Religion

The rules of polite conversation say that you should never discuss religion or politics.

When you live in a small town, eventually (okay, right away) people ask you what church you attend. If you don't attend a church, they ask you what you believe and why you don't go to church. It can get pretty darned uncomfortable.

I've explained several times that I grew up Southern Baptist but can't handle the way they treat women. Eventually most have come to accept that, even the preacher's wife. Every so often, I get accused of hating God and christians. I get accused of persecuting christians when I call them on their lies.

Newsflash - kids can pray in school. The only thing not allowed is teachers leading them in prayer. Why can't people see that this is a good thing? Are they going to accept a wiccan prayer or a jewish prayer? Well, of course not. They only want christian prayer. But even more - the baptists don't want a catholic prayer and the catholics don't want a baptist prayer and neither want a "holiness" prayer.

More news. The ACLU represents everyone, including christians. And Rush Limbaugh.

So what do I believe? I believe in the teachings of Christ. I believe "Blessed are the peacemakers" and that this war is the antithesis of christian belief. I believe "do not be like the pharisees and pray loudly but go into a closet" (paraphrased). I believe that God did not give women brains and then expect them not to use them. I believe God gave scientists the ability to produce birth control so that women can live longer and that if using birth control is playing God, then so is having a C-section or using fertility treatments or basically using any other kind of medicine to live longer.