Susan K. Smith
Senior pastor, Advent United Church of Christ in Columbus, Ohio

Susan K. Smith

Smith, a Yale Divinity School graduate, is a senior pastor of Advent United Church of Christ in Columbus, OH. Her latest book is "Crazy Faith: Ordinary People; Extraordinary Lives."

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God In, Religion Out

When first confronted with the question about the role religion should play in the campaigns, I thought, "none."

I still think that. But by all means, let there be a God-consciousness that permeates every single thing the candidates do.

Organized religion is too often a turn-off for people trying to figure out life. Religions tend to be dogmatic, too doctrinaire, with policies, premises and practices which honor the human spirit at the expense of the God mandates.

God says love everyone; religions at least imply that it's OK to love some people and treat others badly. God says be compassionate; religion too often equate compassion with weakness. God says do justice; religions often manipulate real justice into a justice its members can tolerate, and in effect,leave the masses behind. God says all people were created in God's image; religions too often try to "correct" that view and use the Bible or other sacred texts to justify classifying people, some as worthy of good treatment, and others as subhumans, not worthy of consideration.

Some religions teach that God intended for everyone to be wealthy; God recognizes that there are people who are "the least of these" and mandates that those who are blessed with more bless others so that they will have more. Religions tend to make their adherents comfortable, cocky and arrogant, while God's requirements constantly scratches away at our ability to be comfortable and yearns for us to see human suffering for what it is and, in our discomfort, do something.

Religions would make God a conservative or liberal, a Democrat or Republican, but God is none of those. If anything, God would be an Independent, and would want more people to be that way. Religion tries to teach people so that they will recognize and fit into the status quo; God would urge people to see the status quo and work against it, not for the sake of enmity, but for the sake of change.

Religions point fingers as to who is right and who is wrong; God embraces the "good" and the "bad" alike. Religions put people out; God gathers people in.

Throughout our history, religion has raised its head and offered its voice and we have listened, but seldom have we allowed God into our most sacred of spaces. Gandhi said, upon studying Christianity, that if we practiced Christian values the world would be revolutionized. He said "Christian" because he studied Christianity, but the values of which he spoke - love, compassion, sensitivity, justice and mercy -- are not unique to the Christian faith. All three major Abrahamic faiths have those values at their core. The fact is, Gandhi noted, that we don't practice those values. We do religion and leave God out.

Gandhi never became a Christian, but he depended on God to help lead a nation to independence.

Obama and McCain ought to follow suit and leave religion out of this campaign, but for goodness' sake, and for the sake of this nation and world, lean on,learn of, and use ... God.

By Susan K. Smith  |  August 27, 2008; 8:38 AM ET
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I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

The song of songs, which is Solomon's.
Let her kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love me.

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Open rebuke is better than secret love.

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.
For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.
A good man obtaineth favour of the Lord: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.
A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

Posted by: harold | August 28, 2008 2:10 PM
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And Bild-A-Bear families.

Posted by: Anonymous | August 28, 2008 1:50 PM
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I think it pertinent to ask what in God's name is happening on this thread. Something about Seas of Marmalade and Psionicist frogs.

Posted by: Anonymous | August 28, 2008 1:49 PM
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And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and hear me.
That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me.

Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.
When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Posted by: harold | August 28, 2008 8:53 AM
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God says all people were created in God's image

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

ROME - A modern art sculpture portraying a crucified green frog holding a beer mug and an egg that Pope Benedict has condemned as blasphemous may have its days numbered.
The Vatican letter said that the work "wounds the religious sentiments of so many people who see in the cross the symbol of God's love."
And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.

Posted by: harold | August 28, 2008 8:29 AM
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Well said, Pastor!

Posted by: Donna W. | August 28, 2008 8:21 AM
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TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ISLAM VISIT WEBSITE: WWW.IRF.NET

Posted by: shefali | August 28, 2008 4:51 AM
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GOD LOVES EVERY ONE.

Then Question for me is "THEN WHY GOD CREATED HELL".

God loves offcourse but also punishes if you become stray.

God also dislike, and jelously those who donot follow his instructions. Which instructions? we have to search analylitically.

Posted by: shafiuddin | August 28, 2008 4:48 AM
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long live osethia, long live abhasia, long live druid ireland, long live moses crystal father and merlin. Lord save the Queen.

long live Spielberg and THanks. High of Russia, Anatolyevich Medvedev and Viladimir Putin, thanks for shape-changing.

Posted by: sthumblewidecircle | August 28, 2008 4:28 AM
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we had talked about Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, MArmaris Sea Twelve Islands, MArmara Sea and Black Sea. Black Sea, the bottom of Black Sea, is enormous source of hydrogen gas.

Posted by: sthumblewidecircle | August 28, 2008 4:22 AM
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Ashe' and Amen.

Posted by: Rahmundo IMANI | August 28, 2008 12:34 AM
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Religion has no place in politics. There is nothing wrong with being Spiritual and the idea that there is some Benevolent All Pervading Intelligence and a connection between all being and that compassion results in the creation of the best future reality for all. But it stops there the rest is mostly Dogma and Fiction.

There is nothing wrong with Spirit being aggressively involved in Politics, in other words giving truth, wisdom and compassion a voice and presence. We need more of this.

http://buddha.me

And the classic quote from infinite play

"Religion is a creation of man, not God, and is subject to flaws"

http://divine.me

Especially in the interpretation

Have you all ever witnessed Church politics? These people are supposed to be representatives for God and Spirit?

This is not to say certain writings are not divinely inspired and are void of spiritual insight and wisdom, but many of the have become tainted by source disconnected ego and organized religion has become an egoic institution to control and subvert, propagators of division, illusion and fiction.

http://illusions.me

I am sure all the great spiritual teachers are appalled at the commercialization of their work and it’s use in judgment and persecution.

Posted by: Richard Thomas | August 27, 2008 11:30 PM
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I agree, Obama and McCain shouldn't make religion a major part of their campaigns because religion is too often used as a vehicle of condemnation towards anyone who isn't "in" with the masses. And because of this many people turn away from it. But God is universal love, and if you have God with you, NOT man-made religion, who can be against you? If the presidential candidates lean on and trust in Him, they will not fail no matter who wins!

Posted by: Caroline | August 27, 2008 9:20 PM
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is NATO with Bilderberg Family? what did Israel do? who has been with Israel? who has been with Holland? with whom is the Prime Minister of Turkey?

is he with Israel but feeding Phalestine? or with Holland for Ottoman Empire?

Posted by: sthumblewidecircle | August 27, 2008 11:44 AM
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i loved this title of yours, Mrs Smith. the husband of Queen of Holland is Prince Bilderberg the Nazi commander of Second World War. in Georgia, jewish turks had been murdered and tortured, and Russia once more, as it was in Second World War, saved the jews again. the wife of so-called president of Georgia Saarkashvillie is Dutch.

Posted by: sthumblewidecircle | August 27, 2008 11:42 AM
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