Perhaps you'll join me in my current mood for considering a revealing quote from Thomas Jefferson on the topic of religion which Republican politicians seem to compulsively use for burnishing their political status among Evangelicals and other Americans of a religious persuasion (conservative or liberal) who may be tempted to vote in November 2016 for intolerant, austerity-promoting, materialistic politicians whose policies and campaign promises ignore the question of conscience while turning cold shoulders against the Scriptural admonitions to care for the least of these and to be our brother's keeper:
"I have ever thought religion a concern purely between our God and our consciences, for which we were accountable to him and not to the priests. I never told my own religion, nor scrutinized that of another. I never attempted to make a convert, nor wished to change another's creed. I have ever judged of the religion of others by their lives...For it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be read."
(Excerpt from Thomas Jefferson's 1816 letter to Mrs. Samuel H. Smith)
By their fruits you shall know them. Including the rotten ones.
Yet there is one Republican 2016 candidate speaking and acting via the "compassionate conservative" model of conservatism, Governor John Kasich (R-OH) whose state of Ohio is doing better than the rest:
Sounds like Governor Kasich follows his own conscience more often than his party hierarchy's ideology. Hmm. If that's the case, good on him. And good for the people of Ohio.
Previously on SO'W: Personality Blends of Franklin, Washington, Paine, and Jefferson.
July 29, 2015 Blog Note: I have just now received my first notice from Blogger (Google) concerning European rules about cookies that are placed from this website. Third party code may interfere with the notice Blogger has placed on behalf of European readers, I am told, and it is my responsibility to make certain all is done properly to suit Europe though yours truly is no techie. Therefore, I have much research to do on this topic and will attempt to find precious time to figure out if SO'W is in compliance with EU Internet standards which now override US laws on such an issue. jc
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