Which suggests that the evangelicals might have too much influence in political and judicial matters. Practice whatever religion they like, but why do they assume they have the right to tell others what to do. So much for "freedom".
Maybe the next time some goofball like Pat Robertson calls New Orleans hurricanes the wages of sin or openly worries about gay penguins (because two male penguins in a zoo somewhere adopted the caretaking of an egg) some politician with cojones will tell the old moron to shut the eff up.
I have mentioned before that an unfortunate part of my youth was spent in a boarding school run by fundamentalist Christians. You have to experience it to understand it. There is no reasoning, no questioning; it's the closest thing to absolute, blind political belief systems you will find. I believe it does more to distance people from religion than anything else. You have to escape its grasp and lie fallow inside for many years, until your own mind comes to certain conclusions about life and faith and matters of your soul. Then, and only then, I believe, you finally have the ability to cut through the jungle of organized thought and see meanings and purposes for yourself. Those, I find, that I can trust, and from which derive an inner sense of peace and a more positive approach to what we may be, and where we go when we go.
It's often difficult, but you have to think for yourself. Binding yourself to any faith that simply tells you that it's right because it quotes it's foundations in which lie its beliefs, is not really enough. It's just another "it's right because I say so" situation (as everyone will recognize from regular LuLaing). As a basis for clean and friendly coexistence between people, the general sense of the Commandments is pretty sound; it's when taken to simplistic, rigidly held belief and interpretation that trouble starts and destroys the good that comes from the basic concept.
Not much new, then.
Rob
