sex, religion and politics

I've had my share of good times, especially in college and the Air Force. I think everyone should be expressive about their own sexuality and comfortable enough with someone and themselves to explore those things which really excite them. Life is short and should be full of extraordinary moments. Sex, love and rock and roll dictate that reason should never win out over passion. I was forced to take after-school Roman Catholic catechism classes until eighth grade, when we had our evening Confirmation after the catholic school kids had their big, elaborate Confirmation mass. My relationship with the Roman Catholic church pretty much went downhill from there. I don't have to TELL my sins to God (or anyone) any more than I can hide my sins from God. I am completely respectful of and fascinated by all religious beliefs, but I do not tolerate people who feel hell-bent to convert you or "save your soul." Only you know what you need to do to save your soul--only you can save it. I never fear God leaving my side, because my God is within me. God is in the balance that causes every infinitessimally tiny particle to vibrate it's specific way, that they construct the awesome universe we experience, and those yet to be discovered. All matter in the universe is one. I think of myself as what they used to call a Cold War Democrat--someone big on social services, separation of church and state, gay, womens' and abortion rights and environmental protection, but someone who supports military spending (then to maintain a deterrent threat and hold the Soviet Union at bay). Today my beliefs are more conservative on fiscal policy and regulatory practices, and I continue to believe in supporting a strong full-time and citizen soldier military force to defend our country, it's people and the principles on which it was founded, from any enemy to liberty. I can recite the Declaration of Independence from memory and I have been studying the founding fathers off and on for about 10 years. My heroes are; John Adams, for his unyielding committment to the resolution and his dogged efforts to best reason, Thomas Jefferson, for his creation of documents of unprescedented socio-political significance, documents which sounded like the music from his violin, and Benjamin Franklin, for being only slightly arrogant about the wisdom and wit which made him the sage of the 2nd Continental Congress, and for setting the best example of how a mind overflowing with creative genius need not preclude a raucus sense of humor and an insatiable lust for life. On November 2nd, I'll be writing in Colin Powell. (Oh, by the way, have I mentioned that I think the current Republican administration poses a threat to our civil rights as we know them? I think the current Republican administration poses a threat to our civil rights as we know them.) This is the bottom line: I am a registered Republican.