Justice Scalia: Claiming that the US Constitution imposes secularism is ‘absurd’

LifeSiteNews ^ | 1/5/16 | Dustin Siggins

[wagglebee]

METAIRIE, Louisiana, January 5, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) -- The Supreme Court's longest-serving justice, Antonin Scalia, says "there is no place" in the U.S. Constitution for privileging secularism over religion.

The idea of banishing religion from the public square is “absurd,” said the jurist, known for his straightforward style and “originalist” interpretation of the Constitution. "To tell you the truth, there is no place for that in our constitutional tradition. Where did that come from? To be sure, you can't favor one denomination over another but can't favor religion over non-religion?"

The 1986 Reagan appointee said there is "nothing wrong" with invoking God in speeches. He also said that God has favored America.

"God has been very good to us. That we won the revolution was extraordinary. The Battle of Midway was extraordinary. I think one of the reasons God has been good to us is that we have done him honor. Unlike the other countries of the world that do not even invoke his name we do him honor. In presidential addresses, in Thanksgiving proclamations and in many other ways," Scalia said.

Scalia shared that when he was in Rome the day after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, judges at the same conference said they wished their leaders invoked God as then-U.S. President George W. Bush had in his speech.

"There is nothing wrong with that and do not let anybody tell you that there is anything wrong with that," added Scalia.

[wagglebee]

Well said.

[wagglebee]

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[TexasFreeper2009]

Yep,

The government shouldn’t be advancing atheism, secularism, or environmentalism. All of which are religions in my opinion.

[wagglebee]

And they are all religions which have killed the better part of 2 BILLION innocent people worldwide in the past century.

[jsanders2001]

You know who is in Obama’s crosshairs now. They are probably considering some fat bulldyke lebian judge to replace him as we speak.

[iontheball]

God bless Scalia! A sane mind in a crazy world.

[Arlis]

While all of the founders were not Christians, THEY ALL HAD A THOROUGHLY CHRISTIAN WORLD-VIEW on all matters.

And almost every single article and amendment of our Constitution had its ORIGIN in a Christian world-view, and the principles of it all have biblical origins.

To reject these truths is to either be deceived or intentionally lying.

But then - isn’t that what the Democratic party is all about?

[Blue Collar Christian]

Once Scalia and Thomas are gone, so is the Nation.

[cripplecreek]

Reply to the Danbury Baptist Association, January 1, 1802

This is where the left gets their " separation between Church and State" but its selective reading that they use. Jefferson clarifies it here.

Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.

[wagglebee]

Very true.

As far as I know, the first national constitution that used the phrase was the Soviet Union's.

[cripplecreek]

Jefferson used the term in the letter but clarified by saying that no man could be forced to go against his own social conscience. (Meaning religion)

No national church and no national religion does not equal prohibition of us choosing to worship as we please or having to hide our worship.

[Roses0508]

Bump

[wagglebee]

You are absolutely correct.

There is a huge difference between forcing someone to participate in religious practices and forbidding their participation in their chosen religious practices.

What we are seeing today is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what Jefferson was supporting. The left is trying to force us to embrace secularism and forbidding from following six thousand years of Judeo-Christian beliefs and practices.

[McBuff]

I am very glad Scalia has made this point clearly. . .however, it is rather telling that the best he can say is that it is merely "ok" to mention God in the public square. The Founders, over and over, stressed that God, faith, religion & virtue were much more than "ok". . .but rather were ESSENTIAL to civil society. Benjamin Rush expressed it well, that there was an indelible link between faith in God-the virtues such faith engendered--and the experience of freedom. I believe this is the heart of our problem today. . .we think "freedom" means I can do as I please. . .that it is an unconditional right. But the Founders stressed that "freedom" was a blessing. . .a gift. . given by God to a people who honored him and, as a essential element of honoring him, we were to maintain the moral conditions of freedom; by practicing the virtues engendered by faith in God and that were essential to civil society.

[griswold3]

After we win this election, it’s our turn. Payback time. Everyone not with us
is against us and they better be ready because we don’t forget. The ones who
helped us will be rewarded, the ones who opposed us will get what they deserve.
There is going to be hell to pay. Congress won’t be a problem for us
this time. No election to worry about after this is over and we have two judges
ready to go.” Valerie Jarrett 2012

[cripplecreek]

My township hall was used as a church on Sunday's back in 1911. The Church held services on Sundays as well as Church events and the township governance was conducted seperately. Church members paid taxes and supported the upkeep of the building through the collection plate.

[Diamond]

Great post.

Cordially,

[wagglebee]

I don't think this was at all unusual a century ago and even more recently in rural areas.

[cripplecreek]

It looks a bit different but I vote in that same building today.

[semaj]

BUMP