Talking Religion and Politics

I've heard since I was a young child that when you're making conversation with new acquaintances you should definitely avoid religion and politics to avoid offending people you don't know yet. You've probably heard that somewhere too.

There were times in my childhood when my own family couldn't agree on religion or politics and the discussions would get heated.  You may have had that experience as well.

So, here goes, I'm going to discuss both in one post!  Hope you're still smiling when you get done reading this ...

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From ages 5 until 19 I lived in the Brentwood community in the western part of Los Angeles, about four or five miles from the Los Angeles Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  You make several important commitments to God in the temple, and so you wait to do most of that until you are an adult, in my case three weeks before I left my boyhood home to serve a Church mission for two years in London, England.

There is a wonderful Spirit inside the Temple, and also on the grounds of the Temple.  In those years I did not have a drivers license and mostly got around where I wanted to go by walking or riding my three-speed bicycle.  Many times when I wanted to clear my head and get some peace when thinking about something I would find my way to the temple grounds or to the adjacent visitors center to read, listen to the wind blow, feel the quiet, feel the Spirit. 

It has been years since I have lived there, but business takes me to southern California frequently, generally to other areas fifty or more miles away.  Occasionally, maybe once every year or two, I make it back there.  It is always very special when I do.

The visitors center there has been closed for renovation for a long time now, but I just received a tweet today telling me that it had reopened after a major two-year redo.  (It seems longer than that, but I trust them).

I will have to make a point of going back there to see this.  The full article is available by clicking on the underlined words above about my receiving a tweet.  Go check it out, I think you will find the pictures as breathtaking as I do.

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While driving in the desert today I saw two things interesting enough that I took pictures of them,

The General Patton Memorial Museum (thank you for your service!)

The second line below the giant McCain letters says "Protecting Arizona's Bases".  I do appreciate John McCain's service, I really do. 

But now we're down to we need to give him yet another term in the Senate so he can protect Arizona's bases?  It really is time for term limits, it is time for fresh blood in both houses of Congress.  It is time we had a choice that isn't between "not good enough anymore" and "worse than that".

The current system gives the incumbent of whatever party an enormous advantage over any challenger, no matter what his or her merits may be.  Fund raising and name recognition are just two giant first steps in explaining this enormous advantage.  Fear that your state will be left out because you have a rookie and other states have an experienced, career politician keeps the incumbents in also. 

We need a level playing field.  George Washington had a great idea, serve for a limited time, go back home for a time, and maybe come back later for another limited time in a different capacity.  Presidential term limits are now part of our Constitution.  It is time Congressional term limits are included too.