Apparently Christians believe that salvation is through faith in one their gods not works. There appears to be an aspect of obedience in there too. So if God or one of his prophets says you are a bad person, it is OK to hate you. M'kay?

Why are you so fascinated with these little people? Do you seriously think they're the greatest moral threat to our Republic? Old-school religious types from the South?

I think you hate them best 'cause they're funnest to hate. You enjoy dunking a low-hung basket.

The much larger hazard in America is from Daley's Chicago.

I "love" how Republicans then turn around and say with a straight face how they aren't nanny staters like those awful liberals.

Facists are facists and cross all political lines; the only real disagreement is on what to make other people do.

This sort of position is why the Republican party is committing slow-mo demographic suicide. Being the party of old white people and Christianists will make it increasingly difficult to win in the future, since both groups are shrinking in relative size.

"So, fellow Laurens County Republicans, the Democrats are losing popularity, we retook the House in 2010, and we stand to make more gains in 2012. So, what do you propose we do, position ourselves to make some real political hay, or shoot ourselves in the toes?"

"Um, I say let's go with the toe thing."

"Okay, that's one motion for self-mutilation. Any seconds?"

"Yeah, I second that motion. Blast away!"

"Okay, all in favor --"

BLAM!!!

"Motion carries! Oh, and Lester, those weren't your toes. Say, Randy, what are you doing later? See, I found this web site, and ..."

The sex is premarital only if you get married.

It makes sense. If you're gonna be the party of legislating sexual morality, you should, well, be sexually moral and not go have sex in mens' rooms.

This is the moment for GOP people who don't follow those arcane proscriptions and libertarians to get together and have an opposition wing of the GOP in that county...

and cut them off at the knees by countering with a simple principle:
Uphold the Constitution of the United States. Which in it's very first amendment requires: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;"

So, to be consistent with electing a person to the Government of the US, you should hold to those principles that you will require them to swear to.

THEN, you can quiz to your heart's content on how much they are similar to you and your views, and how those views shape personal conviction vs. Public Policy.

But then, I'm stupid like that...

I think you hate them best 'cause they're funnest to hate. You enjoy dunking a low-hung basket.

Maybe she just likes to keep 'em happy. Anyone who hangs so low in the first place is just doing it in order to draw fire.

On this, thank you SwissArmyD.

This sort of thing is why I have not wanted Little Lizard to have any real power since the [in]famous "Contract with America."

Not that the Ds are any better, I remain an R despite the occasional eedjut pol. I remember reading of an interview of Mark Twain, in which he was asked why he - a Southerner - voted Republican:

"Well, the Democrats would steal a hot stove. [reflective puff of cigar] Of course. so would Republicans - but they'd have the sense to wear gloves."

Laurens County contains about 1% of the total population of South Carolina.

This isn't a significant or harbinger event in South Carolina, the state's Republican Party, or the national Republican Party.

Failure to get on the Laurens County ballot won't have a significant impact on any statewide or national candidate's nomination chances.

they ask that you pledge that you've never ever had pre-marital sex -- and that you will never ever look at porn again.
_________________________

Well, I understand that most conservatives consider the former to be worse - but isn't God supposed to forgive those who want to turn over a new leaf? Why not just pledge with regard to your future? (Besides, anyone can lie about the past.)

Don't you find it funny that there's no ban on cheating?

> The sex is premarital only if you get married.

Damn, I wish I'd said that.

Soon, I will.

"Failure to get on the Laurens County ballot won't have a significant impact on any statewide or national candidate's nomination chances."

This. Media people love to hold up the farthest fringes of the GOP and holding them up as being representative of all of conservatism. Meanwhile, far-left radicals are firmly in control of the Democratic Party and the media gives them cover.

God forbid some virtuous people try to restrict the ballot to virtuous candidates. After all, we're so much better off with Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich and Jim McGreevey and Mark Foley and Larry Craig and David Vitter and on and on...

(Admittedly, I realize not allowing candidates who've had premarital sex would eliminate a lot of good people, but I guess they figured they had to start somewhere.)

(Admittedly, I realize not allowing candidates who've had premarital sex would eliminate a lot of good people, but I guess they figured they had to start somewhere.) -- mpetrie98 at March 6, 2012 9:42 PM

As noted above -- where does this fit in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution?:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

That means that you have no means to ask anyone about their religious preferences or establish that as a part of the requirements to run for office. The moment you find "parties" in the United States Constitution please let me know.

I'm not sure how these requirements constitute an actual ESTABLISHMENT of religion (presumably Christianity in this case). Would requiring people to have loose morals to get on the ballot be an establishment of Paganism or Secular Humanism?

Two consenting adults sharing sexual pleasure? Let's see, that can include cousins, brother-sister, parent-child, and, of course, extends to multiple partners.

Combined with the fact that women tend to form attachments to people they have sex with, this stuff CAN end up with a lot of people getting hurt. (Not necessarily WILL in any particular case, but can.)

That loose enough for ya?

Oh, and if this means there is something wrong with me, you can kiss my ass.

And of course, the two consenting adults sharing sexual pleasure can include ADULTERY. Are you saying that I have something wrong with me for condemning ADULTERY and criticizing CASUAL SEX???

"I'm not sure how these requirements constitute an actual ESTABLISHMENT of religion (presumably Christianity in this case)."

Why do people insist on using this as a verb?

To allow government meddling.

If you treated "establishment" as a noun - and you have no trouble pointing out a bartender's establishment as the proprietor, likewise, former hippies had no trouble identifying "the Establishment" as a political system - then you have no problem figuring out what limits there should be.

But power-brokers aren't ever going to let themselves be limited. They won't even consent to require language in bills that state what provision of the Constitution their bill addresses!

Keeping people out of the party is an unusual electoral strategy.

Meanwhile, we are being driven deeper into debt every day, gas costs close to double what it was at the start of this administration, we've run guns into a neighboring country that have been used to kill over 300 people, and fewer people are now working full time than were three years ago.

I'll add the Laurens County Republican Party to my list of things to be concerned about where it belongs. At the bottom.

That means that you have no means to ask anyone about their religious preferences or establish that as a part of the requirements to run for office.

Laurens County Republicans aren't establishing requirements to run for office. They can't.

They are establishing requirements to receive the Laurens County Republican Party's backing and support in running for office - and to appear on the party's nomination ballot in that county.

And they're being silly.

The fact that the established parties nationwide have made it difficult for anyone to run for office without their backing and support is cause for concern.

The fact that the primary process is administered by the county elections office does not abrogate the party's right to determine who represents it in a national election. Which is why open primaries are an abomination.

Just out of curiosity, what kind of perverted mind constantly turns discussions of sex and marriage into incest, bestiality and so forth?

In reference to the above; since I've been married, I can never again engage in premarital sex.

A final question concerning the phrase "they ask that you pledge that you've never ever had pre-marital sex". Where does repentance fit in here? I'm assuming these people are Christian--do they have a clue what means? Or, perhaps they are just really uptight atheists.

Joe, she implied that being critical of casual sex could be a sign that I'm deeply disturbed. I simply responded by pointing out some of the arrangements in which the "two consenting adults sharing sexual pleasure" could take place.

Fortunately, most people are not plain STUPID enough to enter into such absurd and vile (incest) arrangements that I have mentioned.

Incidentally, if you imagine I'm for banning casual sex in general, you're wrong there. I don't even have a problem with prostitution among unmarried adults.

I'm not imagining anything. When the topic of premarital sex comes up, I don't start thinking about incest.