... of god, Anthony. I'm not even sure there is one to be afraid of.

>> I just feel that the democrats are DEATHLY afraid of God and to me that is ridiculous.

Don't understand why you would think that. The vast majority of Americans believe in a god of some kind, including most Democrats.

>> Do you think that God should be taken out of the Pledge?

Religion should have no place at all in national politics or governmental policy. I learned the pledge before the phrase "under god" was added. I have skipped over it when called upon since to recite the pledge. The founders of this country were right (in the First Amendment) to insist that government stay out of religion. We all would have been better off if they had made it more clear that religion should also stay out of government.

>> Why is God offending so many democrats.

Afraid you'll have to ask him or them that one. As for myself, it isn't god that I find offensive, it's the self-righteous religious zealots of any religion who want to force their views on others or who want to use their religious beliefs as the basis for public policy. On the world stage at the moment, the worst offenders are the radical Muslims. That hasn't always been and won't always be the case.

I have no objection to people believing in and praying to any god they choose. I just prefer that they do it in private (e.g., church) and keep religious issues out of the public forum -- good current example, the religious interference with stem cell research, which ought to be treated as a medical-scientific issue, not a religious or a political issue.

----- jim o\-S