We all pray to the same God. There, I said it. I know what you are thinking, but I believe this is true. Granted there are many different ways to do it, but in the end its understanding and acceptance we seek.

Hinduism worships Self and nature. Islam is the followings of the Qur’an which is teachings sent by Allah through Muhammad. Christianity is based on the New Testament and living your life for Christ. Buddhism is the “teachings of the awakened one” (quote from Wikipedia.com “Buddhism”) and simply follows mental peace and unconditional compassion. Scientists seek answers about matter, non-matter and how celestial bodies exist. All of these are in search of peace and an understanding of the unknown. We do all want to make society better, we just have different thoughts of what better is.

We have all asked questions about the origin of the universe. From that we all usually end in some form of faith. Faith that there is a supreme being, faith that there is no supreme being, faith in something bigger than us, or just a belief that we don’t know what lies out there. When the questions keep coming and the answers stop: that my friend, is God.

Religious extremism is going far beyond normal behavior to inflict or force your beliefs on others. In the West, this has been un-proportionately attributed to Islamic radicals. There are many more examples of religious extremes out there.

With 6 billion people in this world, no matter what your faith is, 2/3rds of the world does not hold your same religious beliefs. Non- [insert your religion here]’s just want a chance to live in this world peacefully and to believe in our own souls. You are not necessarily right, they are not necessarily right. Forcing your beliefs on others through extreme means is unbalanced and unfair to the entire population.

For the hard working, peaceful Islam followers reading this I will bypass justification of extreme behavior. You have seen enough of it, no more needs to be said on that.

The U.S. political arena is also flooded with examples of extreme behavior. Michele Bachmann is a good example.

A few things stand out in this video. Michele Bachmann appears to not be calling the shots, yet she is running for Congress where she will need to make decisions for us. Who are you electing if she wins this race? She said “be submissive to her husband”, “I had no desire to be in politics” and, “I hate taxes”. To a woman running for congress, these are extreme statements.

To the women reading this, do you want to be submissive to your husband? Today, finally, women are independent souls and in a marriage are 50% stake holders. What will change if Michele Bachmann is part of Congress? In all fairness she is not claiming that she will remove women’s rights, but there is no proof of what she will do. She has already said she, as a person is not making decisions. Who is Michele Bachmann? Is she a prophet from God or her husband’s spokesperson? You need to weigh the facts and look at what she is saying.

Homosexuals are evil.

Global warming is not the issue of the day

Terri Schiavo was healthy

“Iran is at a point right now where America has to be very aggressive in its response…and we should not remove the nuclear response”

These statements seem to be a little out of touch. Fasting for understanding and not feeling a big romantic surge for her husband is a non-invasive practice. I am not sure what that does to the sanctity of marriage, and certainly is not a widespread practice but neither affects our lives. Everyone should be able to deal with difficult decisions effectively, however it is done. Her other public statements do seem extreme, including the potential of nuclear war.

Do I believe that that radical Christians and radical Islam followers are the same? YES. The path is different, but the result is the same. All of those who are following the [their] word of God, do it at our expense.

The separation of Church and State is a real thing and is practiced in many countries. Thomas Jefferson wrote “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church and State.” Therefore passing laws that were built as a message from god would go against this statement and in turn, against the modern interpretation of the First Amendment.

Michele Bachmann and many like her are rampant in the US and need to be told to keep their religion to themselves. The main issue comes in with passing laws that reflect the views of her God. Again, she said she had no interest in politics. What on earth is she doing running for political office if not to pepper her religion in our laws?

Look at all of the issues out there, especially the ones that are not being talked about. Your candidates are there to be challenged. It is your duty to ask them questions.

This is not a Hate Republican speech, or I did not intend to make it one. In fact I am sure there are Democrats that follow this (or another) extreme as well. It is more intended to be a Know Your Congress speech. Learn about what our options are.

Nick