Our Father Who Art an Independent

I wouldn't mind the kind of dueling piety that's going on in this presidential campaign if we weren't regularly subjected to the utter meaninglessness of religion as an indication of an individual's fundamental decency, intellectual mettle, and leadership capablities. From Cardinal Mahoney's serial cover-up of sexual abuse of minors by priests to evangelicals' violation of their marriage vows as they diddle with boy toys and chicks for hire in seedy motel rooms, we've been bombarded with it. At Oral Roberts University the president, Oral Roberts's son, was forced to step down because of rampant misdeeds. The current president claims Jesus as his chief political advisor and at the same time shows total disdain for human life and dignity as he trashes the constitution. Enough already. Let's take religion off the table.

In a delightful bit of synchronicity, after my commentary the other day regarding Captain Kidd, yesterday's news brought word that the wreck of Kidd's long sought-after ship, the Quedah Merchant has been found underwater in the Dominican Republic. Kidd left the ship there and sailed to New York in a less conspicuous vessel, apparently in the hopes he would be given a chance to prove his innocence, but he was arrested, shipped back to England, and hanged.