Does Bush's religious faith inappropriately dictatate policy

All things considered, I think what I have been reacting to in this case was the overreaction of others about this leaflet. It's too easy to kneejerk things in either direction, either calling this a clear sign of "government coersion", or calling those who don't like it "bigots".

Personally, I think that the whole issue is a "tempest in a teapot". Evangelical groups have always disseminated their messages all over the place. Even though I don't agree with the message, I didn't get into a snit over it, like it were some vast conspiracy. If I got one of those things, it would go right into the circular file, with nary a thought!

I suspect, thought I might have this wrong, that if an advancing 'coalition' force (love that term!) were to have found pamphlets in the pockets of a captured group of Fedayin which enjoined the soldiers to pray each day for Sadaam and his family and advisors, it might make the news - as an example of extremism and the negative consequence of religious dogma in forwarding and justifying war.

But there is no evidence these pamphlets were distributed by the military and, for the reasons mentioned earlier by timber, I think that deeply improbable.

So, what is this little side-argument about? I think, for Snood and Tres (and others perhaps), it is the valid insistence that our liberty to hold and voice any faith ought to be remembered and protected.

For those of us suffering some unease on the matter, that unease appears to be validly engendered by the extremism of a presently popular and influential strain of christianity epitomized by this particular ministry with its Happy Happy Armageddon Is Near! pathological version of 'brotherly love', and by the elevation of a single faith within the Bush administration (ubiquitous AND encouraged prayer meetings/bible readings in the White House) in tandem with the evident influence of this faith on government policies and programs.

Yes. Religious pamphlets have intruded in all our lives as long as I can remember and can be plucked from the mailbox or from under the front door and disposed of with the used cat litter. BUT, when proselytizing has a close association with the government -- that's trouble. Just another reason why the government should not be seen to associate itself with religion, any or all, whether the military accomodated the distribution of the pamphlets or not.

Tartarin- Agree. I don't think though, that this Administration will be too proactive in disassociating itself with religion, especially theirs!

Thank you all for offering up your opinion on this matter. Here's mine: I think it's absolutely okay to distribute this kind of pamphlet to our military. The person who receives it can read it and use it (and perhaps gain some comfort from it) or throw it away; their choice. I didn't see it as a big deal. Why deny people who might beneift from something like this? No skin off my nose. c.i.

You're right. I went over the top with that one. I think it is a bigoted viewpoint, but then that's a shade of grey and I was painting with my broad black brush again.

Perhaps I was too aggressive in using the word "abomination."
The abomination, IMHO, is the close association of government and religion that is encouraged in this administration. The pamphlets are another example of that association, especially with the insert asking for prayers for Bush.
If they provide some solace to the soldiers, I'm grateful. If they didn't contain that removable insert, they wouldn't be offensive and if they were eccuminical, there wouldn't be an issue worthy of a newspaper article.

I also wonder what would have happened to the pamphlet that included a pray to be sent to the President everyday that asked him to stopped the war for the good of all mankind?

BillW, It won't see the light of day in the battle field. c.i.

I think there is a conspiracy...........now that I've got everyone's attention, I agree with Diane. The response card is obnoxious and indicates not just co-operation with the White House but likely solicited it's by the White House. It's a Carl Rove idea.

You have to know these guys and live with them to appreciate their willingness, eagerness even, to coerce others into a statement of faith, or into compliance with their religious beliefs. They do want to take over the world and consider themselves in the "right" to do so. Why? Because God told them to. Sound familiar?

You don't believe me? Re-elect the little creep and see what our world looks like after 4 more years. The pamphlets by themselves aren't that bad, but together with the other coercive and sneaky maneuverings, it's unsettling. How many of you have lived in communities whose school boards were taken over by Evangelical Fundamentalists? They had a plan and carried it out. They ran for office, never mentioning their religious affiliation and their intention to take over the school board until they were elected. It's backfired on many of them, but it is a demonstration of a now larger effort to take over government and beat the rest of us into line. Just ask John Ashcroft, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Richard Mellon Scaife, Tom Hicks, Dr. Charles Stanley, Carl Rove, etc..... Crawl into this sub culture with me and I'll prove it to you.

In total agreement here, seem like Watergate Redux is upon us.

Yes, Joanne, but worse and even more dangerous. Say good by to women's rights, civil rights in general.

Lola, as if I wasn't scared enough, you've done gone and terrified me,.

Little k,

We should all be scared. We need to all work to get Bush out of the White House and John Ashcroft gone as well. Did you know Bush has nominated John Ashcroft for Supreme Court Justice? Horror story.

Ashcroft on the Supreme Court = Dys singing;
O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee

I listened to the Supreme Court "listening" to the arguments for and against affirmative action today. What a bunch of rude 'n' crudes! Any respect I had left evaporated -- well, maybe one or two are actually human... And I'm not even in favor of race-based affirmative action...

Lola has got it right about the Right. Wait and see.

The Supreme Court, Congress and the Executive Branch are working on repealing the Womens right to vote, reinstituting the Jim Crow laws and registering all families who make less than $250,000 a year. Also, women in the workplace is a no-no. If they want to work, must be through the church-

visions of things to come, yes

And I'm with you Dys. Actually, I'm thinking of moving to Canada soon. :-)

Lola, you live in fundamentalist territory and grew up with many of them as did I. For those of us who know how they think and how obsessed they are with converting the world, conspiracy theories make perfect sense.
Americans are finally beginning to realize how ambitious and disciplined these people are in achieving their goals. Unless we start working on the next election right now, instead of more peace marches, it might be too late to make any significant changes.