Public pronouncements of religious affiliation say little about genuine faith, much less about how effective a person might be as president."-Charles Haynes, First Amendment Scholar

First off, the e-mail is a lie.  The "testimony" it quotes is from "A Charge to Keep," the Bush biography.  The passage quoted was never authorized for republication on any "devotional website."  It was simply lifted from the book.  Funny how right-wingers don't scruple to steal, and then lie about it, hmmm?

Secondly, Gore has spoken often about his faith, although he can't talk about a "turnaround" in his life, since he never went whoring and drinking like Bush.  Gore fell in love with Tipper at his high school prom, and they have been together ever since.  He never lived the spoiled rich playboy lifestyle.  He doesn't have that to repent. 

Thirdly, if the "founder of a devotional website" could manage to lift a passage from Bush's book, why not Al Gore's book, "Earth in the Balance?"  Simple, because this person is a political partisan, and refuses to tell the truth.  I have included a short excerpt from "Earth in the Balance" at the end of this article. 

Now, on to the obvious question:  Notice how Bush's testimony claimed that Jesus "changed" his heart and life in 1984-1985, but we know he kept drinking "too much" until his 40th birthday?  Until after he was married?  And even after the birth of his daughters?  I can't even imagine what kind of loser you would have to be to keep acting like a frat boy until you turn 40.  Bush also claimed that he had never been arrested after 1968.  We now know that is a lie.  He was arrested in 1976 for drunk driving.  But I guess Bush skipped that part in the bible, the part about not lying…  What a sad, pathetic creature.  (By the way, the only reason Bush "reconverted" to Christianity, was to run for office.  The only way he could be a viable republican candidate in the bible belt south was to get the nod of the christian conservatives, who hated his father for the whole "New World Order" thing, and his broken tax pledge.  So he lied, claimed a religious conversion, but kept partying.)

Remember Bush's claim during the debate that Jesus was the greatest political philosopher?  That is sacrilege, as any good christian can tell you.  As you know, the bible declares that Jesus eschewed all worldly matters, particularly political ones.  Jesus claimed to be not of the world, and instructed his disciples and followers to follow his example and disengage from worldly matters.  If Bush had read the whole bible, as he claims (if he can, indeed, read at all), don't you think he would have noticed that?

As Cal Thomas, a famous religious conservative and author, rightly pointed out, "Jesus did not expect the world to reflect his values: he predicted the opposite. The only people in the world who expect government to reflect religious values are ones like Iran, where religion and politics are synonymous."

Also, did you notice Bush's slam against Clinton for his marriage problems?  Do you suppose that, if Bush could read, he might have noticed that the bible commands praying for, submitting to, and honoring government leaders? Have you seen anything in Bush's behavior that indicates he follows this biblical command, or is even aware of it?  I do not recall one single instance of Bush ever praying and giving thanks for Bill Clinton, honoring him, or submitting to his authority.  What a hypocrite.

As far as Christianity and being a good president goes, you might be interested to know that our very first president -- George Washington, the one now viewed as beyond criticism -- was attacked as an atheist by his political opponents.  He wasn't.  But he said very little publicly about his deist beliefs, knowing full well that his lack of Christian orthodoxy would not be accepted by much of the citizenry.  (Deism is a faith based on reason rather than revelation.  Deists believe god created the world and its physical laws, but is not in ongoing communication with humanity nor actively intervening in human matters.  Deists, for example, do not "pray" for divine revelation.) (continued NEXT PAGE)