It just makes me sad that religious ideology of any kind is being used as a tool to shape the political scope of this country. When this country was founded the reason freedom of religion was the very first amendment made to the constitution, included in the Bill of Rights in 1789, is because the founders believed that this was one of the most basic civil liberties given to the people of the country. The premise was to allow people to practice their own religion freely and comfortably in a non-intrusive way. Religion, or more like spirituality in modern day life, is a very personal thing.
What I believe Obama meant when speaking about the many faiths is that regardless of which teaching you observe, the premise of love of all, respect, and morality are all key points. I believe, though I may be wrong, that Jesus was adamant about the love of all. I would rather a genuinely good person, regardless of their faith, than a person with poor character.
Yet regardless of what one says, much of the religious injection into the very foundation of the United States has occurred in the last century. For example: The phrase "under God" was incorporated into the Pledge of Allegiance June 14, 1954. "In God we trust" was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956 as an alternative or replacement to the unofficial motto of E pluribus unum, adopted when the Great Seal of the United States was created and adopted in 1782. In the later half of the 1900's religion continued to make its way into the very core foundation of American politics and it has reached an astonishing level in modern day politics. For many, dare I say the majority of Americans, the question of who is to be the next President is decided by the "make or break" of their faith.
Regardless of your belief on issues such as homosexuality, abortion, contraception, pre-marital behavior, tattoos, piercings, or whatever issues might crop up - it's important to remember that these are your personal views. If you do not approve of them, then they will not be a part of your life. But under the notion of freedom is the implication that one cannot and will not use their own rights in order to remove the rights of another. If a religious group of any kind uses their views and teachings as a REASON to take the rights away from another, then the very premise of this country is lost.
It is about doing what is best for PEOPLE, all people, WE the people, the members of this country, and even for people all over the world (if we're stretching the moral compass). That should not be a decision guided by religion, or any other strong view such as that, when it offends the very premise of this country.
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Originally Posted by Hoytti
