Pete's BLOG-Days 26,227-26,229. U.S. and Religion

Saturday was September 8, 2012 - day 26,227. The Hawks got beat by  Iowa State bu 9-6.
Sunday was September 9, 2012 - day 26,228. It was hard to read the Sunday sports page because of our defeat by the Cyclones.
Today is Monday, September 10, 2012 a beautiful day. My stats today: 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of lifting weights and 38 minutes of walking = 2.0 miles for a September total of 18.5 miles. My weight was 162.0 pounds.

QUOTE from another so-called expert. This one from Dixie Lee Ray, Washington Governor, 1977.
"A nuclear power plant is infinitely safer than eating, because 300 people choke to death on food every day."

Today I LEARNED a new to way to look at the U.S. and religion. There was an article in the paper this morning about a man named Dennis Goldford, a political science professor at Drake Unversity in Des Moines. He gave a talk in Cedar Rapids explaining his views on religion and politics in the U.S.
His main points are:
1. Is the U.S. a Christian nation? He says the question can be clarified by understanding the Constitution. The Constitution does not protect religion but it protects religious freedom. There'a a big difference. He said his students often feel the U.S. is a Christian nation, but he explained that they're looking more along demographic lines. He cited surveys that show the U.S. is 78% Christian, 5% "other" and 16% unaffiliated. Only Catholics and Baptists make up more than 10% of the religious community.
2. Goldford asked the audience, "One nation under God whose god?" To which he answered, "It's one nation under no one's God. It is a nation under many gods."
3. With so many religions, it is important that we be tolerant of other people's beliefs. "Whatever I think is right, I have to respect your right to believe what I believe to be wrong. If you religify politics, you politicize religion."
4. The Founding Fathers framed the Constitution to keep religion and politics separate to protect individual religious freedom.
5 He said, "I advise caution. I say religion is somewhat like electricity. It somewhat makes our lives more comfortable, but it you're not careful it can kill you."

(This man and his views has made me think. It made me think about some conservative churches in 2008 who threatened to kick anybody out of the church who voted for Obama. I think that is what I would call "politicizing religion" or "religifying politics.")