Maggie's Farm

No. Just a pro forma no you understand - I just can't let a yes pass without a no. It is the contrarian in me.

I'm indifferent?

Ah nuts - now I gotta say something intelligent - ok, ok, semi-kinda-sorta intelligent. Sheesh - cut a guy some slack.

Religion has always been politicized. It's in the very nature and fabric of our society. (I would go so far as to say throughout history as well, but let's limit it) Religion was politicized by the The First Amendment's Establishment Clause when our country was founded.

Religion has always had a political competent to it. If you were a Roman Catholic in this country and had national political ambitions, being a Roman Catholic was the kiss of death. Statements from prominent Protestants during the 1960 candidacy of John F. Kennedy.

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale: ""Our American culture is at stake. I don't say it won't survive, but it won't be what it was."

Dr. L. Nelson Bell, father-in-law of Billy Graham: "Too many Protestants are soft on Catholicism. Pseudo tolerance is not tolerance at all but simply ignorance. If Jack Kennedy were to become President then Montana's Mike Mansfield would become Senate majority leader and Massachusetts' John W. Mc-Cormack would continue as House Democratic floor leader. Both are fine men, but both belong to a church with headquarters in Rome."

Dr. Harold J. Ockenga, Boston's Park Street Church: ""The antagonism of the Roman church to Communism is in part because of similar methods. Catholic politicians are captives of a system".

Citizens for Religious Freedom, an organization of 150 Protestant clergy and lay persons produced this statement about Catholic politicians:

"It is inconceivable that a Roman Catholic President would not be under extreme pressure by the hierarchy of his church to accede to its policies with respect to foreign relations, including representation to the Vatican ... Is it reasonable to assume that a Roman Catholic President would be able to withstand altogether the determined efforts of the hierarchy to gain further funds and favors for its schools and institutions, and otherwise breach the wall of separation of church and state? . . .

"In various areas where they predominate," said one fire-breathing passage, "Catholics have seized control of the public schools, staffed them with nun teachers wearing their church garb, and introduced the catechism and practices of their church. In Ohio today—a state with a Roman Catholic Governor—according to an attorney general's ruling, Roman Catholic nuns and sisters may be placed on the public payroll as schoolteachers."

Admittedly, there were Protestant leaders who strongly disagreed with this viewpoint as did several Jewish Rabbi's. But that was the prevailing view among most Protestants in this country at the time. (Still is in some places believe it or not.)

And we can discuss Italian, Irish and Asian immigrants who, if they have a religion, are more likely to be Roman Catholic than not. And they have to deal with not only ethnic prejudice but religious prejudice.

So when we discuss religion and politics, the so-called separation of church and state, our country, our citizens, our politicians and our religious leadership have been involved in politics up to the eyeballs since the founding of the country.

I wish I could write better and be more articulate - sorry if all that sounded confusing.

Well, I suppose it is just human nature. I was a member of our local volunteer fire department starting as a volunteer FF/EMT/Paramedic and ending up Assistant Chief before I retired from service after 25 years. The politics of a small volunteer fire department was incredible - people will take issue with almost anything and if the guy you didn't like took your side it was a enemy of my enemy is my friend thing. The maneuvering during elections was similar to a political campaign at any level. I never paid much attention as I was responsible for our SAR and EMS/Rescue Squads - nobody wanted that job so they pretty much left me alone. :>) The fire fighting side of things though - it's a damn wonder they ever got anything accomplished.

We attended our first HOA meeting a week ago - it was just like being back in the Fire Department. In fact, I told the General Manager, who was taking some heat about stuff in general, that no good deed goes unpunished. :>)

It is ingrained - nothing we can do about it.

If I had a dime for every time I've heard that, I'd be worth about five dollars more than I am right now.

Seriously, that's the way of it. It happened during JFK's run for the White House. You would think that a genuine war hero who fought in the Pacific theater, lost a brother to war, etc would be cut some slack.

It is also what concerns me about Romeny - quite beyond his odd ball brand of Republicanism. Being a Mormon in this country is almost as bad as being a Roman Catholic.

I am a Roman Catholic and I'm also a MasonKnight - get it, MasonKnight? Down here, being a MasonKnight is a big no-no - there is a strict separation of the two. Up North, not so much. To tell the truth, I prefer Freemasonry to KoC so if I'm forced to make a choice, that's the direction I will go.