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To: iconoclast
And the Founders STILL didn't write the Constitution so as to include a "Christian" government for the United States. And they STILL used the First Amendment of the Bill Of Rights to proscribe that very thing.

You do recall, nothing you just cited holds the force of law in this country, don't you? The Constitution, however, DOES, your fantasies notwithstanding.

662 posted on 05/23/2004 6:34:06 PM PDT by Long Cut ("Fightin's commenced, Ike, now get to fightin' or get outta the way!"...Wyatt Earp, in Tombstone)
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To: Long Cut
You do recall, nothing you just cited holds the force of law in this country, don't you?

I think most of us who took the time to learn anything more about our great nation than just its fine Constitution put great stock in its traditions.

With your statement above, you sound for all the world like the redneck fundamentalists on here that won't "egcep anythin" that ain't in the good book.

Hope I didn't hit a nerve there.

666 posted on 05/23/2004 7:06:13 PM PDT by iconoclast
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To: Long Cut
And the Founders STILL didn't write the Constitution so as to include a "Christian" government for the United States. And they STILL used the First Amendment of the Bill Of Rights to proscribe that very thing.

The Constitution set up the Federal Government--the Government of a Federation of Sovereign States--several of which still had Established State Churches at the time. Just as on other issues, the Constitution did not intrude on the really quite distinct State political, social and religious cultures, it certainly did not here. There was no intention to establish a Theocracy in Washington, and on that you are entirely correct.

There was not, however, any hostility to such a concept in the States, and that is why the First Amendment specifically forbids the Federal Government from passing any law that has any effect on the State religious institutions. Read it, with an understanding of English, not the ACLU distortion.

But the real point is this. The Founding Fathers did not believe that you legislate morality. They had tried that in the early days of New England, but even in Liberal New England, they had pretty well advanced beyond that idea. They legislated against things which might corrupt people's morals but that is a concept for dealing with perceived danger, not trying to legislate character. George Washington spoke for most, when he said that our whole system, our societies themselves, were based upon private morals. Morals are not a group thing. The benefit of religious teaching reaches--or fails to reach--individuals. Everything about American society, political, social, economic, spiritual, was based upon personal responsibility, personal accountability.

Pointing out that the Founding Fathers did not seek to create a Theocracy, says nothing at all about their personal value systems.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

676 posted on 05/24/2004 12:54:58 PM PDT by Ohioan
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