Are you for or against legislation that coerces individuals to conform w/the morals of the Christian majority?

Question

Please consider or address your position in the context of the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution which says : "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."

Any A's in violation of community standards will be reported-- nonsense Answers included.

Somone has asked: "And what legislation are you referring to?" If do not think citing specific examples of actual or potential laws are necessary to answer my Q since the focus is on the general idea. I will ask follow-up Q's that may address specific laws. Right now I want to remain more abstract. OK?

Answer 1

Obviously, I would be against such legislation. Our government, and specifically the right wing christians in this country can't seem to grasp the concept that they cannot legislate morality.
I would also agree with Relax Guy who answered below, or above this, that he would like to ask questions of a religious nature without athiests callling him a moron. I think thats a perfectly good request. While some questions on here seem, oh, odd, I think that sincere questions about religion should be addressed with sincere answers instead of immature verbal groping.

Answer 2

Sadly, The First Amendment is open to rather BROAD interpretation by liberals on the religious issue... ALL it really says is that Congress can not create a NATIONAL-CHURCH, and can not restrict the free exercise of any religion. It does NOT state that the government and it's actions can not have a recognition of God or his rules.

NOW, that said: it would depend on if the legislation is intended to conform with the morality of:
a) the Judeao-Christian MAJORITY of the nation (ALL for it)... OR
b)the "Moral Majority" / "Christian Right" (I would need to review the legislation closely).

Personal opinions- Keep "In God We Trust" on the currency, Permit prayer-groups on campus, Abortion is a decision for the STATES, Churches should lose their tax-exempt status, and churches that declare "sanctuary" for illegal aliens should be fined / closed.

Answer 3

Since the constitution is amendable, it is actually the variety of religions that prevents the establishment of any one religion as the official religion of the country. If one fundamentalist religion were to convert/breed a majority of voters to their cause, they could in time establish themselves as the official religion.

While no one religion will probably ever gain the membership required to establish a theocracy in The US, as fundamentalist religions grow in membership they may be able to enact laws that enforce ideas they hold in common. For example fundamentalist Christians, Muslims, Jews and conservative Catholics can jointly prevent gays from acquiring equal rights even if they would never agree enough to establish a state religion.

While I think opposition to gay rights is based on religion alone, some laws fundamentalists seem to support can have a different basis. For example there are a number of atheists who support the right to life for the unborn as noted in the following link:

http://www.godlessprolifers.org/home.html

http://www.consistent-life.org
http://www.democratsforlife.org
http://www.plagal.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlternativeLifers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nonlethalalternatives

Answer 4

That is very interesting. No, I wouldn't force people or coerce them.

I'm guessing that if the President were, say, Moslem, he could swear on the Quaran? That does seem to be allowed by the first amendment. Or is there some other amendment I'm not aware of?

Answer 5

Legislation shouldn't have to enacted to keep people moral.
If the goverment has to create laws to keep people from violating the 10 commandments- there is something deeply wrong with society.

Answer 6

And what legislation are you referring to? I am for any legislation that will bring back the right to put religion on display anywhere and the right to not have it removed. Read your question. Christian MAJORITY.

Answer 7

I am not for forcing anyone to conform to anything. I just wish I had enough freedom of speech to ask a question about the bible to other christians on Y/A without being called a moron for believing in fairy tales from Atheists who have nothing to do with the question.

Answer 8

Trying to legislate morality does not work.

Answer 9

Agin!