Religion and Government

Its only October, and I'm already hearing about the ban on overtly religious displays in governmental spaces over the holidays, as well as consternation over the Prayer Breakfast at the White House.

Let me just give my two cents on the subject.

Why did the Pilgrims come here? The Puritans? The Anabaptists? The main reason was for religious freedom. You see, over in Europe, each country's government had adopted a particular religion to be the state religion. And anyone who was of any other faith was immedietly an outcaste. In some cases, they were put to death. When the "New World" was discovered, people began piling into boats and coming over to this harsh wilderness because they wanted the ability to practice their faith in peace. Others came for economic opportunities, but you get my meaning. Of course, they occasionally made the mistake of doing exactly as their oppressors did...they began to harass people of other faiths.

But a few of our early colonies had decided, early on, to practice religious freedom. They didn't care if you were Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, or whatever. Virginia, where our darling Thomas Jefferson came from, was one of them. Thomas Jefferson wrote in his own memoirs about how they purposely voted for religious freedom (The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, 1786).

A copy of this statute can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Statute_for_Religious_Freedom

But allow me to put some of it in plain, modern language for you.

God made our minds free. For the government to punish or coerce people to follow a faith not of their own breeds hypocrisy and hate. Governors may believe they are acting on God's will, but so often they are infallible, and prop up false faiths on the government's expense. It is sinful and tyrannical to force people, through taxation or punishment, to prop up a faith they do not believe in. Man needs to be free to give his mind and money freely to that church or pastor whom his own opinion tells him is the most righteous. Civil rights, human rights, natural rights are not dependent upon religious opinion, any more than one's opinion on something else (like football). In fact it is necessary to have open religious debate in order for those of less innocent minds to be able to point out that which may be dangerous or false to those who are of innocent minds.

So, no one can be forced to support any religious worship, place, or ministry. They shall not be forced, restrained, or taxed, and no person shal be made to suffer because of their opinion or belief. And yes...it will be tax dollars that go into the housing and care of that display on governmental land.



One thing I tried to warn people in the past (when I cruised message boards instead of having my own blog) was that they should NOT want the government propping up their faith. The moment that the government says "yes" to your belief system is also the very moment that the government can begin dictating to you what your faith is, and even saying "no".

Case in point...George Bush Jr. set up his faith-based program. Most people of strong religious opinion were for it. Until...a preacher came forward and admitted that he was being paid by FEMA to preach to people that government is of God, and that they should do everything the government tells them to do, including giving up their natural and God-given rights known to us as the Bill of Rights. And even more recently, I have heard preachers come forward to say that the government has attempted to shut them down because they are not "government approved".

I tried to warn you. And trust me, your church will be next.

If you are conservative, you have probably already seen the video of people appearing to pray to Obama, and you are sickened by it. I watched it myself...and even as a person who is extremely tolerant, I was sickened by it. As sickened as I was by kids at a faith summer camp praying to Bush. Combine that with kids singing songs to Obama that uses phrases from "Jesus Loves Me" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic"....if I were a conspiracy theorist, I would swear that the government is incrementally attempting to create a religion where each new president is the new Jesus. Don't question him! He is your Lord and Savior! If you question him, you are a terrorist! You are a racist! You are EVIL! You should be burned at the stake! WITCH!

Is this what you wanted? Oh, its fine when its the presidential candidate of your choice, or if its the FAITH of your choice, but when its someone elses...well, bully roar. Its not right under Bush. Its not right under Obama. Its not right, period. Or, as the Virginia Act for Religious Freedom says...its sinful.

So why do some preachers actively CALL for their faithful to blend the Church and the State? Why do actively tell their faithful its time to bring this country back to God. Why do they tell you that the Wall of Seperation is a myth? Because...they want that government check that churches in other countries get, that's why. Its a simple case of infallable human greed. In which case, I would be very leary of that pastor.

So the next time someone calls for the Seperation of Church and State, don't automatically assume that they are an atheist on the road to Hell. Perhaps they are simply trying to protect your faith, as well as their own, from government intrusion. Yet atheist or Fundamentalist, I will stand side by side with those who tell the government to get the F*** out of their brains, out of their lives, out of their souls. I will stand with you, my brothers and sisters, to protect what God or nature has given us.