"...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."And, now, here's a wonderful video which demonstrates just how valuable the current crop of political
Honestly, I don't care about a candidate's religion. Unfortunately, in this petty land of god-soaked people who pray to their chosen figment in one breath and condemn their fellow man in another, I am being forced to care about something so bloody irrelevant as someone's religion.
How did America get to this point where the insane and the delusional have indeed taken over the asylum? And, why don't people see that as religion becomes more and more prevalent in our political framework, the rights and freedoms of individuals in this country drift further and further away as citizens are expected to kowtow to whichever belief system is in the unfortunate position of being able to demand the most respect.
Our founding fathers sought to escape the hell that is life within a theocracy, and they would have excellent reason to do so. After all, how can there be any religious freedom at all in a theocratic government? When one belief is allowed to rule over all others, the only end result is that of a horrible oppression and persecution of its citizenry. All we need do is look to today's Middle East to see the direction America is taking. We are told to hate Iran, yet were are really not at all different from them.
The Middle East gave birth to some of the greatest scholars human history has ever known. It was a hub of science and reason and knowledge and learning. What happened to change that, and how is that what is happening here in America any different?
I'm sure everyone knows.
Religion kills reason (unless, of course, you think talking snakes, magic apples, and women turning into salt are reasonable things).
Now, I will say something that I am certain will piss a lot of people off, and if I do, I'm sorry about that.
I will never treat your religion with the respect you believe it deserves. To me, religion is nothing but a desperate refuge for the weak-minded and scared. I will never feel any need to bend my knee in search of answers because I find the things which terrify and frighten humanity to be the most fascinating and worthy of study. After all, to me, there is considerably more strength in knowledge than there is in simple faith. For example, it's one thing to believe that a god keeps your stove from exploding, but really... the reason why your house isn't turning into a fireball has more to do with someone knowing what the hell they were doing than the kindness of some supernatural being.
That said, I think people can and should be so much more than their religious beliefs. But, forcing your religion upon the population in any way will only lead me to see you for that religion and nothing else. And, if you are all foolish enough to vote for a candidate based solely upon his or her religious beliefs, then I suppose you will get the America you truly deserve. Unfortunately, that will also be the day this free country dies a cold and silent death.
Now, if anyone's offended, that's unfortunate. I still have my rights to believe as I wish, and I still have my rights to rail against this mythology. If that offends you, then perhaps you should put your holy books down and take a moment to read this nation's Constitution while we still have one.
There is room for religion in our personal lives and our community. But, there is not room for religion in our entire population and country. If the world is to see us, we should be seen as a strong, smart and free people as opposed to a Christian nation of oppressed fools.
Anyway,do forgive the rant. I just had to get that off my chest. Seeing this video really does suck the hope right out of me. I suppose it's embarrassing and humbling to see what this country has become.
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Posted By Dan to The Wisdom of a Distracted Mind at 3/02/2008 11:45:00 AM
Dan wrote : I will never treat your religion with the respect you believe it deserves. To me, religion is nothing but a desperate refuge for the weak-minded and scared. I will never feel any need to bend my knee in search of answers because I find the things which terrify and frighten humanity>>>
ReplyDeleteThat is a very strong statement I accept your right to make it and support some of your reason for religion not being a part of our elections. You do make it haard to forgive your rant.
I trust that you will still respect me in spite of my religion, Bill
WooHoo! Took the words outta my mouth. Well, not so much how I would've put it, you have a much better way with words. ;) Why is it that I seem to stop by your blog only to boost your ego?? One of the most frustrating things for me is to see people DYING of cancer or some other unfortunate illness and they leave their health to prayer and whichever god they feel presides over life. Fuck science, fuck doctors, fuck goddamned common sense. And I'M the idiot.
ReplyDeleteJamie
I can't watch the video (techno problems, not an emotional one).
ReplyDeleteI would hope that you'd respect the people, as much as the people respect you.
And, I know that those who accuse other candidates of being a religion that candidate is not, is amazing. Not only is it putting down those who are of that not-held religion, not only does it not matter, it's even a lie.
Some people get full of hatred. THAT is wrong.
There need not be a religious test, even while I can respect someone being open enough about him or herself to state what he or she believes. If he or she doesn't push that on others, great. (I realize Huckabee would push his, and I'm against that.)