Politics and Religion - just don't mix

Two things you will rarely see me write about (or talk about) are politics and religion. There are no two subjects more guaranteed to cause arguments and conflict.

Sandie got into politics pretty heavily a couple years ago, and I think that she got pretty upset with me because I simply refuse to discuss it. It doesn’t matter if they’re Republican or Democrat, in my opinion all politicians are out for themselves and to screw us (the common person) over. There are no good choices, there’s just the lesser of two evils. And that’s a really sad statement, but one that I believe is true.

That being said, I love my country and wouldn’t choose to live anywhere else in the world.

Then there’s religion, and that’s a discussion that I normally wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. So many religious groups believe that their way is the only way, and all the rest of us who don’t agree with their interpretation of God’s word are going to hell. Period. There’s a WHOLE LOT of wrong people going to hell out there. I think I’m going three or four times at this point. Personally, I believe in a higher power and am willing to call that power God. From there I split from organized religion. People wrote the Bible, not God him/herself, and it has been translated from different languages numerous times, and has been “edited” by Kings and governments. I believe that there are some really good lessons in the bible, but that’s about as far as I’m willing to go.

That being said, I’m quite sure that I’ve offended a lot of people. And that’s why I don’t like having these conversations.

But then, I’m listening to the news this morning and hear about this group of religious fanatics (my term, not the news’) who are protesting soldier’s funerals, picketing the funerals with signs that say, “God is Your Enemy” and similar signs.

I couldn’t find the article on my local news site, so I found
this article that covers the same group of people.

I first heard about this group when they picketed a funeral in Edmond (I think) a few months ago. Now, Oklahoma, along with several other states is attempting to pass a law to prevent these idiots from picketing soldier’s funerals. The group says that that is in violation of their first amendment rights and they are going to sue whomever if these laws pass.

Obviously, I find this “religious” group personally offensive. But what I really want to know is what do they think they are accomplishing? How does shoving these signs in a grieving mother’s, wife’s, child’s face prove whatever point you are trying to make?

And what it really makes me want to do is find out when one of their loved ones dies and show up at their funeral with signs stating that they are going to hell, or that God is their enemy just because they are related to the idiot who started the whole thing.