I don’t know exactly who you’re talking to here, but out of context, it sounds like you’re saying people shouldn’t vote based on faith, which is a very serious (but common) misunderstanding of the concept behind freedom of religion.

For example, if someone worships Lady Gaga as their God and wears meat-skirts in public, we have good reason to put that into consideration when you need to judge that person’s merits. Like say, hiring them, or voting for them.

Likewise, if someone is a Christian, it means they believe in everything the Bible says, and the Bible says a LOT. If someone is an atheist, it means a lot too.

In fact, the Declaration of Independence and Constitution are very God-based documents. “Endowed by their creator” is one of the key, pivotal phrases in the Declaration, and if you disagree with the notion that there is a God, then you disagree fundamentally with America’s founding document.

The constitution has the same thing. “The right to free speech shall not be infringed”, it says. Not “There will now be a right to free speech”, but “that right shall not be broken.”
It’s not saying that there should be freedom, it’s saying that there already IS freedom, given to us by some external power, and that government can only acknowledge and obey it. Now, if this external power doesn’t take the form of a God, then I don’t know what else it could. And again, if you don’t believe in God, then you can’t really, honestly agree with the premise of the constitution, no matter how much you may want to.

This SHOULD be a very, very important issue in electing people to represent American values.

Oh and that’s another, more immediate issue itself. What religion you live by can drastically affect the kind of moral system you live by. We elect politicians in the US to represent us, right? Why should we not see what their morals and values are to be sure that they represent us more properly?

If America is a country made up mostly of active Christians who follow God in all that they do, then the American government should be made up mostly of active Christians who follow God in all that they do. That’s what the representative electoral system is supposed to do.

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“Somebody who has sacrificed their entire way of life, been to war, and is on constant call to go again for your freedom to be ignorant.”

Now this sentence, interestingly, sort of contradicts your first sentence. You state that what this person is doing is going against American values, and then bring up the fact that you’ve fought for the values that have allowed this person to do what you disagree with.

Or wait, no, I think this actually makes your point a little clearer and less invalid. Cool! Let’s read the rest.

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“You have no right to control another person based on your religion, just like they have no right to do that to you.”

Ah, now I think we’re getting to your actual point here.

Now here’s my question…

“You have no right to control another person based on your religion, just like they have no right to do that to you.”

…says who? You’re speaking as though such a thing as objective, undeniable morality exists. That there is truly such a thing as right and wrong. That, in and of itself, is a concept that is impossible to scientifically prove, and is no more objectively true than the idea of a God. Therefore, by saying…

“You have no right to control another person based on your religion,”

…are you not pushing YOUR morals on HIM?

Now I’m not a person of faith, yet I do try to read into Christian literature that claims to be able to prove God and the Bible. I do not have ultimate answers to the questions I am asking; I am only asking them.

Without Religion, how can the basic concept of right and wrong truly exist? We feel a sense of right and wrong in our guts, for sure, but people also feel the sense that a higher power is controlling them, and we also ‘feel a sense’ that we sat in the waiting room for two hours, even when the clock says it was 45 minutes.

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“That is why we have the separation of church and state- to ensure all individuals will be treated equally, regardless of race or religion or origin etc.”

This statement here is totally true. But you still add other parts around it that are not.

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“Anyone who cannot accept America as a free country for all races, religions, political parties, beliefs, and so on should not live in America-”

Now again I’d like to stress that I don’t know who you’re responding to–the article or whatever–but it sounds as though they said something like,

“No non-Christian would do a good job as president”

If that’s true, then your response to it is a strawman. Just because someone has a strong opinion doesn’t mean they’re ready to put everyone in camps who disagrees.

E.G., someone may think that all Chinese food sucks, but that’s not cause to go “hey we live in a free country and someone can open a restaurant and sell whatever food they want. Why don’t you go somewhere that people don’t have that freedom?”

Hell, YOU have strong opinions on people who have strong opinions on non-Christians. You’re advising they leave the country. But you don’t think they should be FORCED to move to South Africa or be put in camps. To suggest that you think that way would be to dishonestly alter your point.

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“That is exactly what you are driving towards when you start making comments about anyone who doesn’t believe in “god” should leave the country.”

So that’s what they said? Well wait…

Aren’t YOU suggesting that certain people leave America? Because of YOUR moral compass?

I do, in fact, believe the ‘why don’t ya get out??’ line is intellectually sound under certain circumstances (example: American advocates of universal healthcare: why don’t you just move to Canada and save everyone the trouble?) But you’re saying that certain people should leave the country… for saying certain people should leave the country.

That made me dizzy.

You don’t need religion to be a good person, just like being religious doesn’t make you a good person (ie, WBC)

Leave religion out of politics and a whole new world and all new opinions will be open to you. Until we can do that, this country will never get better. You have no right to control another person based on your religion, just like they have no right to do that to you. That is why we have the separation of church and state- to ensure all individuals will be treated equally, regardless of race or religion or origin etc. Anyone who cannot accept America as a free country for all races, religions, political parties, beliefs, and so on should not live in America- go to a country that has no problem torturing individuals for believing in their right to be free- Like Iraq or Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia. They have no problem killing people who do not believe in one religion, express opinions or freedoms, or act in anyway their main religion states.

That is exactly what you are driving towards when you start making comments about anyone who doesn’t believe in “god” should leave the country. Do you realize how many of our soldiers- you know, the ones sacrificing their entire way of life and their lives in general to ensure you have the right to freedom and the pursuit of happiness- are Agnostic, Athiest, Jewish, Jedi, No preference, etc? More than you could ever imagine. Don’t disrespect and dishonor them and their memories by spitting in the face of all they fight for and believe in.
Intolorance and ignorance is what will be the destruction of this country- not if a non-christian takes office.

-Somebody who has sacrificed their entire way of life, been to war, and is on constant call to go again for your freedom to be ignorant.