buckeye
2008-10-24 09:33:54 UTC
http://kellerap.blogspot.com/2008/10/separation-myth_22.html
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Separation Myth
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof This opening section of the First
Amendment to the United States Constitution stands to this day as one of
the most highly contested laws in our nations history, but does it imply
the separation of church and state as so many in our country currently
believe? The answer to that question is yes, but not for the expected
reasons. To better understand the concept of separation of church and
state, the origin of the phrase must be looked into. At our nations
inception, our founders held a great fear of the nation reverting to the
styles of government that were popular in that days Europe, which had been
deemed undesirable for the highly independent American mentality. These
unfavorable styles of government held a common denominator: in all of 18th
century Europe, the institution of state churches was present, with the
state religion determined by the governing body (usually a monarch). In
fact, these state churches had been an integral reason for the migration of
many of the colonists who had settled America in the first place. Seeing
the peoples desire for religious freedom without government interference,
certain founders such as Thomas Jefferson responded to the concerns of the
nation in earnest. In his answer to a letter from a troubled Baptist
congregation in Connecticut, Jefferson assuaged the Baptists notion that
the religious freedom of the people would become abridged by a mandated
state church. It was in this letter that Jefferson stated that the
legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions and
that a wall of separation between church and state had been built in
their protection. Clearly, from the background information given above, the
phrase separation of church and state means none other than the fact that
our government is not allowed to mandate a certain faith; it does not imply
that religion is something that should not influence the moral governing
and lawmaking of the United States. Jeffersons true intentions for
separation of church and state can be realized through his actions as
President of the United States. Jefferson supported legislation that called
for the provision of chaplains for military units and that encouraged
soldiers to attend religious services as well as supporting funding to
build a church and provide a priest for a group of Native Americans. On top
of all of this, Jefferson authored legislation that called for the
punishment of Sabbath-breakers. If the phrase separation of church and
state was truly meant to create the United States as a secular nation,
then why did its original author not support that goal himself? It is not
that Jefferson desired a secular government that was clearly devoid of
religious influence (he, in fact, did the opposite), what Jefferson and the
other founders clearly expressed a desire for was a government influenced
by the morals of religion where no one was obligated to adhere to a
specific government sect. A secular government was not the founders
agenda, but is now propagated as though it was by many ignorant Americans,
including those who claim to be highly educated. Because of this, many
Americans believe the incorrect, rather than understanding the intent of
the founders and the laws that they created. -reagan 08
at 1:45 PM
***************************************************************
You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Historical Reality SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
***************************************************************
. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
. . .
****************************************************************
USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote
"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"
That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.
It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.
*****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
****************************************************************
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Separation Myth
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof This opening section of the First
Amendment to the United States Constitution stands to this day as one of
the most highly contested laws in our nations history, but does it imply
the separation of church and state as so many in our country currently
believe? The answer to that question is yes, but not for the expected
reasons. To better understand the concept of separation of church and
state, the origin of the phrase must be looked into. At our nations
inception, our founders held a great fear of the nation reverting to the
styles of government that were popular in that days Europe, which had been
deemed undesirable for the highly independent American mentality. These
unfavorable styles of government held a common denominator: in all of 18th
century Europe, the institution of state churches was present, with the
state religion determined by the governing body (usually a monarch). In
fact, these state churches had been an integral reason for the migration of
many of the colonists who had settled America in the first place. Seeing
the peoples desire for religious freedom without government interference,
certain founders such as Thomas Jefferson responded to the concerns of the
nation in earnest. In his answer to a letter from a troubled Baptist
congregation in Connecticut, Jefferson assuaged the Baptists notion that
the religious freedom of the people would become abridged by a mandated
state church. It was in this letter that Jefferson stated that the
legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions and
that a wall of separation between church and state had been built in
their protection. Clearly, from the background information given above, the
phrase separation of church and state means none other than the fact that
our government is not allowed to mandate a certain faith; it does not imply
that religion is something that should not influence the moral governing
and lawmaking of the United States. Jeffersons true intentions for
separation of church and state can be realized through his actions as
President of the United States. Jefferson supported legislation that called
for the provision of chaplains for military units and that encouraged
soldiers to attend religious services as well as supporting funding to
build a church and provide a priest for a group of Native Americans. On top
of all of this, Jefferson authored legislation that called for the
punishment of Sabbath-breakers. If the phrase separation of church and
state was truly meant to create the United States as a secular nation,
then why did its original author not support that goal himself? It is not
that Jefferson desired a secular government that was clearly devoid of
religious influence (he, in fact, did the opposite), what Jefferson and the
other founders clearly expressed a desire for was a government influenced
by the morals of religion where no one was obligated to adhere to a
specific government sect. A secular government was not the founders
agenda, but is now propagated as though it was by many ignorant Americans,
including those who claim to be highly educated. Because of this, many
Americans believe the incorrect, rather than understanding the intent of
the founders and the laws that they created. -reagan 08
at 1:45 PM
***************************************************************
You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Historical Reality SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
***************************************************************
. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
. . .
****************************************************************
USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote
"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"
That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.
It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.
*****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
****************************************************************