Letters: Jul. 12, 2004

Faith, God and the Oval Office

"Bush's relationship with his God should be a private matter, not one that dictates national and international policy." BOB FINGERMAN New York City

In "The Faith Factor" Nancy Gibbs explored the issue of religion and politics and the faith of George W. Bush [June 21]. As a lifelong Christian, I am appalled that the President can get away with calling himself a Christian. Bush may see the pre-emptive use of force as acceptable, but Jesus said those who live by the sword will die by it. Jesus taught us to love our enemies, pray modestly in private and value humility. Those teachings seem contrary to Bush's worldview. ADAM FRANKLYN ROGOYSKI Pflugerville, Texas

God and religion are the very foundation of this country. God should never be taken out of civic life. America is suffering enough as it is; God needs to be a part of what we do. ERIKA BODA Cleveland, Ohio

Bush has made clear that he believes freedom is God's gift to all mankind and that God obliges the U.S. (and Bush himself) to spread it to countries where it is denied. That belief has transformed our President from a foolishly sanctimonious do-gooder at home to a militarily aggressive crusader abroad. For that, he and his band of zealots should be exorcised from American political power. LEONARD SULLIVAN JR., U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, 1974-76 Bethesda, Md.

I am an average middle-class American, and I love that the President openly expresses his faith. I am thrilled that he is relying on a universal moral compass, not one of his own making, as some Presidents have done. I am sure there are millions of people who think exactly the way I do. RICH JONES West Chester, Pa.

There is no place for religion in the Oval Office, especially in the 21st century. The authors of the U.S. Constitution knew firsthand that religion intertwined with government causes alienation among people, not understanding. As our Founding Fathers intended, however, there will always be room for religious faith in a President's heart. ANNIE OVERBOE Villa Park, Ill.

The President can be as devout as he wants to be. I just don't want him shoving his devotion down my throat. HERMAN KOLENDER New York City

No one should question Bush's faith. The President has held on to his beliefs through tough times when many people would have had doubts. The controversy over whether religious faith should drive decisions in the White House shows how much our nation has changed. Without the convictions of our forefathers, this wonderful nation of ours might not even exist. Keep up the good work, Mr. President! RACHEL ANDERSON Chanhassen, Minn.

First and foremost, I want my president to be qualified to perform the extremely complex tasks associated with the job. Religious devotion should not be a precondition for or an impediment to the presidency. It is irresponsible to vote for a candidate solely because he or she represents the mirror image of one's religious beliefs. That does not make someone qualified to be President. PAULA ECKELS Wilmington, Mass.

The basic problem in the world today is that there is too much religion and not enough common sense. RICHARD G. HARMS Issaquah, Wash.