RSS Feed (xml)Separation of Church and State and How All of Us Benefit (USA)
"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."
This is the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
My focus here are the words "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
The rest regarding free speech ties in very nicely. However, I do recognize that we live in a country in which a good many people take this right for granted and don't give much thought to the premise of the first amendment. We all take pride in our freedom of speech. To be censored (by the government) as such is a violation of this amendment. Religious expression is a fundamental right granted to every single individual citizen of this country. However there is a precipitous balancing act that needs to be performed while analyzing and enforcing the separation of church and state.
Let me say that no such government in the history of mankind had adopted such a stance on this issue.
Events leading up to the Continental Congress had precipitated our forebears to bring this into our governing body on paper; in law. The freedom of speech and expression could not be left up to the states. It was recognized as a fundamental right to all the citizenry of this country regardless of locale. Without it, religions would never have been allowed to flourish as they have. We all know of the Salem Witch Trials and I hope that most know that this occurred well before the American Revolution and the independence of this country. This is a prime example in which the absence of the first amendment qualifies itself. Any other country, empire or kingdom in the world probably had no such consideration for free speech from it's citizens. During the Spanish Inquisition (lasting from 1478 to 1834), Spain held no qualms about which to roust and annihilate non-catholic peoples in order to squelch freedom of religion (or none thereof). Then, it was either Catholic or the rack (or whatever other torture device was implemented du jour).
Additionally wars over religion, in which the state has endorsed, have caused quite a bit of devastation and misery. Take for instance, in 1562 a common edict in France was "Une foi, un loi, un roi," (one faith, one law, one king). Sparking religious wars between protestants and catholics.
One faith? Can anyone imagine one faith here in the United Sates? Whereby all the citizenry are required BY LAW to adhere to one religious doctrine? It's far-fetched I know, but there are indeed elements within our society, the US of A, who would like to see such a monstrous thing come to pass. What do they want? Bloodshed? The people would rise up for sure. It is in our best interest to uphold freedom of religion (or lack thereof).
Our founding fathers (and mothers) were no dummies in regard to religious persecution (and religious freedom). As much as I hate to equate non-belief as a religion unto itself, it is what it is, an ideology (side by side with religious faith); accorded the same protections afforded under the first amendment.
While we hash out this debate there are those (not likely here) who wish to overturn (or side-step) the first amendment by teaching our children in public schools one particular brand of religious ideology. Here is where non-belief differs from all the rest: there is no religious doctrine involved. This notion is secular to the core. By allowing our educational institutions to allow our future citizens to be free of anything remotely sectarian (in the public sphere), while allowing parents to instill in their own children (privately) their own personal held beliefs, we invariably allow them to make up their own minds (to have their own freedom of religion), only makes us more diverse as a society; better able to tackle and address and understand "other" societies and cultures. If indeed this country were (hypothetically) to become "one faith", I despair that we would plummet into an isolationist monolith incapable of meeting, tete-a-tete, the problems and instances that hinder our progress in a unified (yet diverse) society on the planet.
Support Our Motherfuckin' Troops Already!!!
http://view.break.com/463231 - Watch more free videos
United States Marine David Motari is "being processed for separation" following an investigation into a video that surfaced on YouTube early in March of 2008.
David Motari
1. Age: 22
2. Rank: Lance Corporal
3. Unit: 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment
4. Stationed at Haqlaniyah, Iraq until October of 2007
5. Now based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kane'ohe Bay
6. Hometown: Monroe, Washington
7. Grew up in a religious family with 9 siblings
8. Also received unspecified "nonjudicial punishment"
Eternal Punishment and Damnation for Infidels
I know a few Christians who are concerned about my soul. Of course I don't believe I have a soul so I often just smile and nod (but that in itself depends on who I'm talking to).
Quite a while back on another blog site a Christian blamed the death of my father (who was murdered in a hit-and-run, in Texas, when I was nearly five years old) on mine and my mothers new found atheism. It was the will of God to punish us, to take away my father while I was still sucking my thumb, apparently because one day I would become an atheist.
And no, I'm not an atheist because of my dads death, not in the least. I don't blame God for my dads death. Wanna know why? Really? You do? Because I don't believe in God.
Moving on, I can argue that if in fact there IS a God, a Christian god, it's His will to see that I suffer for not believing in Him. Faith and belief is a personal ordeal between God and the individual. What does anyone else care? Why would a Christian care if I didn't believe in God? My denunciation will reap the wrath of God, regardless of anybody else's opinion of said denunciation.
It's blasphemy though, right? Not in the least. Blasphemy can only occur if you've turned away from your faith in God. You see, I've never had faith in God. I can not blasphemy. I cannot scorn a personal relationship with God because I don't have and never have had a personal relationship with God.
I've never been a Christian. I've never been baptized. I've never been to any church worship in my youth. In my adult life I went to appease my in-laws, but that soon came to an end. Whatever there was of accepting Jesus Christ as my savior...I, to be honest, found it to be baloney, but that's JUST my opinion right?
So, I'm gonna burn in a lake of fire. So what. If I'm so despicable for being an atheist I should be well deserved in my eternal punishment. After all what is Armageddon for if not for showing those pesky sinners the error of their ways? Let God smite those damned infidels and send them into the hands of Satan.
But wait. Yes, yes. I'm forgetting that Christians need to spread the gospel. This is so that they can convince people to follow the word of God. Let's just say, hypothetically, that Evangelism actually came to it's fullest fruition. That every human being on the planet learned to love and accept Jesus Christ as their savior. That's what it's about right? Brothers and sisters welcoming the Lord into their hearts. What a joyous comfort to many a Christian that would be!!!
But what about the Second Coming and Armageddon? Jesus would come down, look around and say, "Hmm, there's nothing here for me to do."
I know this is not what Christians believe, but they're not going to get their hell fire and brimstone without us non-believers.
So, let's just let be. So us non-believers can unhappily burn in flames while you of the faith can look down from the heavens and chortle at our ignorance.
Words of Wrath
This is a plug.
I encourage all of my readers to go here: Words of Wrath
You won't be disappointed in the least! Wrath James White hits on some very critical issues with down to earth and very rational insight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
