The “Right” Path is Covered with Thorns

After spending almost 20-hours on a Saturday with a few hundred teenagers, all you really want to do is relax the next day. So, that’s what Lenny and I did today. We woke up late, went out to lunch and then stopped by our neighborhood Starbucks for some caffeine. As we’re walking up to the door, I notice a blue car with a large orange bumper sticker. Being one who likes to read stuff, I peeked over at the bumper and started laughing.

It read: The last time we mixed RELIGION and POLITICS, we were burning people at the stake.

How true a statement is that? Never have two subjects been a more volatile and destructive mix than Religion and Politics. Even separately they are pretty risky topics. But together, it’s like oil and water. Baking soda and vinegar. Donald Trump and Rosie O’Donnell. They just don’t get along as conversation pieces. So divisive are these two topics that Yours Truly walks away or even (GASP) clams up when they enter the conversation.

Society always says you should never bring up these subjects in polite conversation. It’s not that I’m afraid to state my opinions. I think we all know me well enough by now to know I have inner censor at times. But, Religion and Politics are what I call “No Win, No Happy” topics. No matter how good the intentions or how sweet the people are, by the end of chats involving Religion or Politics, no one wins and everyone is pissed off at each other.

Knowing this, it boggles my mind that one’s Religion has increasingly flavored the way people deal with their Politics. I’ve never been one for the things like the Christian Coalition. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But more and more their presence and opinion seem to be more prevalent as the current administration continues their second term.

If history shows us anything, it’s this: Secular politics with clerical views don’t mix. Religion and Politics can’t exist harmoniously because eventually, one overtakes the other. Either you become greedy for power or a zealot for Religion. In the end, somebody has to pay the ultimate price. Let’s stay in the context of the bumper sticker I saw:

Joan of Arc – A very good Catholic who believed she was doing work in the name of God. Joan was asked by God to lead France against the armies of England. Happily and dutifully she did, and won. It wasn’t enough. She was burned at the stake in May of 1431 by a pro-English tribunal of clergy from her own religion.

William Tyndall – All he wanted to do was spread the word of the Bible by translating it to English in the 16th century. The Church nixed the idea (some say because they wanted to keep the class system in order), but he did it anyway. Tyndall was executed in October of 1536

Martha Corey – Known by people in her town as a pious and religiously devoted woman, she bucked the trend during the Salem Witch Trials. She believed the trials were driven by human interests, rather than protection of religion. The local government didn’t burn her; however she was accused and convicted of being a witch for her views. Corey was hung in September 1692.

By the way…aren’t we militarily involved with a couple of countries that Religious Extremists have run into the ground?

In the U.S., we flaunt the fact that we are granted Freedom of Religion and we celebrate that there is a separation of Church and State. However, discussions about issues such as Abortion, Gay marriage, and Stem Cell research are divided right down the middle. You have the Clerical view on one side, the Secular on the other. Groups like the Christian Coalition want you to vote their way because they believe that it’s immoral and we shouldn’t subject ourselves to that.

I’ll state right now that it’s cool that you believe that. It’s your right. But, everyone has the right to choose for themselves, and I think that’s the way God wants it. Don’t believe me? Let’s look at a biblical example.

Adam and Eve knew eating off the Tree of Knowledge was wrong, but they still did it. They made the choice and God made them live with it. But it was a choice. According to most Christian based religions, God is omnipotent and all powerful. Don’t you think if He wanted to, God could have taken that temptation away from them? He could have fenced off that tree or put it behind a wall or even not create it at all. But He didn’t. Why? He designed us to have free will.

I guess in my long-winded way, I’m trying to say: Get the Religion out of our Politics. I really don’t think God cares who we love and how we live. I believe (and I think there are a lot of people out there who agree with me) He is concerned about how we treat each other. Once we figure out the secret to that, I don’t think we’ll ever have to worry about mixing Religion and Politics again.