Pastor in Chief

Newsweek has as its cover story a reporting on Obama's personal views of faith. Specifically, the report asks: "what does he believe, and how did he arrive at those beliefs?"

Here's a quote:

Obama has spoken often and eloquently about the importance of religion in public life. But like many political leaders wary of offending potential backers, he has been less revealing about what he believes—about God, about prayer, about the connection between salvation and personal responsibility.

So what? Big deal. What does it matter? OK. Next topic.

I don't get it. We enshrined religious liberty in our framework of gov't document. We settled that question better than two & a quarter centuries ago. There is no religious test allowed, per the Constitution. Why? Because we know from experience that when people begin voting theology in state matters, both gov't & faith become corrupted & tyrannical. Take a look at Colonial America or Iran. History has shown us that in =every= instance --- without exception --- where faith & gov't have commingled, the result has been an unbearable oppression. That's why we don't allow an official religious test.

And common sense would also say it is why we don't have an =unofficial= religious test for office either. To do so is an invitation for disaster.