[annalex]

Elections for the purpose of economic policy or foreign policy are fine. Elections that violate fundamental ethical beliefs are not fine. Those are the kind that delegitimize governments. The current health care bill railroaded through congress, for example, will go a long way further delegitimizing this government.

Note also that we are not talking about esoteric religious disciplines such as fasting, dress codes, etc. We are talking matters of universal ethics, on which, by the way, there is agreement between all major religions.

[allmendream]

Either way you are somehow proposing a fourth branch of government with absolute authority over its own domain and apparently not at all subject to elections, which you say are ridiculous and tyrannical; a forth branch with explicit religious authority.

Well thank you for not wanting to enforce fasting and dress codes, but apparently you think how people can form and dissolve their unions should be subject to this authority.

This is not conservative. This is not limited government.

There is a legitimate purpose in the government preventing people from committing a crime as defined by its citizenry.

There is no legitimate purpose in the government preventing people from sinning according to religious authority.

That is a servile and debased faith that needs government force behind it. Have you seen Saudi Arabians when they escape their ‘kingdom’?

I suggest you read what our founding fathers said about religious authority.