Of course Dean should talk about religion. I'm sure he has a spiritual side, and that he can speak truthfully about it. Dean is, if anything, a thinker. And thinker's always have some sort of relationship with God or spirituality, or the big questions of existence.
Frankly, I found the New Republic piece to be anti-Congregationalist. Dean's secular way of speaking is almost universal of people of those kind of faiths, and he should come right out and say that any questioning of his religion (Congregationalist) smells pretty strongly of anti-Congregationalism. If stories were being published, saying that Kerry is not a REAL Christian, because he is a Catholic, people would consider that Anti-Catholic. If stories were being published, saying that Lieberman is not a REAL Jew, because he is a Orthodox, people would consider that Anti-Jewish. And if stories were being published, saying that Bush is not a REAL Christian, because he is Evangelical, people would consider that Anti-Evangelical.
And I am tired of hearing even Democrats speak as if there is something wrong with not being a Bible-thumper. Many, and indeed a majority, of good Christians are NOT Bible-thumpers, and have a relationship with God that is much different than Bush's. Sure, there are a lot of born-agains and Mormons in this country. But there are also a lot of Episcopalians, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews, Moslems, Hindus, Unitarians, and Methodists, too. There are also a big chunk of Atheists, Agnostics, Deists, non-denominationists, arm-chair Bible readers, and MISC. SPIRITUALISTS.
Democrats, stop being such pussies and stand up for yourself. The key to this election lies in the 52% or more of the country who do not vote. It is time for the great Silent Majority of Americans to stand up and be heard.