Religion: good or bad for presidential candidates?

http://usnationalgoverment.blogspot.com/2008/06/i-am-not-against-religion.html
A blog from a fellow classmate for my Government class. It is very well argued but I would debate the idea of getting rid of religion within presidential candidates and politics.

Religion is a topic of controversial discussion among many, if not all, American citizens. The United States has set a long tradition of separating church from state, yet somehow tends to intertwine within politics.

Is it a bad thing? Let us start with the publics view on this. According to an August 2007 poll (http://pewforum.org/surveys/campaign08/) by Pew Forum and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, the majority (67%) of Americans agree that it is important for a president to have strong religious beliefs. Yet, 63% of the American public opposes churches for endorsing candidates during election campaigns.

Think about it, we live in an increasingly religious world in which belief and faith affect every dimension, therefore politicians talk about it and address their beliefs. In China, dominantly atheistic within politics, repress believers because they believe that Christianity and/or the Catholic Church were a factor in undercutting the Soviet Union. Therefore, if we were to take religion out of politics freedom of speech would, in a sense, be limited. It is a topic that our presidential candidates should stand firm on and voice. This helps us gain a better understanding about their tendencies on ethics and civics.

So, when we are attacked by people whose ideologies we cannot understand unless we learn to take their religious doctrines seriously. Politicians whom have no religious orientation or position would not know how to handle those situations.

Our country was founded upon the want to gain more freedoms as well as religious freedoms. England was known for repressing its citizens due to their religious status. They even have a national religion: Christianity. This discourages other religions due to favoritism towards a certain religion.

Just seeing a difference in beliefs among our politicians is a comforting note on behalf of citizens in America who practice many different beliefs without the fear of prosecution.

Very well written, yet I would have to disagree on your proposal that religion should not be brought into politics (even on the subject of presidential candidates).