Your Religion is a Dirty Word.

I had a lovely time with some lovely women last night.

Then I got home and talked to my mother, another lovely woman, who unfortunately wasn't being so lovely. I mean, she was sweet as can be when she told me she was voting for Palin '08... and laughed when I corrected her by saying, "oh, you mean McCain, Mom."

Then I jokingly said "I thought you were voting for Obama!"

I figured she would just laugh it off and say her typical "oh, Sarah" and then sigh.

But, instead, she said this: "I'm voting pro-life and pro-Christian all the way."

Huh. Pro-Christian... There are so many things to say here...

First of all, there is the obvious separation of church and state that has supposedly been put into place in this country. Blah blah blah. Why can't voters accept this? Talk about being elitist...

Then, there is the more obvious response, which is that Barack. Obama. Is. A. Christian.

This is exactly what I said to her and the second I said it, John whipped around from where he was standing and whispered "No no no, it's not worth it! Don't fight with her!"

He knows my mother so well.

Her response was very quick. "Do you know the definition of a Christian, Sarah?"

My heart was actually racing. This has been a hot topic with my parents, even since I told them I was not a Christian anymore and I wanted nothing to do with it. (woops).

This is NOT a fight to get into with someone like my mother. No matter what you say or do she will absolutely not listen or bend from her impression. So I simply said, "Of course I do, you raised me as one."

Luckily this conversation did not go as badly as it could have. I simply brushed it off by saying, "oh well, I'm just glad to hear you're voting!" and we said our goodbyes and our I-love-yous and hung up.

BUT NOW, I have this sinking feeling in my heart, knowing that somebody that I love so much does not understand my side of things. And there is no way she ever could. My mother is a wonderful woman, a lovely person, but she is stubborn as hell. I know there are people that don't believe that Obama is a Christian, but I don't like it when those people are my family.

How "Christian" is it to judge other people's level of Christianity? The Bible teaches that it's God who will ultimately decide who is telling the truth and who isn't. Does she think he's not Christian because he doesn't fit her definition? Perhaps because he's not pro-life? Is it because of his ties with Rev Wright? Does this mean that anybody that votes for Obama is not a Christian? I know a lot of people who would disagree.

"Do you know the definition of a Christian, Sarah?"

There is no definition, screw the question. The definition is different among everyone. There are over 10 denominations within the Christian faith, not including the billion divisions of the Catholic Church. I thought a Christian was somebody who believed in God, and that Jesus was the Messiah and he died for their sins... and if they repented their sins they would be saved.

Hallelujah. Amen.

That is exactly what Barack Obama says he believes in, so he's a Christian to me. That's what a Christian is. He's been baptized. He says he's a Christian. Who are we to say he's not?

Christian is becoming a dirty word to me. Christian.

But it's not a dirty word. Neither is Muslim. Muslim. You can just feel the shudder rippling through the Conservative base.

And here is the definition of Christian (there are several of course)

• of, pertaining to, believing in, or belonging to the religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ

• a person who believes in Jesus Christ; adherent of Christianity.

• a person who exemplifies in his or her life the teachings of Christ

• a member of any of certain Protestant churches, as the Disciples of Christ and the Plymouth Brethren.

Who is anybody to say that somebody else isn't really anything? Who puts anybody above anybody else to decide what they really are. What makes my mother so far superior to everyone else?

What a dumb reason to vote. Taxes, healthcare, the economy, the war, etc. Those are some good reasons. Women's rights is a good reason, but basing your vote entirely on whether the candidate is pro-life and a Christian? It's narrow minded and silly.

Christian.

I've worked myself into a frenzy over something I always knew about my family, but still hate to hear more than anything. Here's hoping there aren't too many people like them out there, because if there is, this election will take a cold turn for the worst.