Growing up as the product a multi-religion family and also a family that did not talk politics has given me a pretty progressive view of both. I should note that by multi-religion I mean me we celebrated the holidays, not went to church or temple to celebrate their religious meanings. And these views have shaped who I am and how I choose to live my life and raise my children. Politically, I would descibe my position as a compassionate centrist who looks at most domestic problems from the position of what is right and moral.
Although I am not a religious person by any stretch of the imagination, I am very spiritual and believe in the concept of Karma and paying it forward, some might view this as Buddhist and maybe it is but that is not how I choose to label my faith. Growing up I was taught that it was wrong to lie, cheat and steal; the old saying of "Do onto others, as you wish to be done onto you" was my mothers mantra, "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are" was another. These same lessons my parents taught me are found in the Bible or the Torah and even the Koran. Before you light into me about mentioning the Koran in the same sentence as the Bible, lets remember that every religion has its extremist and they are all equally crazy and I admit that the Islamic extremist threaten us the most greatly.
I am not saying that we should do away with religion, quite the contrary, religion has played and must continue to play a vital role if humanity is to survive itself. Historically religion was needed to provide law and order and to give people a meaning to life. The Ten Commandments are laws that Moses delivered from God. Religion has shaped who we are as a people of the planet Earth. Where I take issue with religion, almost in its entirety, is the arrogance or superiority they all feel over those who do not agree with them. Pagan, Christ Killer, Infidel, Cheap Jew, the list of insults go on and on and for no other reason than we do not share the same views. And Religion is always the deal breaker, I mean look at how many lives were sacrificed in the name of religion! Look how many conflicts in this world could be solved tomorrow if the way we as a race did not let religion be the 800 pound gorilla to every issue. I guess from my experiences, I feel that although religion in its purest form is good, people get involved and mess it up.
Let me start by saying that we live in the greatest country the world has ever seen and there is no other country I would call home. This nation is one of few in the world where it is our right as citizens to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our forefathers died for these freedoms that someday they would be our. Our ancestors fled religious persecution, financial oppression or ethnic discrimination to come to America and form a nation where people would be free to live and achieve. And for these reasons and many more I consider myself a lucky man to be an American.
We are not perfect though, and the framers of our nation, knowing this, had the foresight to make our Constitution a living document that from time to time needs refreshing do to advances in our society, whether it be scientifically or socially. These Amendments, I consider, as advancements in our civilization; Freedom of slaves, right to vote for women and blacks, and lets not forget the BIG TEN, the Bill of Rights. Another sign of a great nation.
But here is where the problem lies, Political Parties. Growing up mainly in the Regan/Clinton era I was witness to the success that our President and Congress can achieve when people put aside thier absolutist positions of my way or the highway. This causes gridlock and no progess can be made on any topic because they take the position of NO Compromise. Lets Face it, the Democratic Party and Republican Party are slaves to their extremist factions and therefore cowtow to them and thumb their noses to the other side leaving We the People with gridlock and fear. And geet this, Then the respective parties negotiate with thier extremist factions and have the nerve to call this COMPROMISE, Really? And get this, most Americans, live in the middle of the political spectrum of Liberal vs. Conservitive, who represents us? No one and that is the change that needs to occur, because without a change the gap between the haves and have nots will grow and true class warfare will ensue.
In the end, people need to stop being defined by what religion they are or what political party they are affiliated with. These are only part of who we are not all we are.
Jared
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