Why I shouldn’t blog about politics and religion.

This hasn’t been a blog focused on current politics or my political views, nor do I want it to become one. But sometimes, I feel stifled by not talking a little politics here and there. I’m sure that feeling will grow over the next ten months until we get to the general election.

You see, I’ve been influenced heavily by family members to be politically aware over the years, ever since I was four years old and playing in the local John Anderson campaign office while my mom volunteered there.

One thing I must disclose is that I have never voted for a Republican except for local races where no Democrat was running. Right now, the internet memes tell me Obama is my candidate while my heart and brain are telling me Edwards is the best choice.
Then there’s Hillary. I thought she was awesome when I was sixteen watching her husband’s presidential campaign. I thought she was awesome running for Senate. But ever since I read Living History, I have been skeptical. I realize that many politicians say things just to get elected, yes it is all part of the game. What bothers me is that I don’t believe she is as religious as she played out in Living History.

Here’s where I play with the other usually “taboo” on this blog… I am not a religious person, despite being baptized Catholic and raised for a short time in a Protestant denomination. I’m not even sure there’s a higher being, though some events send me back to thinking there is. (No, I don’t need convincing one way or another, either, I’m perfectly happy where I am.)

While I don’t believe in a higher being one way or another, while I am not part of an organized religion, I respect people who do follow a faith as long as they’re not using it to promote themselves or violence. And that’s what I think Hillary does with her “lifelong Methodist” faith – promotes her political campaigns.

Despite all his shortcomings related to infidelity, I find Bill Clinton fairly believable, particularly when it comes to his religious beliefs. For whatever reason, I don’t believe Hillary Clinton. Apparently, others don’t either.

While I am glad that a woman has an opportunity to gain a major party’s nomination for President, I would be even more impressed to see that same woman talk honestly about religion. But I know that can’t happen to her or any other politician who doesn’t list a particular faith or lists it as agnostic or atheist.

Who knows, maybe I have it all wrong with Hillary on religion.  There are other concerns I have such as her “White House experience” and the reality of her marriage, but religion’s the big one.  So I still have to listen to my gut on her candidacy.

(OK, back to regularly scheduled programming of TomT.)