Missing Muses, Politics, and Religion

I try to stay away from politics and religion on my blog because I accept that my views - which are supported by my beliefs, values, and morals - are different than those belonging my readers. My assumption, whether correct or not, is that 90% of viewers and people I meet are Christians - either culturally or religiously/spiritually. The reason I am broaching that topic now - One to many religious and political arguments that can never be won? Maybe. Maybe not. I did, however, read an article that reminded me of a book that has been stewing and is now pummeling me. The article? It was one that was in the school paper - about a Pharmacist in Virginia, who following his personal, religious beliefs, decided not to sell pop (Coke, Pepsi type things), candy, or birth control. Now some people want the government to order in mandatory that he and others like him sell all prescriptions, not just the ones they choose. Now, I demand respect for my spiritual beliefs and that they may not be yours, and in return I must respect others personal spiritual beliefs. This Pharmacist - I don't think he should be forced to sell things against his beliefs, but there should be a big sign before you walk in the door that due to religious preferences this pharmacy is not fully stocked and does not carry and will not order birth control - that is his right - but the problem with that argument is that if too many people start deciding what they should and shouldn't sell, and they get their church leaders involved, then that gives unqualified people a say in some one else's medical care, and it gives towns a way to force the beliefs of the majority on everyone and then there goes that whole religious freedom thing. It's a catch 22 - he shouldn't be forced to sell against his beliefs, but at the same time it's a dangerous prescedent that could be set and that could endanger the lives of a lot of people and force the beliefs of one or few onto many. It's a lot of coulds, ifs, and maybes, and it might be avoided by saying that a pharmacy may decide against selling birth control only if another pharmacy within the same city/town/village limits does sell birth control. And it should be limited to birth control. Pop and candy aren't necessities of life and should never fall under any jurisdicition accept the store owner. And I have strayed from the original reason I went here ---

The book. The one that won't leave me alone, despite the fact that my muse is no where to be found. It's an M/M/F set in another world - that is hounding me. One that alternately ignore and respond to.

Why a new book, when I was set to go back to the tropics? Partially because it is fresh, new, and therefore really more of a crayon drawing than the outline of a fine artistic masterpiece. And partially, because designing the structural complexities of a world that must coexist in today's complex world deserves more time and effort than I have to spare this semester (it'll be great when I finally stop thinking in terms of semesters) and a new book that adding random brightly colored scribbles is preferred for this semester of heavily laden lab sciences. And next semester when my classes are easy and I am in need of more use of the logic side of my brain, I can go back to the complexities of world building a believable world for my characters to inhabit.

And where is my muse -- I don't know, but she sent photos.