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Drawing lines: John Kerry and Israel

On July 28, delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Boston will nominate John Kerry as their candidate for president. They will also approve the party’s national platform. Gay marriage will be finessed to satisfy Kerry’s cautious approach. Iraq? Bush’s efforts will be condemned; patriotism will be celebrated. God will reemerge as a Democrat. Health care? Democrats can do it better. Support stem cell research? Count on it, and watch for Ron Reagan as a surprise guest.

Evangelicals decry Bush use of churches: Campaign sends laundry list of duties

A laundry list of duties sent to conservative Christian volunteers by the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign is causing alarm among evangelical leaders who are concerned that the use of congregations as political organizing bases will endanger churches’ tax-exempt status.

The circular, which specifically directs volunteers to send church directories to state campaign officials, dismayed Republican-friendly figures such as Southern Baptist church-state specialist Richard Land. “I’m appalled that the Bush-Cheney campaign would intrude on a local congregation in this way,” Land said.

Cuban-born bishop likens ploy to Castro: Castro asked for names of church members too

In a Fourth of July message to clergy of the Diocese of Southeast Florida, Episcopal Bishop Leo Frade expressed “grave concern” that the Bush-Cheney campaign has asked volunteers to use church member lists for political organizing.

“I am alarmed by any suggestion of providing the names of church members to any specific political group,” said the Cuban-born bishop. “I saw this request made by dictator Fidel Castro at the beginning of his regime, and his persecution of churches that refused. It was one of the first of his attempts to control the country by force.”

Getting religion: Where Democrats have failed

The Democrats have a religion problem, and it is not just that presidential candidate John Kerry has run afoul of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church because of his support of abortion rights and gay civil unions. According to a recent Time magazine poll, 59 percent of those who consider themselves “very religious” support President Bush, while only 35 percent of them support Kerry. Conversely, of those who are not religious, 69 percent favor Kerry, compared to 22 percent who support Bush.