[ExI] Sam Harris Can

[citta437 at aol.com]

"From: "Stefano Vaj" <stefano.vaj at gmail.com> said:
> I beg to differ. I am not a US citizen, but I believe that the
> pratical requirement to stay with one's church, or at least with *a*
> church, any church, reflects more badly on the society that imposes 
it
> that on the candidate that has to conform with such expectation if he
> wants to have a chance.
>
> Moreover, as much as I hate hypocrisy and dishonesty, I would live
> with it any day if the alternative were not just somebody who bows 
and
> defers to the superstitions and beliefs concerned for the sake of
> being elected, but somebody who even actually *believes* in them...

AiGuy Reponse:
The practical requirement to stay with a church in order to get elected 
is
a byproduct or the wishes of the majority.  And the will of the 
majority and
their
right to vote for a candidate they are comfortable with is what 
demcarcy is all
about.
So assuming your hypothetical candidate was willing to lie about his 
faith and
religious
affiliation.  How would you know to vote for him?  How could you 
believe his
stance
on any other issues which were important to you, because he could be 
lieing
about those
as well.  When we reduce an election to a popularity contest on who has 
more
charisma ,
is a better speaker and tells the majority whatever they believe the 
majority
wants to hear
then we are abusing the very democracy and freedom to choose who will 
govern us.
The honor and honesty of a candidate should always be considered and 
explored
because
without those nothing else the candidate tells us can have any meaning.
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Amen to all of the above. Does the end [the white house} justify the 
means?

Only Obama could answer if he is honest or not. But the fact he 
admitted he was with the church for twenty years, practicing its tenets 
as a faithful member cause intensive/stressful psychological states 
bordering on entropy [madness] on his part and on the voters who listen 
with emotional rather than rational behavior.

No I would not vote for Obama whatever the polls say.

Terry