As an artist, and propogandist, if you take away my ability to offend, you have taken away my ability to inspire as well.

Leo, your post hits right at the heart of the matter.

~Teddy Bear

I, too, am “wired” like you… having now worked as an educator, and in the past having worked in a residential adolescent treatment center, as well as a residential center for developmentally disabled adults.

I have no problem when one is allowed to call upon one’s faith, in one way or another, in their line of work. I have worked with social workers who openly wear crucifixes about their necks, and have found it refreshing to see them visibly affirming their faith as they perform their work.

What I have a problem with is people who insist that ALL divorce a part of their being; for many, that being their belief in and relationship with God, in their service with the State or in their interactions with same.

Those who want to exclude people because of their faith are, in my opinion, no better than those who want to exclude others because of their race, gender, what have you.

As a matter of fact, exclusion of people because of their faith is an even more egregious crime, because it cuts people to the core of their inner being and character, rather than a superficial gender trait or level of melatonin present in their skin.

In sum, putting people down or excluding them because of their religion is but a form of politically-correct fascism.

Thanks again, for sharing, Chad!

For a conservative, I have had many the liberal socialist squirrel job. I think it is just how I am wired. I like people and I like to be there when God intercedes and miracles abound. When I was finishing up my undergraduate, I worked at a homeless shelter. It was actually a very fun and rewarding job because the socialist squirrels around me held up barrier after barrier to enslave and dissuade those they were mandated to serve. Myself, I did not put my faith in the program or the institution, but in God and I was pretty good at getting rid of those brick walls and watching lives change before my eyes.

Honestly, it was probably the most self rewarding job I ever had. In fact, I was so successful that they sent me to the local woman’s abuse shelter to offer GED classes and get them connected with where they needed to go to change their lot in life. You see, that is what I thought we all were there for. However, those around me, wanted to keep them on the hardship plantation. I believed with a little grace, they themselves could take advantage of what God was providing and pull themselves up with my chearleading and prayer. Many did. This is what the church use to do before the church sold out to government socialism.

However, to get to my original point, I ran into a situation that shook me to my core. A nice young woman was a vista volunteer and she ran the womans shelter. Talented, pretty, and articulate, but flawed like most all of us. There was a woman who had two children and had recently survived a brutal attack by a live in boyfriend. She had recovered and her children and her had been at the shelter for a few months. She was a devout Christian who liked to sing spirituals and hymns as she did her house cleaning around the shelter.

This Vista volunteer happened to be a militant socialist squirrel feminist and atheist (However, can you be an atheist when your god is really government? I think Socialist worshiper may be a better term for her. I do not want to offend my atheist friends by associating her stupidity with their conviction)

Well, long story short this vista volunteer used the little power she had to get the woman and two children kicked out of the shelter. I heard about this on a morning I had classes. Well, I had to skip classes as sometimes even God intercedes and let’s me know there are more important things to do, and I had to straighten this travesty. I did that day, but with temerity of threats to loose my own job, I finally found enough to listen to reason to reinstate this woman and two kids. They were back before the kids returned from school. This woman of great faith greated her children in a full throated chorus of her favorite spiritual hymn.

Sometimes, all it takes is the temerity to stand up, miss a class or task and put your faith not in perceived security of a paycheck, but in the one who brought us all into being. It always works out, you just have to enjoy the roller coaster ride!

Great post Leo!

You reminded me of this instance when God was at hand and I was lucky enough to witness it!

~Teddy Bear