Religion and Politics

SFC Swartzy hits the nail on the heard re: rivalry. Service rivalry always exists, including during times of war, and right up until the bullets fly. Then it stops, until the bullets stop, and it starts right back up, including who fought harder, lost more, won more, etc.

As for mormonism, I never claimed to not like Mormons. I would serve under one, would haver them work with and for me. Would treat them just like anyone else, (well, except for buddhists and amish) But I wouldn't vote for one to be my president. Wouldn't vote for a scientologist, atheist, or a clinton either.

People can bluster all they want about it, but I won't let anyone tell me how to vote, or what I should or should not let sway my decisions.

I have an innate fear of religion that bans the use of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and encourages the sparing consumption of meat. Christ made water into wine at Cana, just to keep a wedding reception rocking. Ideas about conservative dress are also screwy. They range from the monochrome of the mormon messenger to the head-to-toe burkha of the muslim. Why are these religions so worried about seeing the beauty in the human form? God made us in his image, why is looking upon it, bad? (Okay, I understand the lust argument, but the sin is lust, not the flesh. It's the lack of discipline, of control over self that is sinful.) As for limiting the intake of meat, God must've put the wrong teeth in my head, because the majority of my teeth are designed for the tearing and chewing of meat--otherwise we'd have teeth like cows.

So is it god, or the mormon church, which is fallible here?

I really do like the LDS focus on family, community, and missionary work. But, get this, I've read the book of mormon, the doctrine and covenants, the pearl of great price, and even the King James Bible . Then, I did pray on it--The answer I got was "if it leaves you confused and questioning, and you aren't sure, then it isn't for you." I accept God on faith. I accept the church, any church, on fact.

But I am not going to debunk mormonism.

I say again, It isn't for me, and it isn't the way I choose to believe. But it also doesn't mean that it's protected from my freedom to a) make fun of it or b) make it a criteria for choosing a candidate.

Why include religion in a discussion of politics? Religion is the single most important choice a person makes. We vote based on how we perceive the beliefs of the candidates--in essence, we want them to share our beliefs. If their most important belief differs from ours, why would we vote for them?

--Chuck