Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly managing editor Kim Lawton reviews some of the questions being raised by Muslims, Jews, and others about the use and misuse of religion in this year's presidential campaigns.
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Religous doctrine and beliefs of any kind has no place at all in overtly influencing government. However, it can be said that all major faiths, not including their radical fundamentalists, value generosity, compassion, and responsibility. Those are great qualities in a leader, no matter from which faith. Providing this character foundation does not mean the leader uses his or her faith overtly in governmental affairs. That is very dangerous and is bound to become exclusive of other faiths, leading to hatred and persecution.
For Marti Garrison, it's not the "Religion" that influences gov. affairs, but God himself. Those of us that have faith in God, know the power of a prayer by a man or woman with a humble and open heart before our creator God. Let's all hope that humble gov. leaders and public servants are excersizing their Faith in an all powerful, all benevalent, all righteous God that is wanting our hearts tuned with HIS! For the benefit of all human kind. It is not dangerous to do that. It is not exclusive, but inclusive! I only know this about you at this point Marti, and that is that I must pray for you, along with George, Hillary, Obama, Huckabee, Romney, and others who will lead us-- we pray, in a Godly direction. Believe me, you should not have any interest in any other direction, because THAT would be dangerous and exclusive and leading to hatred and persecution! I do pray that God's Holy Spirit will manafest in your heart and that you will discover that life is all about Faith, Hope, and Love, for you, and for all that will respond to God's greatest gift of revelation to us, thru his Son Jesus. The revelation that he created you, has a plan for your life with a relationship with God, your Creator, and that HE is perfect and we are not. But he provided a solution for our inperfection, the solution of His Son, Jesus. What a sacrificial gift of love.
Because your creator cares THAT MUCH for you Marti. And when you respond by opening your heart to Jesus, the Christ, His love will fill it. And then you have to choose. Do you choose Regeneration? Or do you choose your OWN wisdom and knowledge and will, which leads you in Degeration, no matter how hard you try or what you achieve, it is a trail that leads to eternal death and suffering. But choose Jesus?! And you have life everlasting, love, joy, peace, that no one can steal away from you. I hope and pray you will choose Jesus. Happy Trails to you Marti!
Keith
Thanks for your well-meant prayers, Keith, but they are like water off a duck's back: kind of nice but not necessary. I stand with what I stated, and am supported by one of my American Baptist four freedoms: freedom of the state and of the church, but separate. A Baptist influenced our first government to make sure that freedom is law. Jesus has nothing to do with it. God is bigger than that and is constant. I am not worried about God; I am worried about how our leaders will take care of the poor in this country. Jesus would care about that; he witnessed Roman oppression in the raw. Let's not go there. Marti