Dan,

I can't believe that you can't open your eyes and see what's happening today to the church/state separation!!!!

Do you not find it interesting that some fundamentalist religious groups have much more intiment knowledge of our government then you or I. Don't know about you, but my calls to the white house rarely get returned.

Especially with the recent supreme court nominees, religious groups have first hand knowledge of the nominees. Religious leaders are bragging about receiving calls from Rove.

Please open your eyes to what's happening in the world right now.

>First, understand that I am not a religious person. I detest religious fundamentalists of any flavor, and would be extremely concerned if the US started drifting into a theocracy.
>
>That said, I think your interpretation of what you listed as proving we have a "faith-based government" is highly questionable.
>
>>- faith based charities were handed a lot of money during Katrina relief, while Red Cross wasn't allowed into the city
>
>Faith-based charities did a lot of work to help the victims of Katrina, and now a lot of them are suffering for it as the government won't reimburse them.
>
>The Red Cross didn't go into NO until local authorities declared it safe to do so. Not a federal decision.
>
>>- in the list of recommended charities to donate to, on government's website at the time, only two out of twenty-something weren't faith-based
>
>Many reputable charities are faith-based. I can't think of too many that aren't.
>
>>- the dispute about "under God" or not
>
>That's been going on since the phrase was first included, in the 1950's, when the USSR was taking a very anti-religious stance.
>
>>- "in God we trust" on the money has replaced the "e pluribus unum"
>
>Since when? "In God We Trust" has been on American money for as long as I can remember.
>
>>- ten commandments in public places dispute
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>Totally bogus. The pro-commandment people - and they are usually local- or state-level people - regularly loose.
>
>>- creationism introduced into public schools, evolution on its way out
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>Evolution on it's way out? Not that I see. This fight's going all the way to the Supreme Court, which has already ruled that creationism cannot be included in public school texts.
>
>>- the stem cell research decision based on religious motives
>
>I'll give you that one. But that will change.
>
>>- marriage laws dispute influenced by religious groups
>
>Yes, it absolutely is. Personally, I think the whole thing is stupid, but that's just me. But these disputes are going on at the state level, not the federal one. Yes, there is talk regarding a Constitutional amendment, but I don't see that happening any time soon.
>
>>- what are the chances of anyone non-religious being elected to any high position?
>
>Clinton wasn't particularly religious, was he? Politicians of all stripes have to play to a wide audience.