Politics and Religion

Gods should not be mentioned in connection with any official government activity, especially by those as unholy as government officials or politicians. Nothing irks me more than to have a godless elected official under indictment for crimes or suspected of immoral behavior cloak themselves and their activities in religion by begging God to bless them, or our nation’s government, or those attending, many of whom are unworthy of any special help, and probably not even members or proponents of that God, maybe not even of any Gods. If incompetent government officials must ask for some Gods to help them do their sworn obligations which the citizens have mistakenly selected and paid them to do, they should do it in private. Religion is and should be a private matter between followers and their Gods. To ask Gods to bless government programs or employees, or attendees, or elected or appointed officials should offend every thinking person on this planet, if for no other reason than, it omits the ignorant, the poor, the afflicted, the suffering and dying who certainly could use a Gods help, if it is available.

Of all the people unworthy to ask a Gods for anything it must be elected officials. If I made a list of people unsuitable to ask Gods for anything for themselves or me, government officials would be near the top with attorneys, murders, criminals, drug dealers, homeless people, mentally incompetent, car salesmen, and others who deliberately frighten and prey on the ignorant, incompetent and infirmed.

Many gatherings and official meetings begin with a Christian prayer; like the opening sessions of the Senate and House, sessions of the Supreme Court and many conferences and sanctioned activities that government officials and government employees are expected to attend begin with a Christian payer. I personally attended many special purpose conferences during my career. Never did one began with a Buddhist chant or a spinning prayer wheel, nor to my knowledge was a Jew, a Muslim, a Sheik, a Zoroaster, a Confucius, a Shinto, a Taoist, a Hindu or any other of dozens of major world religions even invited to pray.

Religious displays should not be tolerated on taxpayer funded property, even partially funded or subsidized, unless all religions are invited. It’s clearly stated in the 1St Amendment to our Constitution. Hundreds of organized religions own tax-exempt facilities on which such symbols can be displayed. No special days or symbols should receive privileged treatment and the appearance of sanctioning by placement on taxpayer funded property or at taxpayer subsidized events. There are pieces of religion, church, business, or individually owned real estate upon which these artifacts can be displayed. It’s not why we gave them tax-exempt status. The reason for tax exempt status was so that they would provide physical and spiritual care for those incapable of caring for themselves (widows, orphans, incomplete, infirmed, diseased, and dying).

Many have taken our money, not all remember why they have special status. Those that cannot prove they are caring for humanity by alleviating suffering; not doing business, not persecution others, not bigotry, not criminality, not sexual assault, must lose some or all of their tax exemption.

I’m also troubled by the gendering of Gods. I know it has been done from the beginning of recorded human history. The powers and accomplishments that have been ascribed to Gods leads me to believe they genderless, maybe It or They created sexes for life forms to sustain and improve themselves, and I don’t think that creation is working out as well as It or They may have intended.

Leave religious beliefs out of the affairs of governments, it’s blasphemous to try to cloak these people and their unholy activities in religious dogma.

If elected officials need God's help to do their jobs, then the job is obviously too big for them and we should replace them with someone who is competent and not ashamed of their behavior.