Look who has time to write into Time's letters section this week:
As you pointed out in your cover story on the Democrats and religion [July 23], God has become pivotal in presidential campaigns -- something I could not be more heartened to see. We are a country composed of atheists, agnostics and all brands of faith. In order to be an effective leader, you can’t just be the President of the Christians. It insults our intelligence to assume that we would let difference separate us. While faith is important, it does not negate our ability to make intelligent decisions about our leaders.
Bishop Thomas Dexter (T.D.) Jakes Dallas
In related news, on Salon today Karl Rove biographer Lou Dubose documents the precise moment the Christian right took control of the Republican party: "at the Republicans' state convention in Fort Worth, in 1994, with enough delegates to seize control of the party." --Robert Wilonsky