What did you parents tell you? Never discuss religion or politics with family and friends? Pretty good advice indeed, yet recently in an online think tank the subject came up and all together and all of a sudden. A religious man and a devout follower of his particular god in his personal belief system made a statement that really was interesting, he said:

All governments are alienating god and religion and then he went on to explain how propaganda from government was like psychological warfare as we are nearing the end of days

So of course being an online think tank such a notion was immediately challenged and countered by another think tanker who stated:

Now then let me get this straight; you believe that religion is good? Yes or No? Because I consider it [religion] not so good and I have not discovered one I believe to be all good and if I were god, well I guess I would be appalled at the way they [religion in general] go about their endeavors. Well if your god wants to control your mind, why would you follow that god? Pick a new one, there are so many religious gods to follow and as many or more religious teachings?

Of course, you can understand that here we have an agnostic critical thinker and a religious scholar fundamentalist. It is interesting in that in mixing these two things; that is to say religion and politics the two things you are not suppose to talk about, well we sure end up with a lot of sound and fury in one hell of a hurry. So consider this in 2006.