paying-attention

Just recently I've been having four different conversations, from four different perspectives, about what constitutes "right" and "wrong." The basic question is really "Who does it hurt?"

First perspective

If you a have a good representative in congress, but you are sick of her political party and its agenda, do you vote her out even if the alternative is not so great?

There is a hotly-contested political contest for the U.S. congress here in Albuquerque between incumbent Republican Heather Wilson and Democrat Patricia Madrid. Madrid is bit of a political hack, and like many politicians who come up through a well-established and dominent party system, she's been involved in numerous ethically questionable situations. Her campaign has been noticably short on concrete suggestions for change, relying mostly on complaints and criticisms of the present national government.
Wilson is a well-liked and trusted Republican in a strongly Democratic district. She is not particularly close to Bush and his administration, but with a few key exceptions she hasn't really repudiated them or their policies either. (The best-known exceptions have been domestic spying and stem-cell research.) She is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and a Rhodes Scholar with a reputation for honesty and integrity.
Neither of them is a great public speaker: Wilson is stiff and soft-spoken and Madrid gets confused if she has to depart from her prepared remarks. In any other year, in fact, she would sound unreliable and lame, but right now dissatisfaction with the status quo is a huge factor. I've already made my decision to vote for Heather Wilson, because I think she is able to do more for the district. But she is a little more conservative than I am, and the Iraq war is the elephant in the room.
I am happy to say that, even as a registered Republican, I have never voted for George W. Bush for any office, including dogcatcher. It was easy in 2000, when the Democrats offered up the capable and politically moderate Al Gore. John Kerry made it a little harder, but I was determined not to give any vote of confidence to an inept and possibly dishonest chief executive. So I understand why, this year, some voters here in the First District are planning to vote for anyone who isn't a Republican. I hope they don't end up cutting off all of our noses to spite Rumsfeld's face.

Second perspective

If you think people who believe in a different religion are definitely going to Hell, shouldn't you try to save them?

This one comes down to respect. I don't just mean respect for other religions, although that is part of it, but you also have to respect God and have some faith that He know what He is doing. Surprising as this might be to the smug and truly arrogant, God may have plans that He hasn't discussed with you.

Gotta go. I'll continue with this one later.