[Ducimus]

Personally i think the "under god" thing is making a mountain out of a mole hill. I recited the pledge as it is every day as a kid in school and it didn't bother me at all. The only time it bothered me was after I was living in California as an adult and i became acutely aware and angry at evangelical Christians for ramrodding their crap down my throat. If it were not for evangelicals, things like "under god" wouldn't have bothered me in the least.

Now, while my views on evangelicals hasn't changed, what has changed for me in recent years is my level of tolerance. Living in Utah, the happy land of the LDS church (aka Mormons), I've become quite a bit more tolerant. But that's probably due more to the fact that Mormons are not evengelicals. They don't seem to have this obession for smearing Jesus feces in your face and raising ancient world capital punishment devices everywhere ( aka crucifixes ). But I digress...

Anyway, I think there are FAR FAR more important things to worry about in this day and age. But if i were to make a stand on the issue, I'm inclined to leave it as is, and furthermore to have it recited in school every day just like when I was a kid if it currently is not. I think this not because I think any better of evangelicals and bible thumping in general, but because I think there is an issue of moral decay in this country.

Why do I think moral decay? I just sat here for a few minutes asking myself that same question. I think this because I'm in a situation where I can compare and contrast. I've noticed that here in Utah (where morals are held very high), kids here can play, and do things just like when I was a kid in California. They don't have to worry too much about being kidnapped, drive by shootings, gangs, etc. Contrast this to today's California (the progressive utopia), and you have to worry about all manner of things. Kids there, cannot go out and play like kids in Utah. I noticed this very quickly after moving here. While I know this sounds like a political dig, its not really meant to be. But in my mind, the difference between a place where moral values are held and maintained and a place where they are not, is quite stark.

I also believe that while I am of strong enough character to where I don't need the "Jesus crutch" to tell me whats right and wrong in life, many people however, do. I think there are far too many people who are far too malleable. So i'd argue that religion actually plays an important part in society in keeping these people from acting like complete jackwagons.