Takeover of the US by Christian Conservatives?

Question

I'll all for religion and all, but this is nuts. First gay marriage is outlawed because the bible defines marriage as 'between a man and a woman', now abortion is illigel in some states, and creationism is being taught in schools. Or 'intelligent design', I'm sorry. What happened to the seperation of church and state? Why is religion coming into politics? I'm all for religion, but how dare they try to pass laws to force their beliefs on me? Or on children in schools- children who are too young to make desisions about such things for themselves. How dare people demand that evolution not be taught in school? There is much more evidence for evolution then there is for creationism! Thousands of years of fossils, or a 2000 year old book. (and, I may add, in one of the gospels that isn't in the standard form of the bible, it talks about jesus fighting dragons. Come on now, thats just silly.)

People need to keep religion in church, and education in schools. Keep religion out of law!

A) I already pointed out that the dragon fighting isn't in the standard version.

b) I know the bible perfectly well. 12 years of cathloic school will do that.

c). In Leviticus, it says that you can capture a female, kill her husband, and its fine to copulate with her (even if your already married), as long as you cut her fingernails and shave her head so her mourning will end. It also says that a woman must sacrifice two doves after every peroid before she is 'pure' agian and may go out in public. Who follows those rules any more? Why pick and choose? In my opinion, follow them ALL, or none. You can't pick what you like.

d) Silly christians. Have you actually read the bible? Remember the bit about 'He who is without sin can throw the first stone'? Search your own heart before you condemn me.

e) Creationism isn't all bad, obviously. it works for some people. But there is a time and place for it- church. School is for school, church is for religion.

And PLEASE e-mail me. Go ahead. I'm informed- legitimately. Just because I don't swallow BS without asking 'why' dosen't mean I'm stupid. I'd love to get into a debate with one of the particularly close-minded dogmatic christians who seem to frequent this forum.

And God save your souls, because what you preach isn't what he asked for.

Oh, and where did the bit about the penguin come from? I'd love a source on that- one that isn't from a bias christian website.

Answer 1

In a free country, where all views are respected, that is certainly how it should be.

However, it's becoming more and more clear to me that most people only want freedom for themselves, and they're not willing to accept the freedoms of others that they disagree with. And unfortunately most of America is Christian, and that includes the politicians, who seem to have no problem with bending and breaking the rules to serve their goals.

So much for the "land of the free."

Edit: After reading some of the other answers (most notably the ever-uninformative David T, who apparently isn't in to supplying credible evidence), I honestly feel sick to my stomach.

Willfull ignorance is the worst kind of ignorance.

Answer 2

Well, for the most part, all of these changes you are talking about are the reversal of very recent developments. I don't think Gay Marriage was especially prevalent in the 70s, which is the same decade that abortion was declared a constitutional right based on the right to privacy. Same goes for intelligent design and creationism: both have been supported by those who are agaisnt teaching evolution for decades - the Scopes Monkey Trial was in the 20s, and there were very very few schools teaching evolution at the time.

Religion has been in politics throughout American history, no matter how hard various leaders have tried to keep it out. More than anything, it only seems bad because religion had been on the retreat in politics for so long that the current reaction against secularism seems to be much stronger than it is. Whenever society and government move further in a given direction than most of the people in that society feel is right, there will be a reaction, and that reaction will also overgo the mark, with each side becoming motivated by the seeming victory of the other, and with more people changing sides as it seems that things have moved too far the other way.

Answer 3

I was raised a Christian, and a Democrat. I have spent the better part of 25 years being annoyed by conservative Christians who give the impression that if you don't vote their way then you are not being a good Christian. I know how you feel. Here is the good news. They will not "takeover" anything. They can not. They only represent a portion of Christians, and a smaller portion of all Americans. The Robertsons, and Falwells do a poor job of representing Christianity. Though they have power and influence they will not change the Constitution or the minds of thinking people who disagree with them. (What you see here on this website is proof of that.)

I am not putting down all Republican Christians. Please understand that. I"ve known many who are wonderful people. We need not fear that anyone will change the constitution or take away our right to think for ourselves when it comes to religion. We may disagree and debate a lot here but thank God our voices are heard! That is one reason to appreciate what we have in this country and no one will ever "takeover" that.

Answer 4

The whole church and state issue is a complex one. I think it is impossible to totally separate these two entities as one exists inside the other. The state is comprised of people who hold beliefs. Religion is one among many. Atheism is another. Should there be a separation of Atheism and state? Why should that group be able to impose their beliefs on others. This believe it or not has already happened when they try to introduce into the curiculum an evolutionary theory that suggest all that there is came from unguided evolution. The term unguided means no God. Well there is no way of prooving that but that is the philisophical belief system of some of those trying to advance this part of the theory. I have no problem with a two model theory being taught in school which doesn't even have to specify any name of any particular God. (I don't think science class needs o turn into a debate about which relgion is correct0, but simply to suggest that there are more than one theory about evolution and that some believe that God may have ben involved. As it stands now no one is even allowed to question evolutionary theory in the classroom, which is kind of ironic since there have been many strong disagreements among those who believe in evolution. It is also interesting to note that even Darwins theory as he origianlly stated would not be allowed to be taught as he believed men were more highly evolved than women and white people were more evolved than black people.

Answer 5

I am a Christian who believes in the Bible, And believes that the Church should stay out of politics. It makes for bad religion AND bad politics. Likewise the church should keep its hand out of public education..

I also believe that people who don't know what's in the bible should refrain from quoting it....... Where does it say anything about fighting dragons in the Gospels.... That IS just silly!

The only New testament references to a dragon are in the Revelation. The Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John.

Get your facts straight before you deride the beliefs of others.

Answer 6

"gay marriage is outlawed"

Poor word choices. No gays are put in prison for simply being "homosexual", although sodomy has been a crime before, just like beastiality, pedophilia, etc. But I don't thing mainstream is calling for any legislation against homosexuality, we know we cannot force people to live moral livestyles, however gay marriage is an attempt to gain government endorsement for something that all the main religions consider contrary to the laws of God. It would be unfair to the people if the government outlawed homosexuality, yet it would be unfair to religion if the government endorsed homosexuality, so the government should be neutral and do nothing concerning homosexuality. Homosexuals do have rights to indulge themselves, just like religious people have rights to indulge themselves in their creed. Isn't that fair? Homosexuals get to do whatever they want in private, and provided there are no laws against it for indecent exposure or whatever, they can be gay in public too; just like a theist can believe whatever they want at home, and preach whatever theology they want from the streets. So long as the government does not endorse, fund, or organize such acts from either group, no one is being persecuted or restrained, so why create even more conflict when gays are already free to be gay? All the government needs to do is make sure no one is being physically assaulted and aside from that should just keep quiet about the matter.

As for the schools, you still have to remember that the government should keep from offending people. My only require to resolve the matter is to keep Evolution classes optional, and if a child does not want to take the class they should be able to take some alternate science class like Chemistry or Physics or the like. Regardless of how "factual" it is purported to be, Darwinism Evolution does offend some religious beliefs, and like you say, "how dare they try to pass laws to force their beliefs on me". If a child has no problem taking Evolution, then it is not being forced on them, but if a child does not want to take Evolution, and the school will not let them take any other class, then it is certainly being forced on them. To flip the situation, since you say Evolution is factual, then what if somehow a religion was proved to be absolutely factual, for instance, Mormonism. Then, being supposedly factual, would it be permissible to shove Mormonism down everyone's throats since it is said to be factual? It would not be permissible. Regardless of how "factual" something is, if people find it offensive then the government should not force it.

I have no problems with Evolution being taught in schools, even if it is taught exclusively without any Intelligent Design taught (which I would rather not be taught anyway), so just like how church attendance should be kept optional, Evolution classes should be kept optional because of the threat the provide to conscience. This of course does not apply in colleges or private schools - those schools can propogate whatever they desire, but the public schools should be kept as inoffensive as possible.

Are these not fair comprimises? Do not endorse homosexuality, yet do not make it illegal. Do not ban Evolution classes, but do not force them upon anyone.

Answer 7

America’s conservative Christian right wants to re-write the US Constitution and turn America into a theocracy-based fascist state. Fundamentalist Christians only hate Islamic terrorists because they are jealous of them. They are jealous that the terrorists get to live under the theocratic rule of their murdering SOB God, while Christians remain frustrated by the civilized and more developed secular democracies of the western nations.

And, contrary to their lies, 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 not 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.

Conservative Christianity is the twin of radical Islam. They share the same history, culture, and beliefs. Even the characters in their Holy books are the same, and Jerusalem is their common sacred Holy city. They both worship a brutal and judgmental humanity-hating rape-torture-kill God whose preferred method of dealing with non-believers is genocide, preferably by torture, the ripping apart of limbs, and the whacking-off of heads (or, as John Adams said, they want to "whip and crop, and pillory and roast" us.)

Conservative Christians and Muslims hate the west for exactly the same reason, and both want to see the west, and especially the United States, destroyed; and they both want to see the secularists punished via the wrath of their hateful God.

Today’s conservative Christians openly wish harm upon America, and they would rather torture and kill non-believers than prevent another terrorist attack on the US. After all, theirs was the first voice heard on 9/11 – and that voice (through the mouths of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson) said 9/11 was caused by their Christian God to punish America for not being religious and moral enough.

The greatest threat to America’s future (recognized by the Founding Fathers) is conservative Christian doctrine – not Muslims who live in their own nations on the other side of the world.

------------------------

Emily P -

Read Freakonomics - crime has gone done since Roe v Wade.
And, there is a logical (although somewhat strained) argument for that hypothesis.

Answer 8

Yeah, they're crazy and militant, but I think the majority is starting to get fed up with hyperactive, storm trooper Christians. There's been a number of scandals with figures like Ralph Reed, and pastor Ted which might tone things down a bit. Really, I think the majority of people are getting sick of the whole unreasonable Christian soldier approach. At least that's what I hope a long term trend is going to be.

If not, the sane majority is going to have to have to step up to block the more rabid theocrats.

Answer 9

accepted, Christians are extra in desire of non-public duty and this does translate right into a lean in the route of conservatism. If extra human beings took care of themselves and acted responsible, we'd want to haven't any desire for even 0.5 of the courses we've open or perhaps fewer those who attempt to take great thing about them. As for 'social courses', Christians easily cope with that fairly nicely on their own without authorities interference. the most important challenge we've with authorities involvement is that it opens up the taking area in field to those that could bend the guidelines/guidelines and twists issues to their benefit. we are noted as to assist the susceptible, the ill and the needy. we are not noted as to pander to the purposes and needs of those too lazy to look after themselves.

Answer 10

It really does feel like we're living in the dark ages.

Not only that, but there's no sense of keeping religion sacred, either. Putting it in the government and broadcasting it on the television make it way too commercial. People want to plaster it on posters all over the place. Seems most are Christian only because they care what others think, not because they sincerely believe.

As an atheist, I look forward to the day when religion ceases to affect me and my choices.