BUMP!
P-Marlowe —
We are on the same side in being offended at the mere mention of tampering with the Bill of Rights.
That said, let me take gentle exception to the examples you used of Biblical commands that we no longer obey. All of those that you listed are tenets of the Law of Moses, a covenant between Jehovah and the children of Israel.
Those commands do not apply to Christians today and haven’t for 2,000 years. As Paul explained, “So the Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the Law.” Galatians 3:24-25
I agree with you that we should never tamper with our guarantee of religious freedom. We can, however, enforce upon the religion of hate our existing laws against violence and conspiracy . No mosque and no muslim can be allowed to infringe upon our lives, liberties, or pursuit of happiness.
They are still right there in the Bible and unless you are willing to give the government the right to edit the bible and to prohibit the belief that any of those doctrines are applicable today, then you have no business having the government dictate what Muslims are allowed to believe or read or where they can worship.
FWIW the death penalty for murder stll is practiced in Western Civilzation. Are you suggesting that that practice was eliminated under the "new covenant"?
this is not a doctrinal issue and as far as I am concerned on this thread doctrine is irrelevant. The issue is one of protecting the Religious Liberty of all Americans, and if we stat sanctioning the abridgment of religius liberty to one group, then eventually all religious groups will become potential targets.
Indeed, in Canada the religious intolerance of the national government is targeted at evangelical Christians who are being threatened with having their chuches taken away because they preach against homosexuality.
BUMP!