Martin318is said:I think the answer to this is that religion and politics are indeed different - for several reasons. Primarily it is down to belief and evidence. For instance, I think of it this way:
* 2 people support different political parties. Once every - say - 3 to 5 years, one of those parties will get elected into power. From that time, there will be considerable evidence over the next year or two that will either shake or support the "faith" of the person that supported that party.
* 2 people have different religious faiths (where 'faith' includes atheism to save me typing it all the time). The only time you will really get any evidence whether your god is the real one (or that one exists at all) is likely to be after your death - although in the case of Budhists they will reincarnate and lose that knowledge all over again?).
Anyway, the point is that debate of religion is a lot stronger and more personal because NOBODY actually has any evidence to support their case. There will always be a stronger - and just as unverifiable - argument that trumps yours. Such as, how can anyone be sure that god A isn't so benevolent that he/she/it happily supports followers of other faiths even though they deny him/her/it? Its a human differentiator that is very personal, precisely because it is soley based upon faith. An argument against that faith is often taken as an insult - thats just how it is for many people. Many faiths are actually interpretations of the same events and/or texts and they are supported by those that made those interpretations.
Personally, I find it amazing that in the case of the Norwegian tragedy, when Anders Behring Breivik was identified as a Christian based upon his lengthly writings, Christian journalists instantly jumped upon this and claimed it was false because 'no follower of Jesus could have done these things'. These are the same journalists that immediately identify a terrorist as a muslim/Islamist with no evidence even though the act of terror is abhorrent to the majority of leaders of the faiths.
Seperation of god and state is supposed to be a big deal but good luck getting voted in as US President (or even just a lower representative) without a history of turning up to Christian churches....
I think you are overstretching a bit to say nobody has any evidence.