Yes, I know that John McCain is elderly, and I understand that Sarah Palin would take over the presidency should McCain die. But the Sarah TV (all Sarah, all the time) focus of the media is getting old.

Case in point: This article is pretty thin. Sarah Palin instituted some character-based program that may have had a religious origin but didn't seem to really push it all that hard, according to an IACC leader. Somehow, I think the chances of her pushing a bill making America a "nation of character" are pretty thin. Is that what you're warning us about?

Umm, can we get back to focusing on the candidates at the top of the ticket, now?

Nice job cattily working 'barracuda' into the story, though.

David Talbot presents conclusive evidence that a politician might put personal ambition above interpersonal relationships.

What to do for an encore? I hear local news anchors might be no more than bubble-headed puppets with nice hair and bottomless clothing budgets. Care to tear the lid off that one?

I would initially urge you to simply skip over the many pointlessly harsh responses you will get in this forum. There is nothing to be gained from reading them.

I am a straight, divorced ex-Mormon whose oldest friend in the world is a gay ex-Mormon. I know a bit about leaving the faith behind and I'm somewhat familiar with what my old friend experienced as he tried to come to terms with his sexuality and God's love (or lack thereof) for him.

In short, we were both rather angry for several years after departing. With the benefit of hindsight I can see (I think he can, too) how the anger was our own creation. We were leaving a culture that offers security, community, a clear path, set roles, God's love, etc., at the expense of rational thought, a broader world view, and freedom of choice with regard to underwear. The calculus seems acceptable now, but in the beginning it was a terribly frightening experience.

I say this because I expect that you, at some point, will become angry, too. (Perhaps not, but I believe the odds are with me here.) Deal with your anger deliberately and as rapidly as possible, because it could harm you much more than the church ever did if you let go of the reins. Seek community with others who've had similar experiences, and retain the services of a good therapist for professional support. I'm sure there are plenty of books to read as well, but the experience of Carol Lynn Pearson might be particularly relevant to you.

When my friend revealed his orientation to local church leaders, they obtusely made his decision about whether or not to leave the faith very easy by treating him like a leper. Make no mistake, the church isn't friendly to who you are, and leadership at the ward and stake levels can be extremely bone-headed. Steel yourself for that, especially if you have any desire to remain a member.

It seems the choice you have to make is clear to you, and that choice will expose you to criticism and scorn as you have yet to experience in life. But it will also reveal true friends, one of whom might be your current wife. And it can hardly be worse than years spent living a reality constructed by someone else's brain. Good luck to you. You are the Buddha, perfect and whole, even now.

As a fellow ex-Mormon, I share many of the LW's frustrations with the church of my youth. I, too, was troubled by the stand on black men and the priesthood, and the failure to give anywhere near equal standing to women. But a mission experience and bit more exposure to the world demonstrated that all religions have both elements of discrimination and wacky creation myths and practices. Every time someone starts in about how freakish the story of Joseph Smith seems, I think of the belief by ardent Catholics that the wafer actually changes to flesh upon ingestion. Nice.

The LW finally and officially left the Mormons because they exercised their rights of free speech, which she felt personally impinged on her existence. This was an understandable response and, I think, the correct one for her. But she is also using that political expression as an excuse to bash the entire religion and all its members, and to paint them with the weirdo brush when Mormonism is merely one among many religions the doctrines of which are impossible to swallow as literal truth.

Ultimately, if the LW is waiting for the Mormons and, I suspect, other societal institutions to meet her expectations before dispensing with her anger, she's going to spend much of life pissed off. This is precious energy wasted on other people's thoughts and actions, and I hope she can get past it to live a life of joy and fulfillment.