Kootenai GOP rejects resolution declaring Idaho a 'Christian state'

The Spokesman-Review ^ | FEB. 25, 2015

[Alex Murphy]

The Kootenai County Republican County Republican Central Committee last night rejected a resolution to declare Idaho a "Christian state" – a proposed resolution that had drawn national ridicule, including comparisons to ISIS. The S-R’s D.F. Oliveria reports in his “Huckleberries Online” blog that the resolution offered by Precinct Committeeman Hans Neumann was opposed by more than two-thirds of the Central Committee. Precinct Committeeman Bjorn Handeen offered a motion not to consider the resolution at all, and it carried overwhelmingly. The meeting attracted a standing-room-only crowd.

[Alex Murphy]

The Kootenai County Republican County Republican Central Committee last night rejected a resolution to declare Idaho a "Christian state" – a proposed resolution that had drawn national ridicule, including comparisons to ISIS....the resolution offered by Precinct Committeeman Hans Neumann was opposed by more than two-thirds of the Central Committee.

[Mr. K]

And rightly so...

Government should stay out of religions.

[bkepley]

Government should stay out of religions.

Not to mention it seems blatantly anti-constitutional. I suggest they work on secession instead.

[HiTech RedNeck]

In early America, states (as opposed to the federal government) were allowed to have religions.

This went away partly with the adoption of the idea of the incorporation of Federal rights, and partly with changing mores.

I can’t speak for “religions” but such states are a case of invalid mission creep where Christianity is involved. Churches as bodies are supposed to shepherd Christians and make gospel pitches to non-Christians. They are not supposed to manage countries. The best relationship occurs in a representative democracy where the people themselves are mostly individually Christian, the next best in a kingdom where the royalty is Christian.

[CommerceComet]

Not to mention it seems blatantly anti-constitutional.

I'm not a constitutional scholar but the only prohibition against religion that I'm aware of is in the 1st Amendment and it explicitly prohibits Congress from establishing religion. Certainly, at the time, several states had a recognized state religion.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I suppose the inverse won’t work either. Declare Idaho a muslim-free state.

[bkepley]

Hmmm...well I was referring to the Idaho constitution :) and yes it does prohibit a state religion.

[Wallace T.]

Federal court decisions based on the 14th Amendment extended the various restrictions imposed on the Federal government by the First Amendment upon the states. This amendment was established to prevent the imposition of “black codes” in the Southern states that would have effected a near re-establishment of slavery. However, the Federal courts have used the 14th Amendment as a “wax nose”, much as the interstate commerce clause has been used, to justify a vast expansion of Federal power at the expense of states’ rights.

[NRx]

Excellent. This is just a bunch of Dominionist nonsense that serves no purpose other than as a late Christmas present to the Dummies. It is blatantly unconstitutional and even more blatantly idiotic. Don’t we have enough lefties trying to paint us as a bunch of theocratic wingnuts?

[Alex Murphy]

This is just a bunch of Dominionist nonsense that serves no purpose other than as a late Christmas present to the Dummies. It is blatantly unconstitutional and even more blatantly idiotic. Don’t we have enough lefties trying to paint us as a bunch of theocratic wingnuts?

Leave it to the Catholics to back the godless liberals!

[NRx]

I assume that was directed at someone else, as I am not Catholic. That said, I make no apologies for defending the Constitution of the United States, which the last time I checked Idaho was still a party to.

[CommerceComet]

Hmmm...well I was referring to the Idaho constitution :) and yes it does prohibit a state religion.

My apologies - I thought you were referring to the U. S. Constitution. Non-Mormons in Idaho should be thankful for that provision in the state constitution.

[bkepley]

No, really...I was referring to the US constitution (thus the smiley face). I guess that in general states adopt the amendments of the US constitution.