Well, frameone, I only know a few Christian conservatives, and they’ve never hurt me. But I know the secret handshake.

Because I know that Christian conservatives have the best interests of the country and myself at heart. Right, frank.

frameone: You’re troubled by it. Don’t be.

These guys are advocating a particular religion over all others as the only one capable of “saving” the nation. That’s troubling, frank, and it’s a very different from putting “In God We Trust” on our currency (although I don’t think we should be doing that either) as God is a rather vague concept that cuts across a variety of different faiths. You put Jesus on there and you got a big problem.

The world is full of nations who believe that God finds them most worthy. But considering the nationalistic asshats running those nations and the pure Goodness that is God, I’d consider it more likely that God doesn’t favor any of them.

The First Amendment to the Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…”

It does not say the government shall in no wise engage in any religious activity, or acquire any religious trappings.

To make no law respecting an establishment means what it says: Congress shall make no law favoring a religious denomination or congregation (the 18th Century definition of “establishment.”

It was never understood by the Founding Fathers that the government was to be religion – free.

If it was determined to be so by subsequent Supreme Court decisions, that doesn’t mean it’s in the Constitution.

But Frank, our government does have a mandate to be religion free. It’s called the Constitution.

I think that this is the root of Oliver’s and frameone’s objection, and I disagree.

SpiderJ: I believe the deal was entered into here:

John Winthrop (1588–1649)
For we must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. Soe that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world.

How bad did they screw things up that the only way they can think of fixing their mess is to pray to Jesus?

Worst. Party. Ever.

(a) God “favors” the United States.

(b) God will just take away his favor if we do not subscribe to the Christian faith.

(c) God’s favor will “save the nation.”

(d) That the ways in which God chooses to “save the nation” will be to these lawmakers’ liking.

I’d love to sit down with these fellas to have a long conversation about their close personal friend the Almighty. Boy, would I have questions:

We’ve only existed for 200-odd years. Who was your most favored nation before that? When did we finally merit favored status? What did the other nations do to lose your favor?

Well, there’s authority, and there’s influence.

Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell et al have little “authority” in government or the GOP.

Their “influence,” however, is another story.

Whatever frank.

It is unsettling to me for a bunch of lawmakers to make a direct, political link between jesus and running this country. These guys believe that a belief in jesus is the only way to “save” this country and they are in a position to enact that belief into law. Events like this suggest to me that they would if they could which reveals a fundamental contempt for the principle’s behind the constitution. In other words, they don’t respect the principle of separating church and state, they see it as an impasse to “saving the nation.” That’s a problem.

A Congressman suggesting to me that our nation is in peril unless we pray to Jesus has no more authority than Pat Robertson, or my next door neighbor. I believe in, and follow, who I choose.

You have yet to explain what “troubles” you, as if somehow that is self – explanatory. Shedding some light on the political purpose of this meeting would be helpful, too.

I see the insults are beginning to creep in. If you want me to participate in this discussion, you should stop.