This 'religion' thing

The Washington Times ^ | Balint Vazsonyi

[VinnyTex]

First things first. Let us get the myth about "separation of church and state" out of the way. A thousand dollars in cash to anyone who can find such a provision in the U.S. Constitution.

Two thousand dollars to anyone who can establish a rational connection between "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," and the American Civil Liberties Union's assertion that writing "God bless America" on a high school marquee is unconstitutional.

[Storm Orphan]

The letter to the Danbury Baptists shows specifically what the First Amendment's intent is.

Sorry, but you the evidence is against your position.

[jammer]

Oh my God! What have I gotten myself into? rofl

[sakic]

"they provided safe haven from the beginning, through the Russian pogroms, Adolf Hitler's "Final Solution"

The Hitler part is 100% incorrect which makes me question anything else this person has written.

[AppyPappy]

Is it fundamentally moral to compel men to pay for the advancement of religious ideas they do not approve of or share?

Yes. Because we are a diverse society, you cannot exclude one idea while allowing the promotion of the others. That is a back door suppression.

For example: We let Christians have a prayer service in the auditorium but deny that privilege to Muslims.

[Storm Orphan]

Damn - busted.

[OWK]

Me: Is it fundamentally moral to compel men to pay for the advancement of religious ideas they do not approve of or share?

You: Yes. Because we are a diverse society, you cannot exclude one idea while allowing the promotion of the others. That is a back door suppression.

Me: ???

Your answer of "yes", seems to fly in diametric opposition to the explanation you provided in support of it.

[AppyPappy]

It is moral to allow all men to speak of their faith in a taxpayer-supported entity. It is immoral to exclude one.

[jwalsh07]

What religion was established with the words "God bless America"?

Was it the same one established by "In God we trust"?

Or is this God the creator talked about in the DOI?

[jwalsh07]

It is moral to allow all men to speak of their faith in a taxpayer-supported entity. It is immoral to exclude one

Absolutely. Why Libertarians want to limit speech is something I will never understand.

[logos]

Please tell me how any of the quotes you listed in your #3 have any effect on the Constitution of the United States. For anything to be "constitutional" (the premise of the author) it must appear in the Constitution. None of your listed quotes qualify.

[Uriel1975]

Y'all know my take...

Amendment V -- No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

80% of my church's congregation home-schools. (It's the Orthodox Presbyterian way!!)
They receive zero compensation whatsoever for all the taxes they pay in support of public schools.
Ergo, the public school edifice is Unconstitutional; so naturally, the same goes for any sloganeering (religious or otherwise) plastered thereupon.

I've no objection whatsoever to putting "God Bless America" banners all over the sides of a school.
It's the Public School itself, to which I object.

[OWK]

What religion was established with the words "God bless America"?

From the song? (I'm pretty sure that came a bit later

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

If what you are implying is true, then why were "official" state religions in existence at the time of the constitution?  In fact, it wasn't until the late 1800's when the Supreme Court (in an amazing display of arrogation) ruled that there could be no such thing as official state religions.

I can find nowhere any of our founding fathers condemning these early "official" religious situations.  Their problems seemed to stem more from a fear that the federal government would support one "official" religion than anything else.

[OWK]

Was it the same one established by "In God we trust"?

You mean like the "In God we Trust" on our money (which curiously enough, wasn't even ON our money until the 1950's?

[OWK]

Or is this God the creator talked about in the DOI?

You mean the "creator" that Jefferson originally penned as "nature" but later changed in deference to others?

[OWK]

You seem to be evading the question.

Is it moral to compel men to pay for the advancement of a faith they do not support or share?

Or is it immoral?

[Jerry_M]

"A special brand of Protestants, imbued with the early settlers' thirst for religious freedom, gave rise to the unprecedented, unparalleled squaring of the circle: a deeply religious people with an unfailingly secular Constitution, inviting one and all to practice whatever their preferred creed."

Special brand = Calvinists

The Root of America

[jwalsh07]

You mean the "creator" that Jefferson originally penned as "nature" BUT later changed in deference to others?

Yep, that's the one I mean.