While he stated that he was approached by an EU judge who then told him how sad he is, that his own president may not use religious phrases like that, i think that had been more a private moment with a private opinion and if the referred to EU judge would be offically asked what he would prefer. A separation of chruch and state or f.e. a crusade into the middle east, i think he would go with the separation. I am even inclined to go sofar, that in another private moment, that EU judge would prefer the separation no matter what, as perahps even all EU judges would go that way nowadays. Afterall we have now the knowledge about Bush's hidden agendas and false/missleading intelligence. From that we can pretty surly conclude he only used the religous phrases to get the support from the religious right in the USA ... which again he got ... even for a second term ... where most of in europe had been suprised he got a first one ^^. I myself was stunned that he was elected the first time as i already had seen footage in the internet about bush and his escapades as governeur *mindblowing* 2000 and before.
Now to my thoughts/opinion on the topic.
Sepparation of church and state doesnt even go far enough in germany. We still have a cross hanging over the doors in our classrooms. If a youngling or his parents whant him to be educated religiously, that should be up to him, but it is not the business of the state to enforce it or support it with kind of subliminal messages(as a cross over every class room is subliminal 0_o)
I am an agnostic, without any religion, i was educated as lutheran, i do have believes, parts out of several religions which i can embrase, good morals and true rules we should live by. I am not against religion, but as agnostic i say, i don't know if there is a god or there is none, i just don't care about something which cant be proven and why would i invest my time and energy into something like that. When i see also from where many of the concepts come represented in any religion, then i also know for sure, there is nothing uniq or especially separating within religions from each other, so it is quite strange to me that there could be even wars about the matter and people getting totally worked up ... perhaps as strange as other may saw me defending agility based shield playstyle 3 years back, when it was written in stone that only str based shielders have a future ^^.
That said, politicians, demagogs, popularity whoring vote counting lieing powerhungry selfabsorved ... politicians ... use everything they can to get elected and fullfill their selfinterests(which may widely differ from what they tell us ^^ hence the lieing)
I don't like to be used, manipulated, misslead or lied to, religion but is being used in statments like an advertising of the own goodness of a politican and when he repeats over and over and over again that crap, at some point people start believing it. Not because it is true , but because people want to hope and want to believe, to get stability in their lives and theirfor but open the door for people with hidden agendas.
That btw. is pretty much the same with phrases with tendencies to nationalism and patriotism, they are used to manipulate us.
Conclusion, so that the state doesnt develop into a mindless organ which is just there to fill us with any crap any now and then a new messiahs spills out, i would prefer if that stuff keeps do be private. Anyone can believe whatever he wants, but please state, don't try and make us believe anything. Just stay out of my head, mind, soul, it doesnt belong to you state, it never will. I will educate myself concerning religions, you state please take care that anyone within your population gets the well rounded education so those who will later educate themselves about religions will have already the tools to do so.
EDIT: Bill Hicks: "You think when Jesus comes back he wants to see a fuckign cross?"
genius
