The politics of religion

I’m a Christian. In fact, I’m the daughter of a Baptist pastor and have gone to church my entire life, but I’ve always felt my religion was something personal. In fact, I only mention it here to make a point.

I mean, my faith and spirituality is about my personal relationship with Jesus Christ and I believe it manifests itself through my actions, reactions and behavior, particularly toward my fellow man.

In other words, I’ve never felt the need to broadcast my religion to the world on the regular. I’d rather show you. Just like the song goes
“This little light of mine…” well, I rather let it shine than force it down your throat.

So, I cringed when I began watching CNN’s “Compassion Forum” with Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on Sunday night. (Republican presidential nominee John McCain was also invited, but did not attend.)

As the moderators and selected people from the audience asked Clinton and Obama in separate segments, to share their favorite Bible stories, describe a moment when they caught the Holy Spirit, or describe how they were led to Christ, my family and I were sitting there like “WHAT?! Why are they asking this kind of stuff? Why are they even having a forum like this?”

I strongly believe in the separation of church and state. I think it’s a very dangerous thing when you try to mix the two, because you stand a chance of some fanatic just taking it too far and then you got a raging tyrant, or something scary like that, running the country.

Religious freedom is one of the principles this country was founded on. And presidential candidates shouldn’t have to explain it or wear it like a badge. If it’s the essence of who they are, it shows. Besides, I’m not voting for a minister, I’m voting for a president.

Anyway, overall I felt like both candidates handled the questions about as best as they could. And it actually turned out to be pretty interesting and provide some insight into their spiritual lives.

But it wasn’t enough for me to change my vote one way or the other. (Now, you don’t really think I’m going to tell you which candidate I favor do you? Lol.) Overall, I was just uncomfortable with the whole thing. I mean I’ll admit it’s cool to know if someone shares the same faith as me. It’s a good thing to know, but a political candidate’s religion is just not at the top of my list when it comes to who I’ll choose for the commander in chief. I feel like the record of that person's works will bear that out.

I guess I feel this way because I’ve seen hypocrisy at all levels, from local to national folks, black, white, yellow, whoever, who claim to be this or that and 9 times out of 10, when they’re touting the claim, it’s coming from a place of phoniness or self-righteousness. What’s even more disgusting to me is when candidates exploit religion, namely Christianity, for personal gain or use it to distract people from issues that actually affect them. I mean if Jesus is love, how can you hate or kill people just because they don’t look or act like you, you know? Or how can you propose, legislate or approve bills that actually leave the masses of folks in financial despair, jobless or even homeless, just flat broke and struggling?

I could go on and on, but I’ll get off my soapbox now. I want to know what y’all think? Did anybody see it? Even if you didn’t see the CNN forum, what do you think about the subject in general?

What's with these Easter cold snaps?

Since I was born I think I have missed two Easter sunrise services at Lake Bistineau State Park, just south of my hometown of Doyline. I woke up early for it as a youngster and returned home from college for it. It's just a part of my family's religious tradition.

There have been a few funny times when the mostly Baptist churches out there actually didn't see the sun come up because we forgot to adjust for daylight-saving time or it was cloudy.

But one thing that seems to be consistent is that we have to wear jackets or take blankets every year. Even when weather has been spring-like leading up to this holiest of Christian days, it's always chilly on Easter Sunday. This is even one of the holidays that actually changes dates -- even months -- so how does Old Man Winter somehow creep back in?

I mean Easter is even the Christianized version of the old pagan holidays to celebrate the season: warmth that brings new life, even fertility. So what gives with the cold? Looks like tomorrow will be more of the same chill.

My whole family talks about this weird weather phenomenon. We know we're going to be shivering in our lawn chairs on the little hill overlooking the cypress-filled lake. We're going anyway, of course.

Obviously the weather is not our main concern, because we wouldn't tolerate it for something that isn't important to us. But we have to gripe a little bit, right? Besides, what else in life do any of us really talk about besides the weather?

Whether you're shivering or laying out in the springtime sun, I hope everyone out there has a great Easter.