Anyone else here tired of religion interfering with government?

Question

Hey believe what you want privately.....keep your religion out of my government!

You don't have to be religious to be moral!

Answer 1

Interesting, that you believe that you can define the government as *YOURS*, and demand that religion stay out of it. Many public declarations, indeed, the very foundations of our government, invoke God publicly.

The Declaration of Independence invokes the AllMighty extensively, to wit:

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the *SUPREME JUDGE OF THE WORLD* for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a *FIRM RELIANCE ON THE PROTECTION OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE*, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Do you object to *THAT* non-private belief? How can you demand that religion be kept out of *YOUR* government, when the very founding document declares a nation's *FIRM RELIANCE ON THE PROTECTION OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE*?

Should George Washington have kept his religion "private" in his farewell address?

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness -- these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Lincoln in his Second Inaugural?

"The Almighty has His own purposes. 'Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.' If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether'."

JFK in his Inaugural?

"The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God."

So, it sounds to me like you simply hate religion, and have a complete intolerance of the public free expression thereof. You twist the first amendment into somehow thinking that you have a right to be free from any expression of religion. The exact opposite is true. You are the dangerous one, the one who would prohibit the free expression of religion in the public square, spitting on the First Amendment:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Religion is not a private affair. An expression of religion by anyone, even in government, is the Supreme Law of the Land, and you cannot prohibit it.


ADDITION : Amazing, absolutely amazing...quote the Declatration of Independence, the Constitution, Washington, Lincoln, JFK, and still get a thumbs down. Guess some people just despise religion, and want to be free FROM it, rather than allowing free expression OF it.

Answer 2

The Second Amendment ONLY states "that Congress shall make no law respecting an ESTABLISHMENT of religion"

That means they shall not form a CHURCH of The USA... since our founders had had enough with the Church of England... and seen what a STATE religion did to England.

As someone else here points out: "Separation of Church and State" is NOT a part of the US Constitution, but from a PERSONAL letter by Thomas Jefferson.

Secular does NOT mean without religion, spirituality, or morals !! I'm Jewish and have never been threatened by the Government... but I do regret the government removing the Christmas music program from our High-School. Suddenly we were not permitted to sing any "church" songs in our choir... some of the most INCREDIBLE vocal music ever written !!

I'm just as tired with the ANTI-religious interfering with our government !! Prayer is banned ?? My daugter can be ARRESTED for praying (silently) on school grounds here in California !!

The Ten-Commandments are banned ?? Lets see... the BASIS for ALL Judeo-Christian religion, and I believe God passed on the same Ten-Commandments to Mohammed (Blessings unto The Prophet)... SO, we have to BAN display of them because of the 5% of atheists ?

Answer 3

First let me say yes, but I'm mainly tired of the attempt to interfere. So far, reasonable people are keeping the intrusion of religion into government at bay for the most part. We're not ready to turn over the Republic to the theocratists just yet.

They haven't managed to get Roe v. Wade overthrown. As for the partial abortion thing, I don't think it's the Supremes indicating they might be amenable to overturning R v. W, I think it's more likely that it's a panacea to give the pro-lifers some breathing space and the feeling that they have at least succeeded in some measure. Cynical, yeah, but that's what I think.

They are still complaining that teachers can't lead students in prayer, but they'll get over it. They can either get over it or send their child to a Christian school. They didn't manage to push through trying to add discrimination to the Constitution with the Gay Marriage Amendment, even with Bush's approval and endorsement. They haven't been able to prevent the advent of same-sex marriage completely and Massachusetts is becoming quite the model for proving that life goes on as usual when our gay neighbors get married. Maybe I'm being too optimistic, but I think they got burned bad by the scandals from before the mid-terms and there were a lot of people that weren't sad to see them brought down from their self-imposed moral pedestal. All in all, I think we're doing okay.

Answer 4

Absolutely. The founding fathers wanted to keep religion out of government.

Here are a few quotes from Thomas Jefferson

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State."
-letter to Danbury Baptist Association, CT


"Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the Common Law."
-letter to Dr. Thomas Cooper, 1814


"Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear.
- letter to Peter Carr, Aug. 10, 1787

Answer 5

I don't know that religion has actually interfered. It can annoy some people, but the religious aspect is pretty much window dressing. No policies have been instituted strictly because of someones religion.

Answer 6

No i do on no account become bored with thinking approximately my God or my faith,i visit by no skill sense as though i want a harm from them.I ought to have God in my on a daily basis life,for me that's the only way.My God has introduced me by using a super form of very attempting circumstances in my life and without Him in my life i does not be right here.God is powerful.God will by no skill forsake you.He took on all my sins and died on the circulate for me so as that i'll have eternal life.The circulate he carried became mine and that i ought to have been the only to hold the circulate and die for my own sins.God is my each and every little thing and without Him i'm not something and no person.I placed Him especially others.

Answer 7

Really great question. I personally grew up in a vary religious household and I have to say that we should look to our political leaders to have a strong faith whether it's Catholicism, Christianity, Mormon. However, it vary important that they not shape policy around their personal beliefs (ex. Iraq war) I do think your religious beliefs shape your moral standards and also give you accountability to something other that yourself. Also, I think a lot of lessons such as forgiveness, faith, how to cope with grief, etc... are so well covered in the religions I covered above that if a person was running for office as an atheist, I wouldn't be able to relate on a lot of issues. Religion means a great deal to a lot of Americans, especially in dire times such as these. I think Pres. JFK said it best when he said that his religion doesn't interfere with his policy decisions and his policy decisions don't interfere with his religion.

Answer 8

Okay, I will keep my religion out of your government, as soon as you keep your government out of my religion.

Separation of Church and State does NOT mean that that people involved in politics cannot have or practice a religion/faith, it means that the government cannot impose a State Religion on the people.

Answer 9

True! this is not a theocracy. it only feels like one when the law and the administration mix politics and financing together.
Much wealth is gained under pretense of faith.
Election time will reveal religious preferences in matters of morality and character. Personal ethics are essential. I hope that the next administration does not hide or pressure the nation under guise of their own religious dogma.
Faith based fraudulent practices have given a poor image of the true charity of the true people.
Education and religion are another example of wasted time and tax payer money. individuals must assume responsibility for their choices, public or private school, and not push their customs and ideals on the public sector.

Answer 10

Despite are belief that the US is a secular state it is not. It is a state founded on religious beliefs and doctrine. Though the constitution provides for a separation of church and state, it does not prevent relegious ideologies from forming the attitudes and laws of the US. I'm sorry but as much as I would like to agree with you. Religion is a basis of our institutions and laws and will always remain so.

Answer 11

Agreed.

The term "separation of church and state" was first written by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 in a letter to clergy, in which he referred to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution as creating a "wall of separation" between church and state. The phrase was then quoted and endorsed by the United States Supreme Court first in 1878, and then in a series of cases starting in 1947.

This is why we don't have prayer in schools. Your kids can pray before school, after school or on weekends, or even in school if they do so silently and quietly. But PUBLIC school is not the place for organized prayer because not everyone IS THE SAME FAITH.

This is also why you can't put the ten commandments in courthouses. Courthouses are PUBLIC and as such can not support any ONE FAITH, which mounting the commandments does.

I am so sick of christians trying to ram their beliefs down everyone's throats. Did you ever consider that you are turning more people AWAY from Jesus than you are bringing TO Jesus???