the funny thing about the subconscious -- you just don't know.

“The good times of today, are the sad thoughts of tomorrow.”

OH MY GOD

I know this is way past the due date but I hope you haven't read my blog yet, lobdell. Watch this video.

Romney: 'My faith is the faith of my fathers'

After losing ground in the polls in Iowa, Mitt Romney delivered a speech addressing his Mormon faith to try and ease evangelicals.

The former Massachusetts governor -- the first major Mormon candidate for president -- has seen his support slip recently in the early battleground state of Iowa amid misgivings by some Christians, particularly evangelicals, about his religion.

So in a 20-minute address billed as his definitive response to the issue, Romney said he was seeking to be a leader for Americans of all faiths, not just his own.

JFK gave a similar speech preceding his election as President. Yet, somehow I think Catholicism and Mormonism are a little different. And if Mitt Romney wins the primary you can count on his Mormon faith and getting extensive media coverage.

Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee appears to be making a strong showing in the GOP primary. With a lot of the Christian right upset at Giuliani for his pro-choice stance and a lot of voters turned off by Mitt Romney's Mormonism, they are turning to Mike Huckabee as the best candiate.

As this article in the Christian Science Monitor says about his recent showing at the New Hampshire caucus:

Mike Huckabee spent the weekend in New Hampshire, where he saw something he had rarely seen in his two years as a Republican candidate for president: People. Lots of them. Living rooms and halls packed with voters, campaign aides, reporters and jostling television crews.

With Huckabee in the race it makes things more interesting but he still is a long shot. Romney may be a Mormon but he is wealthy an has outspent Huckabee by a lot.

Huckabee for President

The Papal States

Sorry for boring you with history but I'm a history major so it's what I do best...

The Papal States are an interesting topic today as many people are unaware of the fact that such a thing ever existed. The Catholic Church actually used to hold almost the entire central region of Italy and even had a standing army. The Church, which is supposed to an institution to serve God almighty, once controlled vast amounts of territory and consequently, it played a huge part in European Politics. The Papal States were conquered and absorbed into Italy during the late 1800’s as part of the Italian Unification. The Pope and his successors for nearly 100 years thereafter refused to leave the Vatican in protest and even threatened the Italians with excommunication if they participated in the elections of the new Italian government. Today the church’s political influence is a mere shadow of its former self, but be careful. Every now and then they try to exercise political power to their own ends… abortion anyone?

Henry VIII

Henry VIII was king of England during the early to mid 16th century. Never before in history were religion and politics so intertwined than in England during his reign. In 1528 Henry VIII demanded a divorce from his wife Catherine of Aragon. At this time England was a Catholic nation and as such Henry had to receive the divorce from the Pope. The Pope refused his request and in a fit of anger, Henry decided to create his own church, the Church of England or the Anglican Church. He was then free to divorce as pleased. The Anglican Church survives to this day as the main religion in England. Personally I find it interesting that a religion which is basically the Catholic Church, and which was founded by a gluttonous womanizer who beheaded or divorced 5 of his 6 wives could still survive today. Just saying.