Why is that?
Is it the implication that these topics invariably lead to disagreement and by extension disharmony?
Are we left then with having our only sources of information on politics and religion be those outside our circle of friends, the family culture to which we belong and the personal religious climate in which we live?
Must we form our religious and political opinions from someone else's magic - someone else whom we assume is more knowledgeable, more spiritual or more "right on the money?"
We are again at a time in our society where politics and religion have come to prominence in our national debate. Only this time there is greater urgency. An election is coming in which some of our deepest personal convictions are going to be touched as we endeavor to decide which political philosophy to support for the next four years.
Our presidential candidates now campaign in a landscape that more and more is framed around morality and there are those who openly advocate that this political season is a season of choosing between good and evil.
The incumbent Republican administration has, since prior to the previous election, portrayed itself as one of high moral value with emphasis on the family, on the sanctity of life, on all the things that Christian believers treasure most. But it has also used the label "evil doers" quite freely and the label seems to be running loosely in more directions than just international terrorists.
The Democratic party is campaigning for a political change in this country and a removing from office of that same administration. Based on the public philosophical stance of the current administration, are we to assume that the Democratic candidate and party are therefore against family values, the sanctity of life and, by extension, supportive of low morale values?
Are we ultimately going to see, as the election remains closely contested, TV ads in which desparate political activists label their opponents "evil doers?"
"Enemies of Christ or of God?"
Those labels have already been used by the extreme Christian Right as they've campaigned around political issues.
Who really owns or monopolizes morality in this country?
Have we as a people and citizenry relinquished our own authority to others to decide for us what is moral and who we should support?
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