1) If you want to believe in a god and an afterlife, go for it. But keep it to yourself and others who share your beliefs. It is not okay to "preach" to people about how WHAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE TRUE is the only correct thing in life.
2) If you want to run for public office, go for it. But keep your personal beliefs out of it. Whether you believe in a god with a beard or a pink dragon that speaks only Russian, your beliefs are just that--YOUR BELIEFS. A deity that has no scientific proof of existence is not something to even utter in a public office.
3) If you're asked about religion when you hold a public office, just decline to comment. "That's not why I'm here" is a perfectly acceptable answer.
4) Just as well, if you're a religious person and you're asked about a potential candidate for public office, just decline to comment. "That's not why I'm here" is a perfectly acceptable answer.
If you look around, the world is controlled by religion. Every problem in every country is an effect of some religious cause. Israel vs Palestine, Republican vs Democrat, USA vs Middle East, etc. All of our presidential candidates are asked about their religion. They should all state that religion is a private matter and the public should ACCEPT THAT ANSWER. Furthermore, no public official should be influenced by religion, period. Public officials' goals are the benefit of their constituents and should be nothing more. They need to ask themselves, "will my decision help my constituents in the most beneficial way?" They shouldn't have to worry about losing an election because they might be atheist, agnostic or theistic.
The United States should have a law governing the "separation of church and state" clause even further in definition. It needs to be clearly defined that religion is a totally separate discussion from politics. Politics needs to be 100% beneficial for the people. Religion needs to be 100% private. But for some reason, the American people refuse to let the moronic idea go, that these two topics are related.
We know better. As humans, we know better. If you believe in a god, stop, think LOGICALLY, and admit there is no proof of one. No one will think less of you. In fact, people should think better of you for acknowledging that you believe n something that is false. It is PERFECTLY OKAY to believe in a god and a storybook in your personal life. Religion does not belong on the public stage. You can pray anywhere, just don't hold up signs that say "God Hates Fags". That is so stupid. Did "God" tell you that he (or she--or it) personally believes that homosexuals are wrong? How can you believe that? Homosexuals are simply people who love the same gender. So who are you to judge them? You believe that a man and a woman is the only correct relationship in order to procreate? Have you ever thought about the fact that a man and a man may not want to procreate? No one can tell another that they HAVE to procreate.
It is such a simple concept. Keep them separate.
