Please post all comments regarding the Debate "Faith in the Public Square" here. Kindly do not post in the debate thread itself, or your post will be moved to the Bleachers.

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I see both sides of the coin, so I am neutral (still) LOL that might change in time and debate : )

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May your awareness be perfection

EH- you're off to a good start!!!! Good luck to you too, Tricky.

Bleachers Comment: Would banning certain kinds of questions to the presidential candidates be acceptable in America? I'm not so sure..........

I'm also wondering how and why you would keep the public from finding out what your faith is, what church you attend, etc......

You are right Angeleyes, but E.H. does make some very good points. I get physically sick to my stomach thinking how we could be discriminated because of our beliefs and how some could think our beliefs would effect our Job. And maybe it does!?! Well, let's see what Tricky has to say. I am sure he has some good points too.

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May your awareness be perfection

Wow what a great comeback from Tricky! Love it! As to his question I have to say that this is exactly what holds us back from being able to live a life of peace and harmony. If more people were open to admitting their "secrets" it would become normal. The first will always be the ones to be attact the most, but it opens the doors for other to step forward until it is not an issue anymore. We would still have slavery if not someone first was daring enough to step up and say it's wrong.

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May your awareness be perfection

There is a point that E.H. brought up that I feel contradicts his own argument: However, I can point out that as a gay man, I have never asked a candidate about his or her sexuality, as I wasn’t sending them to Parliament to have sex. I have asked them about their position on same-sex unions, however, because that would be a platform position.

It's the "platform position". If a Christian would only vote for another Christian would that not be a platform position?

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May your awareness be perfection

First of all, congratulations after two rounds, EH and Tricky - What a wonderfully gentlemen-like debate! Great points on both sides, too. Thoroughly enjoyable from up here in the bleachers.

I have never voted nor will. One of the reasons why I would never vote is because if I were to pick a person to represent me he/she would have to reflect that for which I stand. Politician's can tell me a lot of things they will do for me, but they could lie. I would want to know more about them, about their private life. Do they beat their partner or treat them equal? Do they punish their children? To me religion is not a problem or even no religion, gender or color, straight or gay. But that's just me. Just because I believe some things are o.k. and some not, who I am to say I have a right to my opinion or selection of choice and others don't?

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May your awareness be perfection

I usually don't vote in local elections for the same reason you mentioned, Vivian. I'm simply not informed enough about the dozens of different candidates to make a clear choice.

Voting is much easier if you vote along party lines, and alot of people still do. If you're opinions don't necessarily fall into either camp, however, it make it a little harder. I've heard alot of commentators talking lately about the growing number of indepent voters. Hopefully that reflects greater awareness rather than rising indifference.

Wonderful debate so far!

With today's media hounds, it's unlike a politician's personal life is going to pass scrutiny. Many politicians have had to leave races, because their lives were uncovered.

You can think of it this way someone is going to win, why not vote in the best of the two candidates? If you don't vote the worst candidate could win. And if you start voting at the lower levels, better candidates will be running for the more important races.

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