What a surprise as he fawns upon the "sudden baptist" following he needs. Frankly, he reminds me of a squirrel with a load of nuts in his jaw...

Sounds to me like he's a religious flip-flopper.

Well...since the government is blind to sponsoring a religion....this shouldn't matter ...right ?

He's a Baptist in South Carolina.

When he goes back to DC, he'll be an Episcopalian again.

Religious beliefs are a private and personal matter.

We are a secular society, and religion has no place in politics. There is good reason why our Founding Fathers argued for separation of church and state.

Talk about flip-flopping on the issues. I'm Episcopalian, I'm Baptist, I'm Episcopalian, I'm Baptist... It's comforting to know he's just a normal politician.

It's funny how some people seem to think this is news.

Stubborn John McCain could have easily been President had he said,"close the border now!" But no, he has to saddle up with the likes of Kennedy and that is the story folks.

I don't think anyone's religion should play a part in the election process. But as long as this news network and others use every opportunity to continue to make Mitt Romney's religion an issue, I think that, in fairness, they should treat the other candidates religious affiliation in the same manner. Maybe then everyone will finally recognize how pointless this argument is.

Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were Deists.

WHO CARES WHICH ONE HE IS? ANYBODY WHO USED "RELIGEOUS AFFILIATION" AS A POLITICAL STEPPING STONE OR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO DISCREDIT SOMEONE BASED ON RELIGION NEEDS TO GET OVER IT! THAT IS NOT WHAT HOLDING POLITICAL OFFICE IS ABOUT! JEEZ.... RELIGION IS NOT SOMETHING ANYONE SHOULD BASE THEIR VOTE ON. (And, contrary to popular belief by now, I DO believe in God.)

I wonder now he is in the south telling them he is a Baptist, that he will go up north and thell them he is Catholic and over to Utah, to tell them his a Mormon!

Who cares? Ten thousand years ago ALL of our ancestors were ignorant, dressed in smelly animal skins, and chanting and dancing around fires to protect themselves from spirits and demons. The only thing that's changed today is the fire - it's been downsized to candles.

When he goes to Boston, he will them that he is Irish Catholic, c'mon folks my last name is McCann, vote for me!!! I am as Irish Catholic as they come and I love Boston College!!

There is no point in asking for the domination of any political candidates.
Those who extol the virtue of their religious assosciation are mostly chritian in names only.By their actions you could guess their true beliefs.

What's the difference?

Obviously Mr. McCain is NOT a Baptist. His wife and children are members of North Phoenix Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist Church. However in another interview, Mr. McCain notes he was not baptized so therefore he cannot be a member. However, if he says North Phoenix Baptist Church is his church home, I take him at his word. There is just that small detail that may be the problem about his membership, ie the reason folks do not believe he is a Baptist.

Get your facts straight. If you have been baptised by a protestant church you do not need to be rebaptised to be a member of a Baptist church.

I am involved in politics in Phoenix and know for a fact that John has attended that Baptist church for years. So you leftist fascists need to get off his back!

As I posted before, and ofcourse was immediately "censored" by this blog --

I stated that John McCain is NO HISTORIC BAPTIST !

In the 2000 Presidential Primary in South Carolina; he slammed BOB JONES UNIVERSITY: WHICH IS AN HISTORIC BAPTIST/FUNDAMENTALIST JUDEO-CHRISTIAN PROTESTANT PRIVATE SCHOOL/COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY.

He ACCUSED BJU OF BEING "RACIST and "Anti-[Roman]'Catholic'".

His intent being to de-rail George W. Bush's Primary Victory.

And also his gaining "Roman 'Catholic'" favor (really VOTES) in a "Future" Presidential Run -- AS IN THE PRESENT 2008 REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY RACE !

John McCain is as "Baptist" as George Bush Sr. is "Pentecostal" !

"Get your facts straight. If you have been baptised by a protestant church you do not need to be rebaptised to be a member of a Baptist church.

I am involved in politics in Phoenix and know for a fact that John has attended that Baptist church for years. So you leftist fascists need to get off his back!

Posted by: Mark | Sep 18, 2007 2:05:04 PM"

Dear John: I am a Southern Baptist Pastor, and although some of our churches do not require rebaptism from episcopalian churches, I am quit sure North Phoenix surely would.
You see we do not consider his first preconversion sprinkling to be genuine biblical baptism because baptism in the NT was only after salvation and always by immersion. It is important because it sybolizes our salvation. When we received Jesus we were baptized by The Holy Spirit in to the larger body of Christ, we were incorporated into the larger church. Our water baptism is a symbol of that, and of our Lord's own death, burial and resurrection.

So Mr. McCain might be a baptist by persuasion, a baptist by attendance but he is not a Baptist by membership unless and until he decides to join that church that way.

This does not speak of his salvation. He may indeed be saved. But salvation is not a private matter. It is a personal one, but one that all of us are commanded to share openly with as many people as possible. It is not a choice. If we are to be obedient we must tell people of our on faith and encourage them to come to Jesus as well. Jesus commanded us to do so.

Thanks for listening.

In Him,
Pastor, Mike

I've been in John's shoes. I grew up military, and Methodist. I've recently converted to Christianity. My wife grew up Catholic. Although we both are Christians and have both been baptised as such.. that doesn't mean we don't identify with our upbringing. Heck, I still have dogtags that read Methodist. I just happen to be wearing the ones that say Christian right now. Yeah, I expect that John McCain will play to the preference of whichever state he is stomping. He is a politician after all. I think his point is.. he is a man of faith, a Christian. That, should be about as much conversation and hype the subject warrants. But, instead media and bloggers alike look to dissect and scrutinize the minutia of this subject rather than find some substantial position to argue.

Judging some of the comments so far.. he's right.

I agree that Macain is not an evangilized beleiver, although his wife and family are. What I don't undrstand is why being a Baptist is; by the many of the discussions it seems that many probably belieive the Prsesident should be a Baptist. Well that is not going to happen, the choice "now" is do you want someone thatis a "peacemaker and reaches across" the political lines and has a perfect "Pro Life Vote" and believes in apointing pro life jusdges or someone like Romny that became pro life when he decided to run for prsident. Get real folks and pray that we get a man with a backbone and God will anoint him to overcome the curse of abortion that is destorying our country! Maybe Huckaby could truely become a viable cadidate after one or two tours as VP and John Macain could become a true Christian by Hucaby's witnes.

Hopefully many are praying for him and he will become a Christian truely and then he won't be afraid to tell others of his faith. The Bible does tell us that we are to share our faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us also that we are to be babtised, even Jesus was. It is important to know how a man believes as it tells us his moral character. Any one who thinks that is not important is not wise.

Your religion is not what church you attend. One could be a Baptist or a Episcopalian, and not be a Christian. One has to have ask Christ into their heart. Also one can move his memberships from one church to another, as well as swich to a different Denomonation, and still be a Christian. The Question is this: Is he the one who can best lead this nation?

I'm sorry, but if you are a Christian you cannot check your faith at the door when politics are addressed. Christianity is who you are and it should not be removed from your decision making process. Impossible to do if you truly have a personal relationship with Christ. Can you leave your convictions at the door when something like the war is addressed? Isn't it a difference between right and wrong in your opinion? Where does that conviction come from. Some place deep inside? That is what religion is...where your convictions derive! Please stop telling Christians that religion has no place in politics. Everyone's convictions come from some place and is what forms who this country is...

Does he eat meat?

And now, in México, McCain is catholic... he and his wife went to Guadalupe's Basilic... Incredible! A christian re-born again in catholic church? mmmh Only in USA!

Im a mexican baptist, and when mr. Mcain came to Mexico he went to a place where many people adores an image, something that me as christian with true convictions will not do because adoring an image goes against the bible and the baptist criteria that show us only to adore God, no images no statues etc, so as bible say "by their fruits they will be knew", mr. Mcain seems not to be really a baptist (and lets hope he dont say anymore he is because we the baptist dont do that and I dont want that then everybody think that we the baptists also adore images as the guadalupe virgin or something else instead of God and that we change religions as we changes our clothing), his religion seems to be the politics, lets hope one day he really meet God and Jesus and accept him as personal savior and follow the way they teaches us in the bible (religion does not saves, God saves) we respect the catholics but we wont adore the saints and images they adore here in Mexico even when they had chase us for not believing in those images.

REGARDS