I guess I'm not following instructions, since I consider myself an Agnostic Christian. That is, if any religion is 'right' I hope it is Jesus and such. That being said, I don't mind any politician who honestly believes in something, talking about what he believes. I think Dubya is honest. I think Lieberman is honest. And I think Kucinich is honest.

Dean on one hand says he doesn't want to talk about God, and then later talks about how important Jesus is and why he needs to be discussed is insulting to me as a voter. How dumb does he think I am? Very.

I don't believe in anything in particular that a candidate disucusses regarding religion. I respect it though. If they do, that is.

I wonder whether any of them believe that there is one true church, or if they share a belief that accepting certain fundamentals is enough and the form of practice and congregation don't matter.

My family was generic American--we never went to church, but we celebrated Christmas and Easter as family holidays. The closest thing to religion was having a nativity scene as a Christmas decoration and singing some of the more obviously religious carols.

At age 19 I converted to Judaism.

I'm a Buddhist and my mother converted to Judaism. Of course, we were both baptised Methodist, and we're Choctaw Indians.

I've got your melting pot right here....

I was baptized some Protestant denomination as a baby, my dad was Catholic, my mom was Presbyterian, and they converted to Mormonism when I was 2, after visiting every church they could find. Definitely an American religious journey.

I like Brooks's piece a lot, and I agree with his conclusions, but I'm not sure I would reach them the same way. He seems to be saying Americans tolerate different religions because we don't take any of them that seriously, and we all figure everyone's going to heaven anyway. If he really believes that, he's obviously never heard an evangelical and a Mormon Bible-bashing.

I think Americans cherish religious tolerance for the same reasons we cherish free speech. It's not that we think all speakers are saying pretty much the same thing, so all speech is basically okay. We may disagree violently with what someone does with their free speech, or with their religious freedom. But we care more about our First Amendment rights than we do about converting people to our own way of thinking.

Let's see. My dad was an indifferent Methodist. Mom was a Roman Catholic who became an Episcopalian. I'm a baptized Episcopalian who's pulling away from the Episcopal Church at the moment, probably toward the Baptists.

I have a friend who was raised Episcopalian, but is now Pagan (NOT Wiccan), though not the overly religious part of it.

My father's family was German Lutheren, my mother's Scots Presbyterian. I converted to Episcopal in my late teens, but haven't been Christian (or religious) in years.

I now try to follow the Way of the Tao (not a religion so much as a way of life).

Yep, I'm definitely American!

Raised nominal Episcopalian, became Baptist in high school, received into the Episcopal church two years ago. Faith is important for me as it keeps me grounded. I am with Katherine on this one...first amendment is our secular religion which protects our life with or without God.

Polish Jews on both sides, as far back as I know. My father's father became a Gerer hasid as an adult in Berlin, the family became more observant, the kids went to cheder, but left school as teens to escape from the Nazis.

Once in America, my grandfather became known in the Bronx as a pious man who led High Holiday services for small-town congregations which didn't have a rabbi, my father and uncle both raised their children in Conservative synagogues, everyone in my generation had Bar/Bat Mitzvahs but all are secular except me. I am moderately observant.

One of my cousins has kids and they are being raised without any religion as far as I know.