Why was former President Bush allowed to use God in his campaign?

[Iwa]

Ex-President George W. Bush used alot of "God talk" in his presidential campaign. But it clearly states in the 1st amendment that said "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." He didnt make any religious laws but he didnt keep the respective Separation of Church and State rule in place. He used the religious side of everything to get christian and catholic voters to not take into consideration what Al Gore and John Kerry had to say. For example, my mother as soon as she heard that Ex-President Bush was a Christian she automatically was like "Thats the man I'm voting for because hes religious and follows all my principles." Well look what he did? he drove America into the ground head-first. People should really learn to separate church and state for reasons of electing a retard for the highest American governmental office. Or just elect an athiest. gimme some opinion on this.

 

[lizzie]

Why shouldn't Bush (or anyone else) be allowed to mention "God"? "God" doesn't imply a specific religious practice, nor have I heard Bush or any other politician trying to convert people to their practice of religious faith.

 

[John Doe]

Ex-President George W. Bush used alot of "God talk" in his presidential campaign. But it clearly states in the 1st amendment that said "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." He didnt make any religious laws but he didnt keep the respective Separation of Church and State rule in place.

He didn't force anybody to be Christian (not that he could); he merely said he was Christian and followed God. Big deal, people have the right to say what they want. Separation of church and state has nothing to do with saying whatever we want.

Would you complain if an atheist used his beliefs to try and win a campaign? "I'm Mr. Blah and I'm an atheist. I don't believe in God and am a secularist."

Would you expect Christians to make posts, "He used his beliefs to try and get atheist to vote for him! He's suppose to keep his beliefs out of this!" Probably not.

He used the religious side of everything to get christian and catholic voters to not take into consideration what Al Gore and John Kerry had to say. For example, my mother as soon as she heard that Ex-President Bush was a Christian she automatically was like "Thats the man I'm voting for because hes religious and follows all my principles."

Again, so? *Everyone* votes for someone because that someone shares their morals and principles. If I'm an atheist and I want atheists to know I'm not going to let myself be influenced by religious morals, I'll tell them. I think it's important, therefore I say it.

That's simply what a campaign is: Tell everyone who you are, what you believe, and what you want to do. It's that simple.

Well look what he did? he drove America into the ground head-first. People should really learn to separate church and state for reasons of electing a retard for the highest American governmental office. Or just elect an athiest. gimme some opinion on this.

And here you go on a completely irrational argument. There's no substance here, it's just you saying "atheists are smart, religious people are retarded.". rude and ad hominem.

How about you instead you use reason and evidence to show that religious leaders cause non-satisfactory results. Calling people retards isn't reason nor evidence.

 

[lizzie]

G-Man, you said that so much better than I could have. Thanks!

 

[liblady]

Ex-President George W. Bush used alot of "God talk" in his presidential campaign. But it clearly states in the 1st amendment that said "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." He didnt make any religious laws but he didnt keep the respective Separation of Church and State rule in place. He used the religious side of everything to get christian and catholic voters to not take into consideration what Al Gore and John Kerry had to say. For example, my mother as soon as she heard that Ex-President Bush was a Christian she automatically was like "Thats the man I'm voting for because hes religious and follows all my principles." Well look what he did? he drove America into the ground head-first. People should really learn to separate church and state for reasons of electing a retard for the highest American governmental office. Or just elect an athiest. gimme some opinion on this.

we agree he was an awful president, but he didn't violate the constitution by invoking god.

btw, be careful about using the term retard, palin might be watching! ;-)

 

[samsmart]

Ex-President George W. Bush used alot of "God talk" in his presidential campaign. But it clearly states in the 1st amendment that said "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." He didnt make any religious laws but he didnt keep the respective Separation of Church and State rule in place. He used the religious side of everything to get christian and catholic voters to not take into consideration what Al Gore and John Kerry had to say. For example, my mother as soon as she heard that Ex-President Bush was a Christian she automatically was like "Thats the man I'm voting for because hes religious and follows all my principles." Well look what he did? he drove America into the ground head-first. People should really learn to separate church and state for reasons of electing a retard for the highest American governmental office. Or just elect an athiest. gimme some opinion on this.

That's not entirely true. He did make the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which allowed the federal government to coordinate with religious groups, especially with regards to giving federal money to them. However, I would say that G.W.'s faults weren't because of his faith but rather because of his IQ. An atheist with the same intelligence as G.W. would have driven our country into the ground just as much as G.W. did.

 

[lizzie]

However, I would say that G.W.'s faults weren't because of his faith but rather because of his IQ. An atheist with the same intelligence as G.W. would have driven our country into the ground just as much as G.W. did.

What is Bush's IQ?

 

[Zinc Route]

Ex-President George W. Bush used alot of "God talk" in his presidential campaign. But it clearly states in the 1st amendment that said "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." He didnt make any religious laws but he didnt keep the respective Separation of Church and State rule in place. He used the religious side of everything to get christian and catholic voters to not take into consideration what Al Gore and John Kerry had to say. For example, my mother as soon as she heard that Ex-President Bush was a Christian she automatically was like "Thats the man I'm voting for because hes religious and follows all my principles." Well look what he did? he drove America into the ground head-first. People should really learn to separate church and state for reasons of electing a retard for the highest American governmental office. Or just elect an athiest. gimme some opinion on this.

***** THIS is what YOU are concerned with:shock:

 

[digsbe]

Separation of church and state doesn't mean oppress all religious beliefs and shut up any religious politician. It was created to prevent a theocracy, and to also prevent the government from oppressing religion (which is what they do now). Bush did nothing wrong stating his Christian beliefs, Obama did the same and even talked about Islam when in the Middle East.

 

[Manc Skipper]

What is Bush's IQ?

He did brag about striking a blow for "C" student's everywhere! :roll:

 

[John Doe]

prevent the government from oppressing religion (which is what they do now).

Say what? Maybe I'm in a cave, but what's being oppressed?

 

[cpwill]

He did brag about striking a blow for "C" student's everywhere! :roll:

yup. one of the nice things about President Bush (unlike our current one) is that he was genuinely self-depreciating.

:mrgreen: I had a buddy who did guard duty at Camp David. He said that President W kept one of the "Bushisms" daily calendars on his desk and had his nameplate changed to read "Teurrrrrrrism" :lol:

 

[lizzie]

He did brag about striking a blow for "C" student's everywhere! :roll:

From what I've been able to find via googling, his IQ is estimated to be in the 125-130 range. Not genius, but certainly nothing to be embarrassed about either.

 

[lizzie]

He said that President W kept one of the "Bushisms" daily calendars on his desk and had his nameplate changed to read "Teurrrrrrrism" :lol:

:mrgreen:

I personally found his Bushisms to be kind of endearing. What I can't figure out, though, is why there doesn't seem to be a single politician who knows how to pronounce "nuclear". Drives me nuts!

 

[Spartacus FPV]

Because he is not the congress, and he passed no laws.

 

[Iwa]

we agree he was an awful president, but he didn't violate the constitution by invoking god.

btw, be careful about using the term retard, palin might be watching! ;-)

Palin's a retard too xD i loved her foreign relations. "I can see the lights of russia from my bedroom window" XD

 

[cpwill]

:roll i guess some people are unable to tell the difference between sarah palin and a tina fey impersonation...

 

[Manc Skipper]

:roll i guess some people are unable to tell the difference between sarah palin and a tina fey impersonation...

The cretinous reality is even more damaging...


"Well, it certainly does because our -- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia ... We have trade missions back and forth. We-- we do-- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where-- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is-- from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to-- to our state."

 

[roughdraft274]

Just would like to point a few things out that I noticed on this thread.

1. Bush isn't an idiot. I'm a fairly liberal guy and never cared for Bush as president, but he was no idiot. He still was president and I'll always show him respect. He messed up by letting others, who were way more far right than himself, dictate much of his policy and it didn't bode well for him. I think his presidency speaks for itself if you see how the country was when he was elected and how it is now that he's handed it off, but I'd hardly say someone is retarded because they weren't a good president.

2. I'm an atheist, so I must admit I get irked a little inside when I hear all this religious rhetoric coming from elected officials because I do believe it's constantly being played up just to win over voters. With that said, a president praying and evoking God in his speeches is hardly a constitutional issue. We should reserve our dissent for actions that are actually a separation of church and state. There are plenty to go around, no need to go around creating false ones. I think we'd be better off if people voted less on religious grounds, but to each there own.

 

[cpwill]

The cretinous reality is even more damaging...


"Well, it certainly does because our -- our next door neighbors are foreign countries. They're in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia ... We have trade missions back and forth. We-- we do-- it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where-- where do they go? It's Alaska. It's just right over the border. It is-- from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there. They are right next to-- to our state."

i'm sorry, since that statement is accurate (both with regards to the foriegn state of Russia and the foriegn state of Canada), what exactly is damaging about it?

 

[Goshin]

Ex-President George W. Bush used alot of "God talk" in his presidential campaign. But it clearly states in the 1st amendment that said "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..." He didnt make any religious laws but he didnt keep the respective Separation of Church and State rule in place. He used the religious side of everything to get christian and catholic voters to not take into consideration what Al Gore and John Kerry had to say. For example, my mother as soon as she heard that Ex-President Bush was a Christian she automatically was like "Thats the man I'm voting for because hes religious and follows all my principles." Well look what he did? he drove America into the ground head-first. People should really learn to separate church and state for reasons of electing a retard for the highest American governmental office. Or just elect an athiest. gimme some opinion on this.

You answered you own question.

The 1st Amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishement of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
I bolded the part you conveniently left off.

He did not attempt to establish a state religion.

As a citizen, he is free to exercise and express his religious beliefs, even if he is President.

The phrase "seperation of church and state" does not appear in the Constitution, and if you read the Founders you will find that the concept of excluding Christianity entirely from the public forum was not their intention.

Fail. (/thread)

 

[Iwa]

You answered you own question.

The 1st Amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishement of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
I bolded the part you conveniently left off.

He did not attempt to establish a state religion.

As a citizen, he is free to exercise and express his religious beliefs, even if he is President.

The phrase "seperation of church and state" does not appear in the Constitution, and if you read the Founders you will find that the concept of excluding Christianity entirely from the public forum was not their intention.

Fail. (/thread)

i put in only what was needed and i didnt "convieniently leave it out" and as said by thomas jefferson "Christianity [religion] neither is nor ever was part of the common law" and "What is it men cannot be made to believe." Men can believe in anything they want. it doesnt mean its true and it doesnt mean its right.

 

[Ethos]

The 1st amendment doesn't refer to the Executive branch. The thread's premise is not just flawed, but irrelevant.

Ethos

 

[Goshin]

i put in only what was needed and i didnt "convieniently leave it out" and as said by thomas jefferson "Christianity [religion] neither is nor ever was part of the common law" and "What is it men cannot be made to believe." Men can believe in anything they want. it doesnt mean its true and it doesnt mean its right.

Whatever that was supposed to mean... it remains fact that a President is not violating the 1st Amendment just because he talks about God at times.

 

[Iwa]

Whatever that was supposed to mean... it remains fact that a President is not violating the 1st Amendment just because he talks about God at times.

i never said it was a violation i just said it was wrong of him to do so.