[mudblood]

"Thanks for your comments..."

You are welcome: likewise.

French Philosophy as in, a government run by the people, for the people, etc. No aristocracy. You can't deny that this didn't come out of the French Revolution. Perhaps not exactly "philosophy" as in "existentialism" or whatever, but it was French nonetheless.

Passing muster: by that I meant that enough legislators didn't agree with it to bring it to a vote. It didn't pass muster ENOUGH - else the vote would be going to the states. Personally, I'm beginning to think that it should have passed muster enough to go to the states, where it could be voted on and decided once and for all.


The Bible: look, there's a lot of good in the Bible, and I have a lot of respect for Christians, but there's a lot of people in the country, a lot of non-christians, a lot of different KINDS of Christians, and if we all want to get along we need to learn how to agree to disagree - as a nation. Ramming our personal beliefs down each other's throats by force of law is bad when liberals do it and just as bad when conservatives do it. That's all I'm saying about that.

Great conversation! :)

[unspun]

mb:

About the political philosophy at the root of America's founding, have a look at: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/938320/posts

This political philosophy comes from Christians, as formulated chiefly by Britons. The Founding Fathers established a federal government that was "secular" in that it manifestly does not enact Church behavior, nor is it under the rule of any established church. That is not to be confused with the fact of our nation being founded upon the beliefs and principles of Christians. (Among these beliefs are the rights of individual freedom of belief and general expression, since Christ allows these freedoms in this world and age.)

Our President said all this in shorthand, when asked which was his favorite "political philosopher." ;-`