Freedom of Religion

Beautiful historic church steeple there in Philadelphia, isn't it?  There are so many church steeples in this country.  Some perched above tiny country churches on the hillsides in New England, others atop grand cathedrals.

You can't really tell what kind of church they are by looking at the steeple...just that someone worships there ... that they worship a "higher power" or grand "creator."

There are also mosques and temples and many other places of worship in this wonderful Democratic country of ours.  But, a frightening thing is happening here in the United States of America. 

This country was founded by men and women who fled persecution by the churches which ruled the governments from which they fled.

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia regarding one of the problems with religion controlling government:

The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition (Spanish: Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición), commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition (Inquisición española), was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval Inquisition which was under Papal control. It became the most substantive of the three different manifestations of the wider Christian Inquisition along with the Roman Inquisition and Portuguese Inquisition.
The Inquisition was originally intended in large part to ensure the orthodoxy of those who converted from Judaism and Islam. This regulation of the faith of the newly converted was intensified after the royal decrees issued in 1492 and 1501 ordering Jews and Muslims to convert or leave.
Various motives have been proposed for the monarchs' decision to fund the Inquisition such as increasing political authority, weakening opposition, suppressing conversos, profiting from confiscation of the property of convicted heretics, reducing social tensions and protecting the kingdom from the danger of a fifth column.

You can read more on this and it's frightening consequences on the Web and in History Books!

History has shown time after time that when the so called "well intentioned" religions of the world take over the government, terrible things happen.

Thus instead of this country being founded on "Freedom OF Religion," the truth is that this United States of America was really founded on "Freedom FROM Religion."  Oh, not the absence of religion, the ability of EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN TO PRACTICE THE religion of his or her CHOICE!

A am a Christ Follower, and am sincerely thankful that I can worship when, where and however I want without fear of persecution.  I wish that CHOICE stay available to everyone in this Country.   There is a frightening trend in this Country which has served to split the USA right down the middle.  The Religious Right seems to think that their way is the ONLY way!  Nothing could be so far from the truth.

If you choose to be a "Christian" you must know that God gave us FREE WILL.  The ability to CHOOSE whether to become a believer or not.  You are encouraged to share your faith, and in some religious groups REQUIRED to share it.  Some groups believe that you can't enter the Kingdom of God without "working" for it.  The Bible directly contradicts this...Ephesians 2:8 clearly states .... 8 "for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not of works, that no man should glory."  Hmmmmmm. 

This Country has a Statue of Liberty standing in the New York Harbor which welcomes ALL...in recent times, it seems some want to say "all except."

During this horribly expensive and contentious campaign I have seem belief systems lied about and manipulated.  I have seen Pastors (and believe me MANY people have shared this same experience) preaching politics from the pulpits!  This is NOT separation of Church and State.  It is manipulating people into feeling guilty if the don't vote as the CHURCH says they should.  It is blatantly WRONG and those churches should LOSE their tax exempt status! 

I am sure this will anger some, I have no doubt.  But it is time for people to begin thinking for themselves again and stop being led like sheep to the slaughter to vote as they are directed by those who would use this kind of "mind control" to suit their political agendas.

Abortion, gay rights and other issues which have become platforms for politics have served to divide this country into right and wrong.  Choice whether right or wrong in the eyes of you or me should still be available to all.  When we let the government control individual rights and choices we are forfeiting exactly what our Forefathers came to this country to get away from!  Racism and religious persecution are alive and well in this country, and the fire is being fed by the current political climate.  It is time for us ALL to WORK TOGETHER FOR A COMMON CAUSE.  It is time for us ALL to quit looking for our differences whether the color of our skin, our religious belief or our country of origin and REMEMBER OUR HUMAN COMMONALITIES!

Everyone needs love, respect and a chance to succeed.  It is time for us all to focus on working together and repair this very divided Nation.  We can be Number ONE again if we will work together to forge a new and stronger nation....UNITED WE STAND - DIVIDED WE FALL!!

GOD BLESS - Peace, Love and Joy

 

Don't Drink The Kool-Aid!

Have you noticed how the Media can make something out of nothing every time?  That is just how they keep their jobs.  The problem with that is some of us listen to the SAME people all the time, saying the same things, and never investigate any further to see what the real truth may be.

It is kind of like those people who followed one man into the wilderness and then drank the Kool-Aid just because he told them to!  Wake up people!  You have to look a little farther than what is presented on the surface of the news and how individuals and media spin the facts to make them more "newsworthy" or interesting.

Take the Susan Komen news going on right now.  The people on one hand calling the people on the other hand names.  Both sides are going to lose in this debate.  Most people are NOT pro-abortion.  Most people would rather see women make responsible CHOICES and avoid unwanted pregnancy in the beginning.  Pro Choice is quite different from Pro Abortion.  But, passing laws to make abortion illegal will not make it go away, only drive it back into the backrooms and alleys where it used to hide.  Those of us who are old enough to remember those days are frightened by the thought.  Just as Prohibition didn't stop people from drinking, but opened up bootlegging to gangsters and backroom speakeasys, passing laws to try to prevent abortions will not work.

I am NOT in any sense of the word pro abortion.  I am, however, Pro Choice.  No, I don't believe in abortion.  I do know for a fact that abortions will not be stopped by law however.  Women need to be able to go to Planned Parenthood for counseling on birth control, cancer prevention and other choices.  It is ridiculous that some insurance companies will pay for Viagra for men, but not birth control for women!  Women have ALWAYS gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to control over how their bodies are used. 

For example, in Maryland, about forty years ago when I consulted my obstetrician about having my tubes tied, I was told that I had to have my husbands permission!  What was up with that?! It meant that regardless of how I felt, regardless of the fact that my husband NEVER helped with anything to do with child rearing that if he wanted more children I had to bear them.  Doesn't sound very fair or right to me...how about you? 

Do you know how many children are abused and neglected in this Country each and every day?  Do you really believe that those children are better off because their mother didn't have access to birth control?  The Catholic Church has jumped back on the bandwagon again and is teaching that people shouldn't practice birth control.  Many people in this Country can not afford to have more than one or two children.  Should they be forced to have ten or twelve whom they can not adequately care for?

People need to stop listening to the pundits and talking heads on television, the net and elsewhere and look inside their own hearts for decisions regarding life choices.  People need to stop buying into the poisoned Kool-Aid which divides us against each other as Pro or Anti, and learn forgiveness and understanding and wisdom.  Each of us is only accountable to ONE and ultimately that is the only thing that really matters. 

Laws do not change hearts.  Laws do not stop people from committing desperate acts.  Laws should not attempt to control how a woman handles her own body or her own choices.