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Correct me if I'm wrong, but all sins are the same to God aren't they? Didn't Jesus make it a point of saying that if a person failed in the smallest detail of the law he had failed all of it?

My approach to life is that if I want something to happen I ask God to make it happen and then I set about doing whatever is in my power to make it come to pass. If it's God's will then my efforts, and prayers, will be answered in the affirmative. If not, then I really don't want it happening anyway.

Like my Mom used to say, "God answers every prayer. Sometimes the answer is 'yes', sometimes 'no' and sometimes it's "not now", but every prayer is answered." The trick is learning to accept the answer and know that God has a great deal better view of this world and our lives than we do. My Mom used to remind me frequently that although we know what has happened in our life to lead us to ask this of God, He knows what is going to happen in our life and it's His usually His gift to us to answer our prayer based on His knowledge, not ours. Amen, Mom!

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but all sins are the same to God aren't they? Didn't Jesus make it a point of saying that if a person failed in the smallest detail of the law he had failed all of it?"

That was my point.

"Isn't it possible he asked God for forgiveness long ago and at this point is simply discussing it with a pastor?"

It's entirely possible that he asked for forgiveness earlier. That still does not eliminate the possibility of the contrived nature of a broadcast discussion of one's sins designed to court the Christian Right.

If you wish to believe in the sincerity of Newt's discussion of personal sins in a public forum, and that that discussion was not done for political gain, I will not stand in your way. I am skeptical.

However, the foregoing does nothing to change my mind that he is one of the better political thinkers in the GOP. I like Newt and just wish he didn't come with such personal baggage.