I have a tough time with organized religion. Frankly, most of the time I just can't get my head around the idea that such vast portions of the human population are so intimately devoted to formal, organized belief systems, many following centuries' old tenants to the letter. I'll freely admit that I tend to be biased against such ideas, and, though I'm loath to admit it, the people who follow them. But I am also aware that my opinions and beliefs are not shared by everyone, nor should they be. And healthy debate and discussion is always to be encouraged. As such, I too have found this week's focus "On Religion" really fascinating. My first reaction was to balk at all of what I saw as misplaced attention on a private issue--religion. But the juxtaposition of Hilary and Barack's positive, inspiring speeches about the influence that religion has had on them as individuals against the onslaught of negative publicity that religious groups have gotten lately--polygamist strongholds, rampant child sexual abuse, intractable corruption--is a welcome change, even for a devout secularist.