BartBlog

So I’ve read through Mitt Romney’s religion speech. I’m outraged and if you aren’t too then you need history and civics lessons. To insist that “freedom requires religion” is an outrage. Our nation was founded on the premise that we are all free and that as a people we come together as a nation. Not that some God from a bunch of ancient texts gave us freedom and this country. Our founders are rolling in their graves.

Mitt says that “When I place my hand on the bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God.” NO you freaking idiot – that becomes your highest promise to the People, not to some mythical, supernatural being.

Oh, and I love his desire to have it both ways. “There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and
explain his church’s distinctive doctrines,” he said. “To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.” So there should be no religious test yet I’m here telling you that I am religious enough in the right way “Christian” so you can vote for me and, by the way, any non-believers don’t count. Hypocrite! If there is no test why did you give the speech?

“Freedom requires religion, just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone” he said. There are several problems with this statement.

First, I believe he intentionally used male-gender references “…so that man can discover his…” This will play well with the base fundamentalists who would have women subjugated to chattel again. Enslaved, obedient, house cleaners, and baby-makers with no say in their lives. The phrase could easily have been written “..so that one can discover their most…” but it wasn’t.

Second, why do one’s most profound beliefs have to include one or more supernatural beings? I don’t believe in “God” but I do have profound beliefs. I believe that we should all respect one another and that we should treat each other equitably. I believe that we are all equal as human beings whether we are brown, black, yellow, white or purple for that matter. It didn’t take communing with a non-existent being to develop these beliefs. Just simple common sense and human kindness. Neither of which seems to be part of organized religion these days.

Lastly, I take the greatest issue with the last sentence. Contrary to his statement I believe that freedom will only endure if religion perishes. We are marching backward in time to the drums of religious fanatics and hacks of all kinds these days. Pick your favorite.

You can have the Christo-facists here in the US that blow up federal buildings, picket soldiers funerals, shoot doctors, pass laws to limit the rights of women and homosexuals. You can have the Catholic mafia that permitted and hid the abuse of children around the world for years. You can have the Ted Haggards and the Larry Craigs who are so afraid of what they are they lash out against people who are like them but do not live in fear of their identity. You can take the Falwells and the Robertsons and their mega-bucks mega-churches.

You can have the Islamo-facists that fly planes into buildings, blow themselves up, lash raped women, prevent women from leaving a burning building because they aren’t properly covered, and stone homosexuals. Yes, you can have them all and keep them away from me. I can’t live with their brand of freedom.

I do not need any of your religions, beliefs or faith to know how to live a moral life. I treat others with respect, honesty and humility. It’s simple – just try it.

Powered by ScribeFire.