PREACHER: Personally I think that Mr. Obama is just another Jimmy Carter.
SKEPTIC: Well, at least you don't think that he's Hitler or the Antichrist, like these two ministers.
PREACHER: We are in agreement that there are religious wackos out there. I am quite aware that Pat Robertson thinks he gets a Word from the Lord and the "prophesies" almost always are wrong. My main problems with Obama are his insatiable desire to kill unborn infants and his overindulgence of the gay community. Even so, maybe the world will be a better place after four years. We will have to see.
SKEPTIC: Obama has an "insatiable desire to kill unborn infants?" Really? You don't think that language is just a tad over-the-top? I support Obama because he won't allow the government to force women to give birth, no matter the circumstances. He believes that medical decisions should be left to the woman and her doctor, not the government. For conservatives who say they are against government regulation and in favor of less government interference, it's amazing how they ignore their ideology when it comes to abortion rights.
PREACHER: I see your point. But, then should the government also stop having laws about murderers, thieves, rapists, and child molesters? Accordingly, should decisions to do such acts be left up to the individual and his or her personal counselor? From my world view or perspective, abortion still remains the intentional taking of an innocent human life. There might be some rare cases where that is justified.
SKEPTIC: I know that you consider abortion to be murder, but that is only based on a religious belief, not a scientific one. What is your bottom line when it comes to abortion? Do you think it should be completely outlawed? Do you want to put doctors who perform abortions in prison? Do you want to put women who receive abortions in prison? And when you say that "there might be some rare cases where it is justified," when would it be justified in your mind? And if you really believe it's murder, how can it ever be justified?
PREACHER: I agree that my religious belief is involved. Science will always be partial knowledge, so it can't be the end-all for such issues. One has to return to their religious beliefs because science doesn't go that far. It was never supposed to be a system of right and wrong. My religious beliefs lead me to think that abortion is murder, while yours don't. So, in a pluralistic society the government should not take a stand one way or the other. When president Obama had his interview with Rick Warren, he said that the issue of abortion was "beyond his pay grade." To be consistent with what he said then, he shouldn't be implementing policies that make abortion more available, like offering government funds to those who perform abortions. I'm not thinking about putting people in prison or forcing my opinion on those who believe differently than I do. I would just like our president to respect the opinions and beliefs of those (there are a lot of us) who believe abortion is point blank morally wrong.
SKEPTIC: When you talk about the "overindulgence" of the gay community, I'm not sure what you mean. How is it overindulgent to give them the same rights that other Americans enjoy?
PREACHER: How soon do you think the pedophiles and those with other less known sexual orientations will be asking for their "civil" rights, too. Why shouldn't they be given rights, too? Who are you to deny them? I think that history is the best commentary we have on sexual (pardon me for being politically incorrect) perversion. It is the prerequisite for the disintegration of a society.
SKEPTIC: So you're equating gays with pedophiles? Really? You're comparing two consenting adults who love each other to adults who sexually victimize children? Is it your belief that being gay is a perversion? To me, that's a little like calling someone who is left-handed "deformed."
PREACHER: Here again the issue is religious. According to my religious beliefs, being gay is immoral. I know that many former gays have been able to overcome their sexual orientation and others haven't been able to. I don't condone the violence perpetrated on gays or anyone else because of the way they are. I would like to make a distinction between those who have a gay sexual orientation but respect those who are repulsed by their behavior (not because it is just gross, but because it is in violation of Biblical morality) vs. those who want to change society to give their lifestyle preferred treatment.
