Sweet, sweet Sarah. Wherefore dost thou goest?

Damn. Sarah Palin's not running for US President. NY Times.

Now some people may be singing Hallelujah and dancing for joy but think about it: Sarah has done the world a big service by exposing just how totally insane some Republicans are, most importantly to other Republicans (everyone else already knew). But by not running for POTUS (President Of The United States - ask the Secret Service - They Sure DO Like Acronyms) she will not be providing the biggest possible service - splitting the Republican vote and getting even the most apathetic non voters out to avoid the unthinkable (again - they may not have forgotten Bush/Cheney 1 & 2). Still, she's planning on being highly 'visible' so she may still have those effects though perhaps without the spine chilling frisson of horror that accompanies the idea of her becoming POTUS.

Wondering what it is about politicians of a religious bent that is so scary,  I think it is their certainty of the rightness of their decisions that I find most concerning. Certainty is really hard to come by in science and in the real world generally but if you happen to believe something hard enough, in the minds of these people somehow that supposedly gives you licence to make life or death decisions for other people.

And the ability to discount rational argument when presented by a sinner is handy too - logic is no longer independent.

Also, their belief in life after death gives them a 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card in their thinking. Basically: The Lord wouldn't really let us down but if we have to die BUT we (the saved) are at least bound for the light eternal (let's not worry about the sinners because they made their choice to renounce The Way)'. This sort of thinking really really shouldn't be there when making decisions for both the sinners and the saved because it allows for serious consideration of very extreme actions (let's bomb the Russkis).

But the really scary ones are the ones who are deeply religious but don't make a big deal of it. Until they are elected. So maybe I should be thanking Tony Abbott for his efforts a la Sarah Palin?