[Perlstein]

��5{���������ctually put pen to paper and write crap like that, I always know one thing: they were blackballed by some fraternity or sorority along the way.

Is this really the standard of evidence you rely on in figuring out why a person believes what they believe? You make it pretty easy to refute. I never tried to join a fraternity in my life. Come up with another explanation.

[Howlin]

It's the standard comment I make when someone, such as yourself, for example, makes remarks about Bush's money and family ties.

It only shows YOUR pettiness.

[Miss Marple]

I will come up with what I think is a fair criticism. You have admitted you are anti-Bush, and that you think the foreign policy of the last year is a disaster.

You also have admitted that you think that Bush's decisions are based solely on his faith. Ergo, Bush's faith=disaster for the United States.

Now, the major premise of your article is that Bush is determined to follow a certain course and never changes his mind, based on what you apparently think are "messages of God." How then do you explain the change in course on the Israel-Palestine situation, from a "hands-off" approach to the Roadmap? (Personally, I would prefer we go back to the hands-off position, but then I am not privy to all the information.)

I am sorry to say that I think that your article is based on two pillars: a flawed understanding of President Bush's actions and motives, and a rather complete ignorance of evangelical Christianity.

And I am not surprised you didn't rush a fraternity. I knew lots of folks (including myself) who didn't do so. My reason was very simple: I couldn't afford it. I knew a lot of others who couldn't afford it either, but they didn't want to admit it, so instead came up with some high-minded principles about why they didn't want to join.