Religion in politics

[DanaC]

Do not assume that volume says most all Americans intertwine religion with law; to be imposed upon others. That minority that would impose their religion on all others is small, belligerent, cantankerous, and argumentative. It is not that more Americans want to impose their religion on all other.

That's not really what I meant. I don't think most Americans want their politicians to be religious fanatics. I just think at a cultural level the US wants/expects its leaders to have a faith, and to embody the nation - to provide an exemplar of an American, including a spiritual and moral dimension. That doesn't mean they need to project that faith to the rafters - just that they identifiably have it as an important part of who they are. That expectation is then taken to an extreme by some.

I do wonder if part of that is that your president is your head of state - it is in fact the president's job to embody the nation.

[xoxoxoBruce]

You're right in that belonging to some faith is an expected credential, just to prove they aren't some godless commie I guess, but when they use it as their shield, or platform, most Americans get uncomfortable.