Founding Fathers and God In Public View

in-forum.com ^ | 7/1/7 | Do the Dhue

[do the dhue]

I started reading the link and felt compelled to write.

I want it to be known that I call myself a Christian. I am not a perfect Christian. The biggest thing that I have learned is to forgive myself and forgive those who sin against me. Not always easy, but I try.

So, I must try and forgive the person who wrote this:

In recent years the debate about church-state separation has turned vitriolic, particularly among religious conservatives, a group which contends that the separation is not constitutional and quite against the intentions of Founding Fathers. Of course, this is a grossly erroneous assumption on the part of the religious right, a group which has consistently pushed other narrow-minded and unconstitutional ideas such as school prayer and the teaching of creationism in public schools.

According to the author, Gregory Camp, I am 'grossly erroneous'.

I am going to start with our 1ST Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion

Simple math here: Congress can not put a gun to our heads and tell us which church to attend. Now, does a prayer in School Establish Religion? Does a manger scene on public view establish a religion? Does the Ten Commandments in a Court House establish a religion? My answer is 'no', an act of Congress is the only entity that could establish a religion and they have been forbidden from doing so.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

Congress can not pass a law that prohibits the free exercise of religion. Now, I would like to ask people like Camp the following: If you make it law that says a kid in school can not say a prayer, have you just limited the free exercise? If you tell someone to remove the manger scene or Ten Commandments, are you limiting the free exercise of religion?

I think people are limiting the free exercise of Religion. And this was not the intentions of our founding Fathers. They wanted to protect the freedom of religion. They did not want to limit it.

I must answer this:

Now we come to the issue of religious displays on public property, and the religious conservatives have again gotten themselves into a lather because they think they are being “persecuted” simply because they do not get their way.

It is not because I didn't 'get my way' regarding this issue. To me it is about freedom. I am an American. I pray to my God and we solve my problems. If Commies like Camp can remove God from public view, then the people will begin to forget about God. One day people will be praying to their Government to take care of them from the cradle to the grave. It is not about not getting my way. It is about keeping America free.

[RightWhale]

Congress can not put a gun to our heads and tell us which church to attend.

No, and while that was part of the consideration, the bigger piece was that in England the Church was part of the state and that is why many had come to America even though they were still on English territory for the time being.

[do the dhue]

the bigger piece was that in England the Church was part of the state and that is why many had come to America even though they were still on English territory for the time being.

That is true. The King could tell the people to go to the King's Church. Our founding Fathers did not want the Government telling the folks what church to go to.

[RightWhale]

The Church had the equivalent of Congressmen in Congress, maybe still does for all I know. The Founding Fathers wanted a secular state, and that is what we have.

[do the dhue]

Yes, and they also wanted the freedom of religion protected. In the name of secularism, the Government should not be removing the right to pray or display your belief in a Religion. Muslim have the same right. An no extremist has the right to hurt people or turn us into a theocracy. No Christian Religion can do this or any other kind of 'Religion'.

I would say that if the Jew wants to put a menorah up, or atheist wish to but a picture of nothing up, or if someone wanted to put a Buddha up, I would see a Nation that is free. I would see God's plan too.

I believe the first gift given to man is free choice. Who am I to take that away? I believe America was built so people from all over the world could have the chance to freely come to God on their own accord. Maybe that is dramatic, but I like to think that way.

[JSDude1]

I agree with you 100% :).

[do the dhue]

Thanks for the support!

[LiteKeeper]

read later