Political rivalries, ethnic strife and poverty have fueled the clashes - but that has not stopped combatants from invoking religion and challenging the devotion of their rivals.

Nevertheless, said Mr. Reeves, the historian, invoking "American civil religion, one nation under God, is almost a prerequisite" for a Presidential candidate today.

I'm sure you're right about those invoking religion for electoral purposes but the religious right seems to have a huge influence in US politics.

After the Ayatollah's death, his successors used the same technique, always invoking religion to silence dissent.

But that has not stopped combatants from invoking religion and challenging the devotion of their rivals.

He accused groups that invoked religion to justify violence of "an appalling act of hypocrisy."

In his design for the Modena cemetery, Rossi invokes religion to conduct a last rite for architecture itself.

He said that for many Americans, the frequency with which President Bush invoked morality and religion in talking about the fight against terrorism was neither striking nor discomfiting.

Mr. Foxman said that the league had written the candidates last year to ask them not to invoke religion in their political appeals.

Those who, when dealing with this subject, invoke tradition, custom, religion or any other such nonsense do no more than shroud in hypocrisy their failure to confront barbarism.