it's possible to hijack a plane and use it as a bomb'' is obviously a statement of pure fact, whereas ``Iraq has WMDs'' is conjecture masquerading as fact, regardless of whether it is true or not.

He may just lip service the faith and be using it for political gain.

I think the fact that you label it as trivial is disingenuous

BUT when his intelligence tells him that Sadam has WMD and intends on using them then he should not do a thing?

Can't someone share the same "moral compass" as you and not be nearly as good at following that compass?

Or, to be more specific, how can you blindly trust Bush's motivation for the war if you don't know how good he is at sticking to those morals when it comes time to make decisions?

Aren't some Christians better at adhering to their faith than others?

Again, yes and if there were a better option I'd take it. However, I'll still take the person who starts at the right point and makes mistakes over someone who's starting at the wrong place to begin with.

He certainly doesn't lip service the fifth commandment.

His smirking 'saddle-up' attitude when it comes to matters of death (Saddam's sons, the death penalty etc) does not exaclty demonstrate any reverence for that commandment.

But what if that person who's "starting at the wrong place" (meaning has a different faith than you do) makes better decisions, and, just coincidentally, makes decisions that fall more in line with your beliefs than the guy who supposedly follows your faith?

As a hypothetical exercise, let's say a Jewish Republican candidate emerged, whose political platform, decision-making, etc. matched up with what you think is right. Wouldn't you vote for that guy instead of Bush, whom you acknowledge as falling short on many of his decisions?

If he lied about something so trivial what else has he lied about?

In case you can’t tell, I’m not a huge Bush supporter (though I was at one time). I just happen to think that he’s more likely to govern the country the way I’d want than any of the other choices available. I think this because of his religious persuasion and the fact that what I’ve read of the other’s indicates they’d support things to which I’m firmly opposed.

To me, that's what Christianity has become. A way for people to feel morally superior.

I grew up in a Christian family. I went to church every Sunday and most Wednesdays until I was about 17 years old. So I'm not talking without knowledge or personal experience.

The extreme hypocrisy with which seemingly most, but probably just many so-called Christians live their lives has soured me on the whole thing forever. I never had any experience to lead me to believe that this life is any more than what we can see, but that's not the point. Christanity has a pretty good philosophy, at least except for Paul's extremes. But so many Christians have basically no interest in that.

And often when Christians do simply try to point out their viewpoints they are reject out of hand as being self-righteous because that is all anybody knows.

Now your politics? Thats another story

It is a sad irony indeed. The "belief" actually keeps the followers from even *considering* what (in my opinion) is the "real" (metaphorical) teachings. Not only that, people consistenly prove how attached they are to their interpretations by being all too willing to kill for them.

Through my own journey I decided upon the literal views that I hold now.

But from what I’ve seen and experienced of the man I feel that I can trust his motives.

So I have to ask, do you believe in dinosaurs?

(attachment is just my new avatar)

So I have to ask, do you believe in dinosaurs?

And while we're on the subject, could someone please sum up the difference between Catholics and Christians in about 1 or 2 lines? I've never really understood.

And while we're on the subject, could someone please sum up the difference between Catholics and Christians in about 1 or 2 lines? I've never really understood.

Yet, Christians usually don't extend that courtesy to non-Christians.

Thou shalt not kill. Despite your assertion (I think it was you that wrote it), I've never seen that interpreted as "thou shalt not murder," until now. He's sent more people to the chair than any Texan gov. in history, has little regard for the slaughter of life due to the wars.

Speaking of which, what ever happened to "turn the other cheek"? Does no one understand why violence is a circle?

Despite your assertion (I think it was you that wrote it), I've never seen that interpreted as "thou shalt not murder," until now.

"Turn the other cheek" is New Testament, and Jesus was IMO very much trying to show the contradiction between the two

it is rife with innacuracies.

it is rife with innacuracies

It’s sad that so many people are locked into the KJV translation of the bible because there are so many issues with it (not the least of which is that it’s just hard to understand).

Which translation offers a legitimate size for the ark?

Why does every political discussion on this BBS devolve into a religious one?

Why does every political discussion on this BBS devolve into a religious one?

Why does every political discussion on this BBS devolve into a religious one?

What I’d ideally like in a President is someone coming from a similar moral framework as myself who’d make decisions consistent with my belief system. Bush is a lot closer in that regard than most other candidates [...] (O)n value issues that are very close to my heart he’s going to land a lot closer to me than just about any Democrat.

But I don't think the government should be highly involved in personal health care.

What are the moral issues you feel guide your choice of candidate toward a Republican, and away from a Democrat? I can guess that abortion rights might be a large one, but I'm interested in your thoughts here.

How, exactly, is inserting a middleman with probable ulterior motives going to work better?

... because they were motivated to do so whether they have the funding or not.

I went to private schools my entire life

So you're saying they do a better job because they are *not* motivated by greed, but drug researchers do better if they *are* motivated by greed? I see.

Then on what do you base your comparison?

Can't someone share the same "moral compass" as you and not be nearly as good at following that compass?

The point is that she's gone to church basically every Sunday of all her years (she's about 70), claims to be a religious person, but doesn't know simple facts outside the tiny realm of her own denomination.

Why does every political discussion on this BBS devolve into a religious one?

Ideally, charities and faith-based groups will support those that cannot afford health care.

I went to private schools my entire life...the students there don't want to be taught any more than their public counterparts.

- most of his evironmental programs are setup to encourage responsibility,

- He endorses keeping Healthcare private

- He endorses letting faith-based ministries take over some of the responsibility for welfare

In the two years I've been here, I've spent the last 8 months battling a huge, inefficient, and incompetent insurance nightmare.

What makes you think they're inefficient and incompetent? They've successfully not paid you so far. That sounds pretty efficient to me.