Not the smartist thing to say, and I'd be yelling about it if he said it in a government building or the parliament. But in a Church, whilst it is distasteful and will probably mean he loses some votes and creates a media shitstorm, I don't think you can qualify this as a breach of the separation of church and state. He still is an idiot to say it when elected to office.

It's not bigetry its a religious belief. In the Bible it says all believers are brothers in Christ. All he was doing was saying that all Christians are his brothers and sisters in Christ. Which is religiously true its not bigotry. Its like if he was warden of a prison and stood up in the chapel and said Murder is a sin. Is that being a bigot towards Murderer's?

I don't get the issue over this. He was simply expressing his faith. He wasn't attacking anyone or saying anything illogical or offensive. He was simply stating his faith.

A religious belief can be bigoted. Descriminating against gays because of religion is bigotry for example. Just because an ideology is a faith doesn't mean it isn't immune from criticism. My dictionary defines bigotry as "intolerance towards those who hold different opinions from oneself". I would say what I wrote was too harsh, but hinting at in and out group views is generally not something to be proud of regarless of if its bigotry or not.

People have the right to practice their faiths aslong as it doesn't contradict secular law, and the freedom of speech to say in general what they want. But conversly people can criticise what a person says without actually wanting to silence them. The free exchange of ideas has to go both ways.

Whilst I also think the situation is overblown, and he was simply expressing his faith outside of his official duties, I think people largely have a problem with the last part of his statement when he said "You are not my brother or sister, but I want to be your brother".

It A. Discriminated instantly against all non Christians, and B. It showed an element of forcefulness in his statement, that he wants people to be Christian. I can potentially see how people can think of it as offensive.

I completely agree with you, this was said in a church to a group of likeminded Christians; whilst I think it was in poor taste I defend his right to say it completely. The statement, whilst in what many would deem poor taste, was said in an acceptable context. If he'd have said it in an official statement I too would be annoyed, but then again I think many Christians would also be annoyed too.

No one's persecuting him. And no one's free from ridicule. What you need to understand is that freedom of speech doesn't mean that you can say everything you want, and other people have to like it. No one's free from ridicule, and if you decide to make a statement, people have the right to hold whatever opinion they want regarding that statement.

Something being a religious beleif doesn't make it acceptable. For example, a religion may require human sacrifice. Should such a practice be allowed, because it's a religous belief? And if murder weren't universally considered a negative thing, yes it would be considered bigotry (the same way sayin that beong gay is a sin is considered bigotry, or that having sex before marriage is a sin).

And he did attack non-Christians, and expressed his desire to force his religion on people.

No.  You ARE persecuting him.   You said that what he did violated Church and State and he shouldn't have the right to say it.   You just agreed that was EXACTLY what you were saying a couple posts up.  That politicians shouldn't be able to express their religious views.

You directly said "That is exactly what i'm saying".

If your changing your position now because you realize your being bigoted that's one thing... but cop to it.

So he shouldnt have freedom of speech and religion because of his job?

@Joel. The part people are having a problem with is that his statement was essentially "I want all the non-Christian people of Alabama to convert to Christianity". It's certainly not appropriate.

United States national motto: ''In God we trust''. This sentence is also on american dollar bill.

The American decleration of Independece

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"

Creator reffers to God 

The Constitution mentions "In the year of our Lord"

The Lord reffers to God as well.

The belief in God is in very roots of american country, so if you dont like ik, you shouldnt excpect the whole country to chnage their orgins because you find every single thing offendable and biased.

So this is really just another excuse for people to protest and blab on about something