The truth hurts and no one is spared. This is the overriding theme of the new book from Johnnie Newkirk Jr. Brutally honest and thought provoking, Real Love. Real Issues. Real Solutions. strikes at the heart of humanity, a fierce reflection on reality, and a challenge to open our eyes and to cross all barriers all this from one Renaissance man who spares no one as he takes on the minority community, the church, and the politicians. Newkirk speaks from experience and tackles current issues such as terrorism, gay issues, pedophilia and many others with acerbic wit and leaves lasting profundities for the reader to contemplate. This contemporary book of vicious commentaries is a must read. And a lot of what he states can, and is, fairly, substantiated. THE TRUTH BE TOLD Religion is a subject that I dislike to address. But I feel I must do so in the name of fairness. Religion has become a big business, and a profitable one at that. This is not a theory, but indeed a fact. In theory, there is separation of church and state. But in reality, it's a marriage that becomes stronger each and every day. It's not about promoting the message of God. It's about promoting the message, of the messenger, who claims to speak on behalf of God. Oh, what fools we mortals must be, when we lose all sense and rationality. Many priests are, and always have been, sleeping with boys. These priests were/are not only engaging in homosexual and pedophile acts, but were/are also committing statutory rape, by the mere fact that they were/are sexually involved with these under-aged boys. Yet the authorities gave them a pass. Because they're a religious organization. And that was, and still is, their rationalization. But it's all right for the pope, who is the most powerful religious leader in the world, to speak out against marriage between gays, but will not speak out, or take a stand against the immorality and illegality that many of his priests and other church officials are committing from day to day. We are a part of God and God is a part of us. And only in God should we place our trust. Church leaders and politicians are one and the same. It's all about power and money, and that's the name of the game. Deep down inside we all know right from wrong. Anyone who tells you different is only stringing you along. For God lives within each of us, so call on Him in your hour of need. He will never let you down; this I guarantee. The church and religion are institutions that society greatly needs as long as they remain fair and balanced and divorce themselves from politics, power, and greed. When one does not look at things rationally, logically, or ask questions when something doesn't make sense, this is not living by faith, it's living by pure ignorance. God supplied us with a brain to assess things with. When one becomes obsessed with religion and will not question it that person has become fanatical about it. And you will find a lot of these said fanatics sitting right in church. Because, to them, the church is more than just their home, it is also their turf. Fanatics aren't good for the church, religion, or society. They're a threat to all of humanity. The Bible, is a wonderful book, this I totally agree. And I advise everyone to read it, and I do so open-heartedly. There are many different versions of the Bible as you well know. A lot of books were lost or deliberately destroyed. Why? Only God knows. Men said that the words in the Bible came to them directly from God. Who took the dictation and where are the written logs? If no one wrote it down then it's all hearsay. Considering the many different translations that it has undergone and so many books that have been deliberately destroyed, or hidden, what does your common-sense say? The Bible is a wonderful