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

Bob Jones is not a traditional baptist university. Its a fundamentalist school. Fundamentalism started in the early 20th century in response to the modernist view (in the church) that was starting to deny the inerrancy of the scripture. Though traditional baptists agree with fundies that the scripture is inerrant, we don't buy into the legalism of the fundamentalists. The bible doesn't forbid drinking (though it does forbid drunkenness) alchohal or many other things Bob Jones Univ forbids. That being said, I doubt the Senator is a fundie.

See "Christianity Today" article by the pastor of Cindy McCain's church in Phoenix, which says McCain is NOT a member of his wife's church. He has been invited to join but refused to be baptised as an adult, which is a requirement for membership. So McCain's staff is correct: McCain is an Episcopalian (as is stated in every Congressional Directory since his election), not a Baptist. Isn't it interesting McCain is touting Baptist credentials as he needs to get conservative evangelical support?

Hi people of religion and those of you who are not. One must have what is considered a scriptural baptism to be a member of a Baptist church. That is; baptism by a church of like order and faith. No, not any protestant baptism will do. Any one can attend a Baptist church but "what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but loose his own soul"????HAVE YOU BEEN BORN AGAIN?

The Christian Right always demand to be pandered to in obvious, mutually degrading ways. They know that the Republican candidates don't REALLY believe what they do, but the lie serves just as well because it confirms their power and role as kingmaker.

I went to Church with John and Cindy one thing for sure is at least during my years with him at NPBC it was all Show and games, he after all tried to get us to invest in the failed BFA scam at church and later when it came crashing down he got out and left us in debt, he was only their for the votes he acted NOT like any Christian i ever knew. After all the bible warns of to be careful of the wolves in sheep's clothing.

McCain how can he be 100% disabled as the VA says he is and receive 100% PAY FOR THIS DISABILTY WHICH INCLUDES MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND WORK AS A SENATOR AND NOW WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT.? John Release all your Medical records, your VA rating file, DD-214, 201 File and most important your Medicine records since your taking dose of serious Mood Medicine also release all the Mayo Records as well let us see who the real John is ?

If the McCain campaign states that the most important religious issue regarding John is that he is a Christian, not in which church he holds membership, then the same should hold true for Barack Obama - he is a Christian and it is immaterial in which church he holds membership.

John only sometimes goes to NPBC because his wife goes there, he is NOT a member he does NOT know the Bible he is merely nothing more than a show man, i recall at church when he used to spend time autographing notes, dollar bills and church bulletins he is a typical showman in the circus. Remember he had affairs with married women all while he was married that does not sound like a Christan man to me ? Why does he keep his adopted dark skinned daughter from the family photos ? Because he does not want to loose the white vote thus he is a fraud

Thanks Mick, for telling the truth. I could tell from what he said he didn't know the Baptist Church that well and neither do some that have commented.

I feel sorry for the man if he has truly been using God.

the 2008 u.s elections will be fixet by both partys macain will win no bady likes to see a black man in the white house heven obamas own party are agienst him

AMERICAN CHRISTIANS AND JESUS DONT GO HAND IN HAND IF YOU LOOK THE LIFE OF JESUS AND SO CALLED CHRISTIANS LIKE MACAIN AND BUSH THERES NOTHING JESUS ABOUT THEM THERE FULL OF HATE

THE U.S IS A
UNJUST SUPERPOWER THAT LOVE ITS SELF TO MUCH NO HARD FEELING AM JUST BEING HONEST G.BUSH AS GIVEN U.S.A A BAD NAME I WUNDER WHAT MACAIN WOULD DO THE U.S IS NOT LIKET VERY MUCH FOR ITS DOUBLE STANDERDS IT SAY SOMETHING ELS AND IT DOES SOMETHING ELS
NO NATION TRUSTS THE U.S.A THEY SEE THE U.S AS A EVIL MONSTAR WHICH IS A FACT