And honestly, why the very mention of God freaks people out is beyond me. This country was founded on Christian principles and has become the greatest country in the world because of those principles. Someone tell me how exactly religion has ruined or made worse something in your life. Spoon I know your GF dad is a nut but he is hardly a rep. of Christians everywhere.
I personally dislike the mention of god in politics and/or sports not only for what it stands for, but also because that I'd prefer that it not be as socially acceptable. Which brings me to your next point-- I think this way because of the negative effects of religion on so many people. Now I'm a well-off, tall, straight, white male raised in a religious household, so I can hardly say that my life has been ruined or made worse by religion (except that whole UIGEA thing-- that definitely hurt).

Great example of a group who are far worse off because of religion and the bible: Gays. It's so obvious and overwhelming that it doesn't need to be explained further.

Edited to add: also, in what way are we the greatest country on earth? I ask this mostly just out of curiosity, because I was always told this at home and in school when I was younger. Now don't get me wrong, I like the USA.. it's been good to me. I just wonder why you think we are the best? We are definitely the best at war, but why else?

Everybody that says religion has no place in politics is naive. Religion is what makes up the core values of most of the people of this country. And don't give me any of that seperation of church and state BS. We all really know that was about not letting the goverment set up a national religion to tax the shit out of us. At no time did the founders of our country expect religion to be "outlawed" if you were involved in the process of running your town,city, state or the country as a whole.
The tax angle is interesting, but really, it was set up because the founding fathers were smarter than people give them credit for, and they did not want a religious cult determining the laws and values of the country. Unfortunately that has happened to an extent, though unofficially. Religion should have no place in politics, absolutely not. I have no problem with others practicing religion so long as it doesn't affect others, and you know very well that's not the case.

People should be a whole less less concerned with where man came from and more worried about where we are going. So what if I believe in a God? Does that make me stupid? No more I would say then any of you so called evolution experts that claim you KNOW how everything came about. Science is an ever changing process and who knows what man will find out about 200 years from now. Judgemental and self absorbed people like you are what actually hold discovery back. Because you think you have it all figured out.
I know plenty of smart people that believe in god. You can brainwash people at a young age to believe anything, doesn't make them stupid. Speaking of 'smart people' (define that however you want), how many would legitimitely come to the belief that there's a god had they not been introduced to the concept and brainwashed into believing in him with torturous and everlasting consequences should they disagree? How many are led to believe that yet still become agnostic/athiest? Not even going to go into the whole evolution thing and I wish I hadn't got into the whole god thing. Read a book on evolution is my advice, and don't try to refute every point with cherry-picked, illogical examples from the bible.

I know hundreds of people that go to church on a regular basis that I would trust with my life, my familys life. These are the same people that would probably risk there own life to save yours if the situation occured. Religion is what fostered that nature in the person. If you all think somehow thats horrible and should be chased out of any office of goverment then I would be VERY afraid to be in the country you envision it should be.
ABSOLUTELY, there are tons of great people that go to church on a regular basis. I know many. I'd like to believe those many people feel the same way about myself (I think they do), and yet I obviously do not go to church. Sorry but the idea that religion fosters terrific people and the implication that those that choose not to believe in god are therefor bad people is laughable, at best.