Liberals want to ban the bible?

I heard something disturbing the other day. Apparently the republican national committee (RNC) has circulated ads in Arkansas and West Virgina promoting the idea that if liberals are elected (read between the lines: Kerry and Edwards are elected), the bible will be banned. They get this message across by showing an image of the bible with the word "banned" across it as well as showing two men in a marriage ceremony with the word "allowed" across it. Can I just ask one question - when the hell did the RNC start being run by second graders? It's like the return of cooties or something. "Ooooh, run away - they're k-i-s-s-i-n-g! Cooties for you!"

I feel like the world suddenly flipped upside down and normally rational people suddenly believe that the world is flat. Or in this case, that they at the very least believe that the world is black and white. Let me break it to you - the world ain't black and white, and if you think it is you have some serious growing up to do.

I'm extremely tired of the republican party trying to draw liberals as Godless souls from whom the country must be safeguarded by Christian crusaiders. I happen to be Christian and liberal - true story. Here's the thing - I believe in what I believe; however, I don't force my beliefs on anyone else because we have a little thing in this country called freedom of religion. That basically means that no one religion trumps any other, and that those who do not believe in anything are free to do so.

If someone is curious and asks me about being a Lutheran, I'll share with them. But I don't take out an ad and send it to everyone with what I believe. I let my actions speak by being a considerate person, treating other people with respect, caring for my family and friends, not judging people who are different from me, and being a good citizen. I'm not perfect, but God knows that doesn't expect perfection because I am human.

Encarta says, "the function of government is to secure the common welfare of the members of the social aggregate over which it exercises control." I tend to agree with that assessment, so I guess I just don't understand why our constitution has to be backed by conservative Christian beliefs. Why not Buddhist beliefs? Or how about Muslim beliefs? I hear that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world - so by democratic standards, wouldn't that make a majority?

The fact is that we have a large and diverse population in this country, and it isn't fair to impose one group's standards on every other group. I can go on living my life with my husband without fearing that a same sex couple next door is somehow going to derail existence as I know it. Likewise, although I couldn't go through with an abortion, I would never make that call for another woman because that's not my decision to make. Until that baby is developed enough to exist on it's own outside of the mother, it's none of my business - end of story.

I just wish people could get past moral issues like that and realize that those issues can't be governed by public policy. We have an ideal of separation of religion and state in this country, and that is a wonderful thing. We need to work to preserve that separation so that we don't end up with a theocracy - a fate which would put us in a government similar to Afghanistan under the Taliban and Iran under Khomeini. Um - no thanks - I think I'll stick with democracy. Oh, and I'll ask those people who tout their pride in America while trying to rule with religion to grow up and make the distinction that liberals aren't anti religion or anti American, or anything of the sort. We're just here trying to make this country a wonderful place for all Americans, regardless of age, race, religious affiliation, economic standing, gender, sexual preference, and so on.