I don't understand.  How is being a libertarian un Christian?  I thought libertarian was a person who believes in individual free will and no coercion from another person/gov. [http://www.laissez-fairerepublic.com/LIBERTAR.htm].  Christians as a whole believe in free will and well God isn't a person/gov.  From what I've been told - there is no pre-ordained destinies, that is where free will comes in - we can follow whatever path we want, just as long as we turn to God along the way.  I did always think it a rip off that someone could purposely "turn down the road of the devil" for all their lives and then at the time of death, meaningfully repent and ask forgiveness and go to atleast purgatory.  In anycase this is how it was explained to me - God isn't a tyrant to say this is how it is and you do what I say and it doesn't matter if it's fair or not but instead gives us the option to go to him as an advisor to our life since he knows all and sees all, etc.

I don't know much about government and parties.  I do know that my father's family and those that own the company I work for are repbulican.  I know that I chose democrat just so I could vote the pre-votes otherwise I'd be an "individual".  Liberal.  I don't know how liberal I am either.  I do know that there are things I agree with / things I don't, things I believe in / things I don't - if its one or the other I doubt it.  I find it more appaling that our government sets such lines of destinction and then try to place them on the rest of the world.

I also don't know where your rant came from; since others caught on that its an actual issue between politics and religion besides just a person rant - I'm guess something happened in the news and I should go find it.

*hugs* can we do anything but change ourselves? if others wish to listen and change as well, so be it.  As for mass groups - well I don't give up hope.

Just wanted to let you know that my absence of comment on this had nothing to do with whether or not you've been commenting on my stuff. I did read it.

Sometimes God tells me to remain silent regarding certain things.

I enjoyed this blog.

I do feel that at one time America was "more Christian" or at least in a morally influenced sense of the word. Let me explain. Take the 1950's for example - a great time to be alive (if you were not Communist, African American or a knocked-up 16 year old Catholic school girl). Most of America's "church" influence came from such liturgical faiths - Lutherans, Episcopalians and high Methodists. These were all denominations that believed in Christianity but not an extreme literal type. "Yes, the Bible mentions some fairly far fetched events but in the end we read the Spirit of the book and not the letter."

Fast forward 20 years to the late 70's. The high churches mentioned above have been losing their influence on a generation that is fed up with traditional values. Abortion, drugs and the ever popular Vietnam war are major issues of the day. The world (and it was turbulent in the 60's and 70's) seems to be falling apart. America, once the epitome of morality, hard work and happy families is now one of political corruption, hippies and protest violence. In step the Fundamentalist Churches that have ruled the "faith scene" and politics for the last 8 years. Today's Christianity, at least in America, is one of narrow views. The Letter of the Law is more important than the Spirit. Science and History are ignored in order to accomodate the literal view of scripture. Abortion clinics are blown up all in the name of saving lives while in the same day the devout rush to execute a convict for his "sins." Gays and Lesbians are accosted and condemned at every corner. Rather than express compassion and care for AIDS patients, voices arrogantly pronounce judgment on behalf of God. Politicians run to and fro affirming the sanctity of "traditional" marriage are then found to be defiling the "marriage bed." 

 The voice of moral Christiantiy may be screaming louder than ever but it's influence is dying. The very literalists who sought to impose God's Kingdom on earth are in fact swaying more Americans to reject faith in its traditional form. A political party once agent to such giants as Abraham Lincoln sits in absolute denial about it's past and confused regarding the future.

If America does not abandon the fundamentalist Christian zealots we will one day resemble Afghanistan - a nation screwed time and again by ignorant religious nuts - impoverished, uneducated and backwards.

@SwordAndSacrifice -