edwhit

I realize it is hard for an atheist or non christian to understand where this train of thought comes from so perhaps I can shed a little light (or perhaps not, we'll see)

The term "fear God" has more implications than just doing everything God says and pushing those standards on everyone else. What does God stand for to a Christian? I would argue that most would say God stands for values. Values such as loving each other (respecting), Freedom to choose (yes, I'm sure many feel otherwise, but this is what a Christian sees), Not murdering, Protecting. Loyalty to your family.

I'm well aware that many anti christians would enjoy pointing out examples of how they feel Christians fail to live up to these standards as well as other standards. That's great for you but that is not my point so please save yourself the trouble.

"Fearing God" is also a way of stating that they feel there are moral decisions to be made. You don't have to be Christian to agree with those standards. Whether someone believes God wishes he follow these standards or not, if they are good standards that is all that matters.

It's easy to hear the word God and jump down someones throat while at the same time agreeing with the same principals.

The real debate is how the principals are applied and put into practice. For example, If you honestly feel/felt that Sadaam and his army would attack america and murder your family, is it better to attack him first? Or find better ways to defend yourself without attacking first. That is a debate that has gone on for decades.

And there is nothing wrong with Muslims or Hindus or whatever religion you care to pick feeling they should follow who they feel is their God! It's when they say that YOU also must follow that God or be killed that it becomes an issue. Bush is not saying you must be Christian (abortion and gay issue aside for now) or die!

I'm all for letting the world do what they want in their own countries. And while I realize no one can/should police the world, I also have a hard time watching people getting slaughtered and raped and tortured for no more reason that having different beliefs. So whether or not to go to war with people like sadam is not an easy issue for me personally.

Having a president that respects the lives of others enough to go to war for them is honorable to me. Much as seeing someone being raped in an alley and doing something about it instead of walking on by is honorable at the very least!

That's a trait I like. Now, how you go about taking care of the bad guy is another issue. That one is up for debate. Would I want a president that ignored Hitler and his slaughter even if it was far away from our land? It may not be logical or financially sound to go to war to stop Hitler, but any "God Fearing" man or woman would do his/her best to protect the standards they believe in. The standard that life means something and should be protected even at the risk of your own time/money/life, in this example.

Now I don't believe that Religion and Politics should be mixed. I strongly believe in the seperation of church and state and I DO believe that at times Bush crosses the line or at the very least attempts to. But the fact that he feels compelled to "do the right thing" doesn't scare me.

Tieing this whole post back to the thread topic....I want someone as president who will keep the seperation of church and state! I also want a president that will listen to his conscience and not just to his pocketbook!

How can Kerry Win? Convince me he has strong beliefs and that he will stick by them would be a good starting point for me.