Under the U.S. Constitution and laws, all religions should be treated the same by the government. Paganism should be treated just like any other religion even when it comes to chaplains.

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The right to life includes food and basic health care.

Are we so hard hearted that we can refuse food and health care to children just because their parents are poor? What kind of society are we? Their right to food and health care is so fundamental and so self-evident that it is incomprehensible to me that we ignore their needs.

Are we trying to punish poor parents by punishing their children? Is this some Malthusian strategy to get them to stop having children?

The Bush Administration’s opposition to expanding SCHIP is outrageous and immoral. Their talking points are absurdly false as even Republican members of Congress point out.

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Although Hollywood is routinely condemned by conservatives as a hotbed of liberal elitists, in fact it perpetuates the American myth that violence is the way to overcome evil.

We grew up on cowboys and Indians, war movies and espionage thrillers that showcased the good guys beating up and killing the bad guys. And if the heroine is in danger, then the end justifies the means, any means. We all booed when the criminal tortured by Dirty Harry was released back into society by the court. We cheered when Harry blew him away. Don’t get mad, just get even.

The American faith in the efficacious use of violence led us astray first in Vietnam and now in Iraq. And when you are fighting an evil such as Communism or terrorism, the argument goes, any means is legitimate.

There are numerous reasons why torture is wrong.

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Jesus taught Christians to forgive, but it is not easy to do.

On the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” He also told us many parables about forgiveness, especially the one about the servant who was forgiven a debt and then refused to forgive his debtor. In the Lord’s Prayer, he also has us pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Forgiveness is an essential part of Christ’s message. I wish it were easy, but it is not. Since I have some Irish blood, I can repeat the joke about Irish Alzheimer’s, where the person forgets everything but his or her grudges, but any ethic group can be inserted in this joke.

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Every American has the legal right to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution for any reason they want. Every American has the legal right to oppose any amendment to the U.S. Constitution for any reason they want. By its very nature, any amendment that is adopted is “constitutional.”

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The Question: Pope Benedict's recent baptism of a well-known Italian Muslim has prompted criticism in much of the Islamic world. Has Benedict done enough to build bridges to Islam?

There is no question that Pope Benedict has a great respect for religious faith of Muslims. In fact, he wishes European Catholics were as devout as Muslims. He supports interreligious dialogue with Muslims in the hope that Muslims and Christians can work together for justice and peace in the world.

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