politicalsoup

Christians are manning the suicide effort, advancing with no shame whatsoever to murder the Obama campaign in the final days of the season.  I read through an AP article about their newest attack campaign including the “Letter from 2012 in Obama’s America” which supposedly claims such events transpire as four terrorist attacks against major U.S. cities, Russia reclaiming all of Eastern Europe, Israel obliterated by nukes and gays marrying everywhere.

Petty, sad, and just flatly ridiculous.  It’s time like these that I’m glad I don’t believe in organized religion.

The Letter from 2012 makes me laugh.  Let’s go through point by point and attack the points brought up in the AP article:

Terrorist attacks - I don’t know the details, but I wouldn’t be surprised if these crazies associate Obama and Muslims and Terrorists in this claim.  Somehow I doubt that Obama is going to soften up on terrorism or national security when it’s still a major concern across the nation.  And let me recall, wasn’t it John McCain who said in the town hall debate that we are going to do our best to “kill Osama bin Laden and crush al-Qaeda?”  Oh wait. . . no, it wasn’t.  That was Obama, while McCain floundered worse on the question than Palin asked to name a newspaper she reads.

The New Soviet Union - When Russia got physical with Georgia, maybe Obama didn’t do the greatest job responding to the attacks, but he wasn’t puny either.  Foreign policy is one area he’s weaker in, but he’s got Biden to back him up.  And frankly, it’s not the role of the U.S. to keep Russia from taking over Eastern Europe.  While the U.S. is still a major influence in the world scheme, the power of the U.N. is more likely to prevent such a collapse.  And for Obama, who seems more willing to open diplomacy over McCain who doesn’t seem to be too keen to meet with any hostile party unless their kissing his ass (note: Iran and North Korea), it doesn’t sound to me that the world would be any better under a McCain administration if Russia gets tough again.  I’m sure his response would be: “Well, I’m not going to talk with Russia until they cede those lands back, completely disarm and kneel and kiss my ass in the Oval Office.”

Israel obliterated:  The entire world is closely watching the nuclear situation in the Middle East to make sure this doesn’t happen.  The difference maker here is Obama is willing to talk to Iran, without preconditions, while McCain is not (see example of McCain’s policy above).  Conservatives are blasting Obama for his stance on diplomacy, but to me, why SHOULDN’T we make the effort to improve relations with other nations, especially if they’re not friendly with us?  Let’s use an analogy.  You’re in a relationship.  You (America) get in a fight with your girlfriend (Iran) about something - to make it parallel in this situation - maybe she absolutely can’t stand your best buddy from college (Israel) who you always stick up for.  Now if you want to try to fix your relationship with your girlfriend, which sounds more likely to work: tell her you’ll talk with her if she cooks you a nice dinner and gives you what you want in bed OR tell her you’ll just talk it out with her?  Doesn’t it seem like the other side is going to be more open to negotiations if you’re not forcing them to do something they’re resistant to?  Not from the conservative side - they say your girlfriend better get on her knees and give you some lovin’ before you even consider talking with her.  Make sense to you?  Not me.  Besides, with the global community having stakes in Iran’s nuclear programs, like with Russia, it’s not on our shoulders alone to regulate what they’re doing.

Gay marriage: Last I checked, Obama supports civil unions that grant equal civil rights to gay couples.  He’s not trying to tell the churches they have to marry people.  Somehow I think conservatives are confused on what “gay marriage” is compared to “gay civil unions.”  Democrats aren’t trying to tell churches what they have to do or how they have to define marriage.  I support gay unions - however, I don’t support gay marriage.  If a church or religious group thinks marrying gays is against their core beliefs, that’s their decision.  I don’t think it’s right for government to force a Catholic church to marry two men or two women.  However, I do think it’s right for gays to enter into a union - same as a guy and girl eloping at the courthouse - to obain the same rights and privileges of married peoples.  I am friends with a lot of gay people and I can safely say their sexaul preference is NOT a lifestyle choice, so therefore I believe it’s wrong to disallow them to pursue happiness.  They can’t help being gay any more than some people can help being ugly.  To me, not allowing unions between two gay people would be the same as not allowing unions between brunette people.  So Christian conservatives, if you can supply me with the answer to where Obama is saying he’s going to override your rights and beliefs, I’d definitely like to know.

Now that I’ve broken down these points, I want to touch on something else in a semi-rant style.  Maybe it’s just me being disillusioned with organized religion - but I wish religions would stop poking their damned noses where it doesn’t belong.  Last I checked, religion is the cause of more problems in the world than it helps alleviate.

Government and religion are separate entities, or are supposed to be in this country.  It makes me wonder why eveyry political season a candidate’s religious affiliations are mentioned.  So what if Mitt Romney is a Mormon?  So what if Barack Obama actually WAS a Muslim?   It’s a shame that in a country that is supposed to tout religious freedom and expression, people across the nation get so tied up on how Candidate X worships or believes in a deity.  My belief is that at the top levels of government, religion plays a minimal role in the decision making process anyway (unless you’re George W. Bush).  The president is not able to fly off the handle and make decrees based on his faith because he’s checked by the other branches of government.  And considering that most Christian denominations follow a nearly identical set of morals and values, it makes me wonder why people get so tied up on the issue anyway.  Shouldn’t pretty much everyone act on the same set of religious principles?

“Nobody is pro-abortion” is perhaps the best quote I’ve ever heard on a political trail in an often religion-fueled argument.  I don’t particularly think the idea of removing fetuses is very appetizing, however, I do think the Supreme Court has it right in Roe v. Wade on a very hot button issue.  Would I like to see less abortions in the country?  Sure, and I’m not even religious and I can say that.  Do I think the decision should be overturned?  No, of course not.  I’d like to believe any decision that is limiting a person’s personal freedoms - such as seeking an abortion - is a bad idea.

And let’s not forget that through religion, which is supposed to encourage that “love thy neighbor” philosophy and bring out the best in people - how often is it used to promote evil, hate, and prejudice?  How many people use it to harness control of others rather then to use it as a guide to better living?  And how many people use it to spread fear rather than promote hope?

How about you field THOSE questions for me Christian right-siders?  And I’d prefer a letter within the next week or so, none of this post-dated garbage from four years from now.