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I have to quibble over the term "religious." You have the type of people who attend church, follow its doctrine and consider themselves religious even though they may contradict themselves (e.g. "love thy neighbor" but have intolerance and perhaps even hate for homosexuals). Then you have the type of people who may not attend any church but have an unconditional acceptance of people, have extraordinary patience and actually live the concept of unconditional love.
I don't consider myself religious, but I don't discount the possibility of the existence of God. I don't think any of the world's religions have adequately explained who God is and why God exists; nor do I believe that God is necessarily Christian, Jewish, Muslim or of any other religion.
I truly see no connection between religious and political beliefs. I think people are more comfortable grouping these two together in nice, convenient stereotypes, but again, have to go back to the definition of religious. Conservatives believe they have the cornerstone on religion, yet liberals advocate tolerance, forgiveness and understanding. Each of the two major political camps are filled with inconsistencies and contradictions.
I believe in my right to defend myself with deadly force, if necessary. Owning a firearm guarantees me that protection, and I have no problem whatsoever with killing someone in self defense, especially if it's an intruder inside my home. And I believe that abortion is tantamount to murder; however, it is the law of the land, and I therefore support a woman's right to choose. I hope that my daughters would never opt for an abortion, but it is their right to choose, not government's right to impose its will. Having said that, my daughters will have to accept the consequences of their decision either way. I am not homosexual nor am I attracted to other men. Still, it's none of my business how someone decides to live his or her personal life. I do not believe that a homosexual Boy Scout leader is going to "contaminate" the boys nor secretly recruit them into the Secret Gay Society. I don't believe in political correctness; I grew up believing in manners. These are two different things. Common sense drives one and is completely absent in the other.
By the way, I don't believe in the concept of "hate crimes." When you murder someone, that in itself is already a pretty extreme form of hate.
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