The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Conservatives don't have a monopoly on morality, despite claims of preachers

Sunday mornings are generally my only time to sleep in. I sleep in till 8 a.m. and then begin the day by cleaning something and playing with my dog. Last Sunday was no different. I turned on the television to entertain the dog while I picked up my living room. I had not really paid much attention to what my dog was watching, but I noticed it was a televangelist. As I began cleaning, I heard his sermon going out to homes across America and was absolutely infuriated.

This preacher was speaking out about how Jesus was a conservative and that Jesus was brought to this Earth to be the head of government. The camera spanned the crowd to show his congregation clapping and writing down his words of crap.

The preacher then began to tell his congregation that the word liberal means to take something out of or take something away. He compared the word liberal to liberate or to "taking a black person out of slavery." He went on to say that liberals were only taking something out of government and life.

I was infuriated. How can this man of God judge another human being? How could he judge me?

We Americans have been in the middle of religious controversy in the past year.

Thousands of voters went out to the polls earlier this month to vote for the more religious candidate. I know voters that cast their vote for Bush based on his religion. This is the same as voting for someone that you think is the cuter candidate. We are not basing our decisions on who can do the job, just who is holier than thou.

Bush had a really great marketing plan. He sold himself as a God-fearing, southern, Christian man. He admitted that he has sinned in the past, but now he prays and he talks to God before making any big decisions. Well, I guess I am glad that he talks to someone. I sure wouldn't want him to make any big boy decisions by himself.

Obviously Bush isn't a perfect man. After all, he based a great part of his latter campaign on how he won't enforce the draft, while allowing military officials to scare the country with it on a daily basis. No president is perfect, I will say that before I get a thousand e-mails about President Clinton's affair, but a free country with freedom of religion can not run with God in the cabinet.

Who determines what liberal qualities make someone a sinner? Is it the separation of church and state? Is it a woman's right to choose? Maybe it is the welfare program or programs such as Habitat for Humanity, both of which began under liberal Presidents? Just because someone is liberal does not mean he or she is not God-fearing or cannot spread God's word. Who a person votes for or how a person feels about a particular societal or governmental issue does not mean he or she is not one of God's children.

I am a liberal, and I believe in God. I believe that I am voicing an opinion when I speak and not damning myself. I know liberals and Democrats who are Christian and go to church every Sunday. I know they believe in God and volunteer to better humanity. Are they sinning because someone might consider them a liberal? I think not.

I was always taught that being a Christian meant that you did not judge anyone. It seems as though some Christians are not only preaching how to vote but discriminating against those who may not vote or think the same way.

Maybe those who are deeming people as sinners because their beliefs are different should rethink who the real sinner is.

Arla is a senior in journalism. My Way or the Highway appears every Wednesday. These views do not necessarily reflect those of the DAILY EGYPTIAN.

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