What can we do to get religion out of American politics?

Question

Religion and politics shouldn't mix. Mixing religion with American politics doesn't make Americans more religious, and it certainly doesn't make politicians more moral. All it does is dumb down our political discourse and provide a safe haven for hypocrites.

Answer 1

I better education system would be a good start and enforcing the current laws would also help. However, as long as the James Dobson's, Pat Robertson's and Jerry Falwell's cotinue to have more money than they can lavish on themselves this is going to continue.

Answer 2

You clearly don't understand the place of religion in the lives of people. Trying to separate religion from a politician is like telling him to obey the law, but don't obey anything that happens to agree with a religion. That would leave out a lot. What is wrong with not murdering? What is wrong with not stealing? What is wrong with having a foundation for your beliefs? There is a difference between having a foundation for your beliefs and forcing others to believe and practice the same religion as you practice. Certain ideas are common across religions and societies such as those I listed. I know of no religion that supports theft and murder. Don't bash religion because of a few people's indiscretion.

Answer 3

I don't suppose you have any proof to offer that "all it does is dumb down our political discourse and provide a safe haven for hypocrites..."

Or is this type of sweeping generalization considered enlightened and intellectual by your standards...

Answer 4

Religion is not in politics now. Not like it was.
Clinton was the only Politician that ever went around preaching at black churches.
I loved seeing Clinton clutching his dear Bible with tears running down his cheeks.
He invited reporters to come into the churches and take his picture while he worshiped.
Clinton was the only president to put on a phony show about his love for God.

So I think you are a little late worrying about religion.

Answer 5

Vote for people who demonstrate respect for the constitution and it's checks and balances. History is full of thoughtful religious people who could keep the two apart. Be wary of the fundamentalists of any religious persuasion.

Answer 6

you can't people will always take religion to seriously, rfeligion in american politics, will fuel america for the rest of it's god forsaken time on earth.

Answer 7

Ask a third-party country to police the polls

Answer 8

Good one, Matt. Bet you'd be first in line for a theocracy. Far's I'm concerned, religion is about as useful in politics as oil in milk. It just doesn't mix.

Answer 9

As long as religion exists it will effect politics. Religion defines people's lives and cannot be separated from politics

Answer 10

Exactly, we need to halt the radical-right Christian and political takeover of our own country. And the only way to do that is through education and by not allowing them to rewrite American history so that it no longer America’s history at all.

Conservatives and the religious right want to destroy the real America and replace it with a Theocratic government based on the evil morality of their rape-torture-kill Christian God (or, as John Adams said, they want to, “"whip and crop, and pillory and roast.")
America was founded as a secular democratic republic. By unanimous approval of the 1797 U.S. Congress:

“As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion”

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/barbary/bar1796t.htm

This is hardly the first time Christians have tried to undermine the government and overthrow the country. In 1864, 1874, 1896 and 1911, they tried to pass amendments that would rewrite the Constitution to include references to God. Furthermore, there has never been a time in the history of Christianity when it had political power and did not use it for evil purposes.

And today’s Christian terrorists wish America harm as well. On 9/11 both Falwell And Robertson said that God had brought down the trade towers and killed 3,000 because he was angry with America and that we deserved it because we had brought it on ourselves. Of course, on 9/12 they began denying it when it became clear that most Americans were not in the mood for that kind of talk.

We will never know if Adams was right when he wrote,” This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!”, because we likely we never find out.

But we do know that if the Christian religious-right gains control of America, then only terrorists will control the world. How can deal with Islamic terrorists abroad when we have Christian terrorist traitors at home?.

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JOHN ADAMS: “How has it happened that millions of myths, fables, legends and tales have been blended with Jewish and Christian fables and myths and have made them the most bloody religion that has ever existed? Filled with the sordid and detestable purposes of superstition and fraud?” (Letters to F.A. Van Der Kamp 1809-1816)

THOMAS JEFFERSON: I join you [John Adams], therefore, in sincere congratulations that this den of the priesthood is at length broken up, and that a Protestant Popedom is no longer to disgrace the American history and character.”

“In every country and in every age the priest [any and every clergyman] has been hostile to liberty; he is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.”

“I have recently been examining all the known superstitions of the world, and do not find in our particular superstition [Christianity] one redeeming feature. They are all alike, founded upon fables and mythologies.”

“His [Calvin's] religion was demonism. If ever man worshiped a false God, he did.”

“Their [Presbyterian’s] ambition and tyranny would tolerate no rival if they had power.”

JAMES MADISON: Christianity neither is, nor ever was apart of the common law. Feb. 10, 1814

The establishment of the chaplainship to Cong[res]s is a palpable violation of equal rights, as well as of Constitutional principles: The tenets of the chaplains elected [by the majority] shut the door of worship agst the members whose creeds & consciences forbid a participation in that of the majority.”

BEN FRANKLIN: Some volumes against Deism fell into my hands. They were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle’s Lecture. It happened that they produced on me an effect precisely the reverse of what was intended by the writers; for the arguments of the Deists, which were cited in order to be refuted, appealed to me much more forcibly than the refutation itself. In a word, I soon became a thorough Deist.”

JOHN TYLER: “The United States have adventured upon a great and noble experiment, which is believed to have been hazarded in the absence of all previous precedent -- that of total separation of Church and State.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN: “My earlier views of the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvationand the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them.” (to Judge JS. Wakefield, after Willie Lincoln's death)

MARY TODD LINCOLN: “Mr. Lincoln was not a Christian.”

ULYSSES S. GRANT: “Leave the matter of religion to the family altar, the church and the private school supported entirely by private contributions. Keep the church and state forever separate.” (Address to the Army of the Tennessee, Des Moines, Iowa,