the presidential debates

[tatsxxx11]

I understand what you're saying, Pam

Although I do belong to an organized religion, love my church, hold true to it's doctrines and have great faith in God, ultimately, for me, it is not the credo of an organized group that defines my belief in God or directs my behavior. It IS my guidepost and beckon, but in the end, it is my heart, my conscience that guides me.

Institutions, like indiviudals are falible. The "church" that teaches us to love thy neighbor is also that church that at one time, foisted upon the world the Inquistion and the Crusades and the Salem Witch Trials, all in the name of God and his word and will. God was not at fault, humans were.

Growing up, my Catholic friends were told that if they ate meat on Fridays, they were damned to eternal Hell. After reconsideration by the Vatican, that edict was reveresed. Divorce was once prohibited by the church and to do so, meant excommunication; no longer. Today, all of the above examples have been either reconsidered and reversed, as with meatless Fridays and divorce, or deemed by the church as horrific misapplications, misrepresentations of their religions. Sadly, throughout the ages, autrocities have been perpetrated upon the world, justified in the name of religion and God. It does not necessarily reflect of the efficacy of organized religion, only that as humans, we are not perfect.

I was reading an article the other day regarding the history of religion in politics. One revelation in particular struck me. In essence it stated this. Over 40 years ago, when JFK, the first Catholic to run for Pres., decided to do so, he was compelled to provide a leary and fearful electorate with the reassurance that we would indeed run for the presidency, but only with the proviso that he would keep his religion OUT of the White House! It was feared that the White House would be under the direct control of the Vatican. Today, we cheer, support and defend a president for doing just the opposite; for speaking openly about his religious convictions and assuring us all that unlike JFK, his beliefs do guide his decisions and will affect his policy. A lot has changed over the past 50 years.