By Their Deeds...

Trust no politician who invokes faith as a cornerstone of his or her political ambition. We are free to believe in whatever god appeals to our individual needs, but that is an aspect of our experience that should remain private. The aspiration to serve community should be founded in shared values that serve to enhance the lives of people regardless of religious conviction.

There are ideals that have universal appeal not because of the command of some deity, but because our common experience has taught us that we cannot thrive without them. To do to others as we would have them do to us makes sense even among those who have never heard of a god. As a cornerstone of community building it needs no mystical justification.

Anyone coming forward to serve must demonstrate the kind of principled approach to community life that transcends his or her individuality. To stand on a platform informed by the needs of one's own ego is to create a foundation on shifting sand. The demands of Justice must command the attention of every god, and every living person. Anyone who claims to serve an invisible God while rationing goodwill toward one's fellows ... is nothing but a damned liar.