While I've never been a Deaniac, and I would have chosen better phrasing, Howard Dean was speaking accurately. The right wing of the Republican party has co-opted Christianity to mean whatever it says it means, rather than reflecting the teachings of Jesus Christ. This isn't the first time the faith has been co-opted in this manner... it was the very reasons our forebears set out to create this then new nation... one that would protect faith from being co-opted by government, and would respect and protect the religious rights of those of differing faiths from by a majority of any one religion.

People of faith, whether Christian or otherwise should take a stand against the right wing co-option of faith, especially Christians who truly believe in and seek to live their lives as Christ intended. It's painfully apparent to me, a Catholic that neither George Bush, or his right wing "moral" majority do not practice the values Christ taught, I don't believe I'm exagerating when I say that if Christ came to Earth today, and preached the same message he did originally, in the same way, Mr. Bush would have him investigated by Homeland Security. What is plain to me is that the only God they worship is the almighty dollar and the power it brings. They impose mass suffering, and take no personal responsibility for their actions.

As a Christian one is obligated to speak out against the imposition of suffering on the most powerless, one is required to care for others as Christ advocated. What about our brave young men and women sacrificing their very lives in our military? What about the fact that Mr. Bush came into office desiring war with Iraq, was informed that the attacks that followed on 9/11 could happen and ignored it, that Bush used those attacks as a rationale to start a war in Iraq, and lied to us, and the troops he is obligated to act responsibly for. What about the fact that it was more important to Bush to give billions of our tax dollars to his corporate contributers/"contracters", while refusing to properly equip our service men and women, the lives lost/maimed because of not enough body and vehicle armor? What about the fact that Bush only fights to protect his tax cut, placing the burden on many of the same people fighting in Iraq, many of which come home to find their jobs gone, their homes lost, their families suffering, to find they have little to no coverage even for injuries they received fighting on behalf of their country?

If your faith is in Christ, having heard what Christ advocated, how can your understanding be that the place for Christians is in the Republican party, when the leadership of that party makes a mockery of Jesus Christ's teachings and life? I think any Christian who is so blind as to think that perhaps might be guilty of the same bearing of false witness to Christ that Bush and his cohorts do.. wearing ones faith on ones sleeve, but rationalizing imposing suffering, ignoring the duty to treat others as one would treat Christ.