Meaning that if you want to, it can mean anything you want to. There are no hidden meanings in the bible. If anything most people have no understanding of the bible because they don't understand the historical context when each of the books were written. Like how there is no record of Hebrew slaves in Egypt, but we know the old testament was first solidified in Babylon when they were slaves there. To say the bible is "written by God" immediately discredits you in any real discussion about the bible due to your own ignorance.

What a pile of ridiculousness. The bible was not created all at once, and it's many authors definitely didn't have just one intention. All that God is perfect love talk is just utter white noise. I doubt you even understand what you said. You certainly didn't make a point.

People do not need God or religion to do good things for others. And NO, it is not that hard to do good things for others. Your admission of that proves you need to coaxed by religion to do those good things.

But America has never had one culture. The American culture is derived from the the different cultures that settle here with a definite yet weakening bias towards our english roots.

If you are going to impersonate an historical figure at least do some research before. Paine was born of the enlightenment and an ardent non-believer, all one has to do is read his works and letters to know this. The caricature this man has created is more akin to the propaganda Paine made for the Revolutionary war which motivated the Christian masses, but then again if that's what he's going for then I suppose he did an ok job.

Don't get me wrong, I am for a lot of what he is saying, but I hold a great deal of admiration for Thomas Paine and simply don't like the caricature.

For me it's not to piss anyone off. It's just to show we will not let them forcefully change our world.

"Why taunt people who have no regard for us or our lives? "

Because we are American and not afraid of them. We do things our way in our country and if you allow terrorism to sway your opinions to the cautious side then terrorism has succeeded in affecting you which was it's intended goal.

Possibly for the first time I completely agree with Jake on this one. What better way to say F U to those who blew up those building than to completely rebuild the twin towers bigger, better and stronger.

2. While that is what they say, Republicans in the last 30 years record of taxation shows a general bias toward the rich. All one has to do is look at the tax cuts of both Bushes to see this.

3. The federal government did interfere though. Republicans only want smaller government when they aren't in power. Government intervening in social issues is big government, and historically the whole state's rights thing really is a moot point after the civil war. It's a dead horse. The 10th amendment can and should be used successfully to defend many things from the powers of the federal government, but we should concentrate more on the "or to the people." part of it. The federal government has had the precedent of superseceding the states for 150 years now.

4. This entire paragraph supposes that democrats have no standard for moral conduct, which is bullshit even from my perspective. The whole family values thing is a con. It is used to con people into voting on social issues rather than on economic issues that will actually affect them. No one can "do whatever they want". Your bias is showing again. 99% of congress is christian. That is a fact. To me that means nothing about their morality, but you seem to think the ones who wear it on their sleeve are more likely to follow it rather than to use it to manipulate voters which is what they actually do.

5. No politician supports something until it's safe. The NAACP is a secular organization with ties to the religious community. No their not afraid to mention they are christian, or to try and pass laws that are based on said religion. Or to try and say this country is or was founded as a christian nation. Or to deny gay people rights based on religions ridiculous claim to marriage, which was originally a property arrangement by the way. Or blah, blah, blah. We live in a secular country and you should be glad of it. Being christian says nothing about your morality, men of power have always used religion as a tool to sway the masses, whether trying to destroy it and take its place or just use it to manipulate, it always works because people have this foolish tendancy to think religion equals moral. It does not.

My initial reaction is NEITHER, but for the sake of the debate I will say Democrats since they haven't sold out to the religious extreme of their party. If the Republicans were more libertarian then maybe, but they mean what they say less than the Dems.

Lower taxes?..Only for the rich.Makes no sense to be R if you're not rich

Smaller government?... Yah right. Two Words: Terry Shaivo.

The constitution?... are you kidding me??

Family Values?..... David Vitter, Larry Craig, etc..Power breeds hypocrisy.

I could go on about the dems too, but since I chose sides for this debate I won't. The puppet show of politics is what it is, but like I said earlier, at least the dems haven't been taken over by religious pandering in a country that has a tradition of separation of church and state.

Historically marriage is a property arrangement wherein a man takes possession of a woman. This has led to forced marriages and polygamy being the norm for thousands of years up to this day in many parts of the world. What you call marriage is a western idea. Western society has changed the definition of marriage a lot to suit their society just like any society does. Considering womena's sufferge wasn't that long ago as far as history is concerned it's suprising that you think marriage has always been a equal union. No, actually it's naive.

On your point about blacks: They had to be allowed equal protection under the law before that could happen. Google: Jim Crow.

The racist were upholding the traditional norm that blacks were subhuman and shouldn't marry whites. You just don't seem to get it. People thought marriage didn't include them at the time either. You are looking at the whole thing backwards. The word is changed constantly through history and those against the change are always on the wrong side of it.