Alive and well in America

There are a few things I have learned from this presidential election so far. The biggest has been that bigotry is alive and well. Oh we have come a great distance in race and gender as displayed with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama duking it out for the Democratic nomination. Yes, our ablity to tolerate things we can't change(no matter how hard Michael Jackson has tried) has greatly increased in the country. That is great progress but what about the things we can change?

What religion is Barack? Christian of some sort, I gather because his former pastor's keep mouthing off and I'm not even sure Clinton is religious. McCain has to belong to some religion or he wouldn't have won the Republican party. But are their religions splashed all over the news? Do we refer to them as Baptist McCain or Catholic Clinton? Yet while Mitt Romney was in the running for the Republicans, it was always Mormon Mitt. Will the country let a Mormon be President?? Why should it matter? Should we let an athiest or a Muslim or a Scientologist? It was never about the issues, it was about his religion. This is where we as a country show how back-woods we really are.

Does Obama's church sacrefice chickens and pray to large idol of Elizabeth Taylor? Does anyone even know ...or care? What is so wrong with being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? Although I do go for some KFC now and again and during the polygamy days there were a few men that had more wives than Taylor has had husbands, there is nothing weird or scary or demonic about this religion. I know. I belong to it. I read the same Bible you do...King James Version even. I believe everything in there just like other Christians, yet they say I'm not one. I don't know what Christ you believe in but mine says to be tolerant of others.

And we have another book. The Book of Mormon. I carry it along side my Bible. It's stated purpose is to help us believe in the Bible. To prove that the Bible is true. But maybe you read a different version of the Bible? Perhaps one that has been "translated" into modern language? Who did that translation? Was he a prophet like the men who wrote it? Did he live over 4000 years ago so he knows what they were trying to say? Has God approved his interpretation of the original text?

Is old English hard to understand sometime? Oh yeah. Isaiah. Man he wrote some confusing stuff. Wouldn't it be nice if God called another prophet so we could understand everything he wants us to know? He did and has. And to make sure there was no doubting that God had his hand in it, he called a poorly educated farm boy. His aspirations were to be a farmer like his dad. He was no religious scholar. For his vision and his calling he was jailed. He did nothing illegal and yet until the 1990's it was still legal to kill a "Mormon" in Missouri. He was tarred and feathered, starved and they even attempted to poison him on several occassions. Why put up with that? Why not fight back? Because that's not what Jesus did. They were ran out of homes and off land they rightfully owned. Now someone else does without a dime going to the person who paid for it. They moved from place to place to avoid confrontation instead of encourage it. And finally, they were driven beyond the bounds of civilization. That prophet, Joseph Smith, sitting in a jail cell on fake charges and submitting willingly to the punishment and torture as an innocent man should, was shot by a mob and died. His brother was killed almost immediately afterward. Never once did he renounce his teachings or testimony. He sealed it with his innocent blood. Just like his Savior did before him.

Ignorance and false information are the instigators of this bigotry. Fear, hate, all unfounded. You can think me odd for paying a full 10% of my income in tithing, for not drinking coffee or alcohol or smoking. But I still believe Mitt would have been a better candidate than John McCain. I feel sorry that his religion got singled out and dished in the headlines instead of his character or platform. Yep, we call ourselves enlightened as we look at Barack running for President but before it was black man and a woman battling it out, once again the prejudice reigned supreme and Mitt was forced out. He didn't go out fighting, he didn't hang in there "just in case" and he didn't make as big of a deal out of his religion as the press did. Nope, he bowed out, gracefully. Moved on, as his ancestors had so long ago.

That's what I've learned so far. It's an education I wish I hadn't gotten.