"I'm trying to think of the guy who said it; he was on Fox News. He said that America has chosen morals over economics, and I thought, 'Wow, what a great statement,' " says Miller, the children's pastor at Rolston Road Church of God in Irving, Texas. "The Democrats seem to be more economic-minded, putting all morals aside. . . . It's time to just stand for what we believe."

But "what we believe" as Americans has perhaps never been so difficult to define.

While the presidential race was close, the reasons voters chose one candidate over another were widely divergent. Kerry voters cited the economy as their biggest concern; Bush voters were more concerned about "moral values." Kerry voters opposed the war in Iraq; Bush voters thought it was the right thing to do. Kerry voters were seeking a candidate who "cares about people like me"; Bush voters wanted a man with "strong religious faith."

And despite all the pre-election talk about war, terrorism and the economy — moral values edged out all of those matters as the issue that mattered most among voters.

What separates Americans today goes far beyond ethnic or economic differences — and may sometimes even make those differences moot. It goes beyond region or locality — the reddest state has significant numbers of blue voters, and the other way around.

It's about deciding whose philosophical perception of the country's future is the right one.

What one person considers a matter of principle, another sees as religious extremism.

What one person considers immoral, another sees as inclusive.

"What this election makes clear, more than ever before, is two profoundly different visions of America and her place in the world," says Richard Wood, a University of New Mexico sociologist. "There are folks who literally can't imagine voting for anybody who supports 'killing babies.' For others, the question of supporting a 'woman's right to choose' is a deeply moral issue.

"Those differing visions both have very deep roots, and neither has fully captured the American imagination."

They also incite deep passions that color issues in black and white — and leave very little room for any gray.

'Right' and 'wrong'

Consider the view of the election through the eyes of these voters:

Cristi Gerecke, 25, of Irving, Texas, a Southern Baptist who voted for Bush, said of the candidates: "To me, it just seemed like one was a good person, and one wasn't as good."