Common Scents: How to Get the Stink Out of Politics

Why is it that talking about politics or religion is taboo these days?

The assumption behind this idea is that these topics stir passions too deep and too personal for civil conversation. But here's the dilemma: in today's culture, I believe religion has become political, and politics has become a religion. People often treat criticism of a political movement as blasphemy and condemn expressions of faith as political rhetoric.

The danger in avoiding these discussions is that crucial ideas-mor...