NAME: Lara Ray AGE: 28 OCCUPATION: News archivist (and pain in Dan Rather's neck!) RELIGION: saved since 1984, Southern Baptist since 1997. POLITICAL AFFILIATION: conservative/libertarian/independent HOBBIES: Internet, books of all types, my car MUSIC: All 80s, all the time! BAD HABITS: There's not enough web space ;) GREAT BOOKS: "Prolife Feminism: Yesterday and Today", "Why Do Christians Shoot Their Wounded?", and the "Straight Dope" series. POLITICAL PET PEEVE: Those who teach diversity and respect for all... except those right-to-lifers and Christians. FAVORITE POLITICIAN: Those who leave the business MY TAKE ON ABORTION: Can't the pro-aborts pick on someone their own size? MY TAKE ON CONSERVATISM: The way our society is going, is "conservative" really an accurate term for what we are? Who wants to conserve such anti-woman practices as abortion and pregnancy discrimination? Who wants to conserve higher tax and crime rates? Who wants to conserve schools that can't teach our children to read? If we are "conservatives", then why do we want so much positive change? WEB PAGE: http://www.sehlat.com/ <rant> I've been going a little nuts lately over some Christian Coalition people acting like traditional conservatism is the only way for a Christian to vote and practice. These people need to wake up big time. There are good and bad things about nearly every political system (sorry, I cannot convince myself totalitarianism is good for anything). Christians are supposed to be salt and light, and are supposed to go into *all* the world with the Gospel. We need solid Christians who are political liberals. We need Bible blievers who are libertarian, centrist, and authoritarian as well. If Christians all concentrate ourselves within one political faction, we only end up preaching to the choir and not making a dent where we're most needed. There is a place for believers in liberalism. Consistent life ethic people and supporters of stewardship of the earth are desperately needed. We need some Christian liberal Congressmen. Tony Hall is great, but we need a bunch more like him making a difference in the Democratic Party. Libertarianism really needs Christian influence. Not all libertarians are pro-drug, pro-abortion, or pro-pornography, and there is a lot more room for very traditional Christians within it... think about it, how many Fundamental Christians and pro-home-school Christians dislike government interference? Perfect libertarian candidates. I'm glad I have Christian friends and influences in all parts of the political diamond (see self-gov.org... I don't like the spectrum). I'm libertarian (duh), my SO is centrist, a good friend in Finland is authoritarian, the leftgrrl.com admin is liberal, and then there's the conservative bunch. God didn't make us all robots, folks. Once we get past the basics of salvation and respect of life, we've got room to differ and use those differences to spread the Gospel. We've got to go into ALL the world, not just the GOP Convention. Yes, Virginia, Democrats can be saved and radical Christians too. (Footnote: Am I advocating mixing church and state? Nope. I'm not supportive of a state religion at all. I just know I'm sick of the Christian Coalition stereotype.) </rant> Lara's Articles So much for that vacation in Venice... Never Enough A Time to Listen Looking Out For My Own All Violent Crimes Are Hate Crimes An invitation for a gender feminist Darmok and Jilad at Tanagra Open Letter to a Killer So Much For Choice ---Navigate through Rightgrrl--- Home Search Rightgrrl Guestbook Library What We Think Book Reviews Rightgrrl Founders Celebrities Speak Out Image Grab Bag