How to Level the Religion Playing Field

There's a discussion thread on a post from a few days ago I want to highlight.  One because it's civil.  And two because it makes me look like I care and like I'm holier than thou.  Trust me, I don't care and I in no way want to give off the perception that I'm holy (or especially that I'm holy and care).

Otter With Kids does an excellent job and I commend him/her for keeping it clean and staying on topic.  I just want to add a couple things, however.

I've said a few hundred times on this blog that I don't care what Mormons believe.  They have every right to believe what they want.  I'm more than okay with them taking to heart their faith. And to be honest, every Mormon I have ever met has always been nothing but nice and open minded.  I wish I could say the same thing about the Christian Right.

Though I do want to clarify a few things from that thread.  I in no way even pretend, nor do I want to be associated with defining what is or isn't Christian.  I'll let those with a vested interest, whether hypocritical or not is not for me to decide, be the people labeling such things. All I can do is give my opinion, which is just as valid as any opposing opinion.

Secondly, as I've said so many times, the point of me writing about Mitt Romney's religion is not to define it but to point out how Republicans get to play by different rules when it comes to such very personal matters like religion.

At least since 2004, when the president first entered the national scene, we've heard from self-labeled right wing Christians that Obama is Muslim, that he hates America, that he wants to impose Sharia law, that he is waging a war against Christians, and many, many other very untrue things.  The only reason Republicans do this is because the president is a Democrat. There's no other reason to do it because Mr. Obama is definitely a Christian and is not doing any of the things they claim.  It's simply because he's a Democrat that they keep with the fear and lies.

Proof of my analysis is Mitt Romney.  Here's a guy that believes in things that are absolutely against the basis of mainstream Christianity.  Neither the Pope, the Catholic church, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopal, Pentecost, Lutheran, or any denomination accept the beliefs of Romney's church.  Absolutely none.  In fact, they call his beliefs non-Christian, blasphemus, even treason.  But no where is Romney being labeled by the media or by the very people who so condone Obama as hating America and God.  He gets a free pass.  The only difference is Romney is a Republican.  If Barack Obama believed the Garden of Eden was in Missouri, that there are multiple Gods, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, that God lives in outer space he would have been impeached by now.  Romney hasn't even been asked a question about it.  Obama, who is a mainstream Christian, is bombarded daily by mainstream Christians.  It's crazy.

Now I know a lot of the reason Romney is getting a free pass is because Democrats don't care to make his religion an issue.  I actually get more push back from Dems for bringing up his religion than I do from anyone else.  I'm not saying Democrats need to do what the Christian Right does to our candidates.  I'm just saying there's nothing wrong for the unequal playing field to be pointed out.  I think an honest and excellent rebuttal every time Fox News runs a segment on Obama's war on Christianity is to mention that Mitt Romney believes God lives on a planet in outer space and that Adam and Eve lived in Missouri.

That's not judging.  It's just pointing out how wrong Fox News is in the first place and how way out of line the GOP has become.  I'm one who believes that when they hit you, you hit back. It's a strategy right from the playbooks of FDR, Kennedy and Bill Clinton.  You don't have to kick 'em in the nuts, but you sure can give a backhand.

*Update:

It literally only took about two clicks away from writing this post to find even more evidence as to why I refuse to let the religion issue be one-sided.

Fresh off a full-sweep in Tuesday's GOP elections, Rick Santorum says President Obama wants to send Christians off to be beheaded.

“As we saw in the Ninth Circuit just this week, that if you believe that [same sex marriage is wrong] — this is what the court said — that if believe that, if believe what’s taught in Genesis, if you believe what’s practiced Biblically and a generation since then you are irrational. The only possible reason you could believe this, according to the Ninth Circuit, is that you are a bigot and that you are a hater.”

He continued: “They are taking faith and crushing it. Why? When you marginalize faith in America, when you remove the pillar of God-given rights then what’s left is the French Revolution. What’s left is a government that gives you rights. What’s left are no unalienable rights. What’s left is a government that will tell you who you are, what you’ll do and when you’ll do it. What’s left in France became the the guillotine.”

Really Rick?  The guy you are running against believes Genesis took place in Missouri.  How are we supposed to teach that?