>>>>>>Agreed. I also was thinking that there should be a separate section for discussing religious matters.
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>>>>>Originally, it's a political issue which just turned into a religious debate which is understandable. Chatter would suffice I think. It's up to everyone to join or not. Let's not make things complicated just because of our disagreements on some issues. Afterall, we'll all return to dust... oopps...
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>>>>No matter how brilliant a man, s/he can't be a good president if s/he is not God fearing. I think Sarah Palin can be a good U.S. president...
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>>>>That's your original post. You contend that It's originally a political issue but not a religious one?
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>>>To say that my original thread has something to do with religion is utterly false. I did say "God-fearing." I didn't say about being a moslem, protestant, buddhist, methodist, catholic, etc.
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>>After saying a person cannot be a good president if not God fearing and then pretending it's not about religion just because it isn't about a particular religion is more than just a bit disingenuous.
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>I read Jess' recent posts and was waiting for someone to respond. Wasn't sure anyone would. I am curious though if everyone thinks religion is simply a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny or is it different from a private belief in a supernatural power and only becomes a religion when it also involves the public aspect of worship in an organized cultural system or group?

To me, the belief system itself is the religion. Afaic, organized religion is simply the usurpation of personal religious beliefs for personal gain. Whether that gain be self glorification, or power and control over masses of people or even money. Why people buy into that is beyond my ken. Of course, why people living in the 21st century are so willing to believe in mythology at all is also beyond my ken. We shake our heads at the ancient Romans, Greeks, Norse etc. beliefs, but 5 gods, 100 gods, thousands of specialized gods, one omnipotent god: I really need for someone to show me why one of those beliefs is better or worse than any of the others (or even different from either an empiric or theoretic standpoint). Mythology is what it is.