4588686 Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 A Our Founding Fathers separated church from state, but they did not separate God from state; they acknowledged God as the source of our rights, and, in fact, they were careful to place Biblical morality directly into our founding documents and laws, and into our values and culture precisely to help prevent a future of totalitarian or tyrannical rule in America. Right. A slave owning collection of oligarchs wanted to ensure that the common people were never subjected to tyranny. Unless that person was black. Because then, you know, the slavery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
add Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 Sadly, no. I find that hard to believe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papist Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Separation of Church and State exists to protect the Church and the State from each other. Sure, there are plenty of cases of Christians being persecuted by the State, but there's plenty instances of the Church using the State to persecute as well. Keep 'em separate, and everybody's happy. Unless your SSPX, or some nutjob branch of Christianity. As for birth control...I dunno. I know several women who were denied birth control after having babies in Catholic hospitals. This isn't just about abortion, there are serious health concerns as to why a women might need BCP...cases when the Catholic Church fully supports their usage, and yet they can be such a pain to get at Catholic hospitals, why? Can you provide an example of when the state needed protection from the Church? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papist Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I agree with you, but you mean "the premise," not the pretense. That too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StMichael Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 No where in the Constitution does it cite that the Church and Sate are separate. What it says is that the government (congress) cannot stop you from worshipping (prohibiting the free exercise thereof) and it cannot tell you who to worship (shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion). This statement of separation is used to subvert the Constitution. If you own a business are you suddenly not Catholic? If you work for the Federal Government are you suddenly not Catholic? What is accepted does not mean it is acceptable. Obamacare is another story altogether, and is completely UNCONSTITUTIONAL. The Obama administration on Friday, settled the dispute The myth of a Compromise On Birth Control Health Coverage in this “compromise†lie(s) n the phrase “with insurers picking up the tabâ€. Is there anyone on the planet who actually believes that private insurance companies will bear the cost of this coverage increment? It will almost certainly be borne indirectly either by the employer or by the U.S. taxpayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 No where in the Constitution does it cite that the Church and Sate are separate. What it says is that the government (congress) cannot stop you from worshipping (prohibiting the free exercise thereof) and it cannot tell you who to worship (shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion). This statement of separation is used to subvert the Constitution. If you own a business are you suddenly not Catholic? If you work for the Federal Government are you suddenly not Catholic? What is accepted does not mean it is acceptable. Obamacare is another story altogether, and is completely UNCONSTITUTIONAL. If you're going to interpret strictly based on the actual words, you have no choice but to accept that it refers to freedom of worship — it doesn't refer to belief, to action, to conscience. The word used it worship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groo the Wanderer Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 as opposed to interpreting it based on words that are not there? thats what activist judges do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 as opposed to interpreting it based on words that are not there? thats what activist judges do No, but there is more than one interpretation beyond the strictest definition of the words. That's sort of the job of the third branch of government, the judiciary. Its all presented in the constitution... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groo the Wanderer Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 No, but there is more than one interpretation beyond the strictest definition of the words. That's sort of the job of the third branch of government, the judiciary. Its all presented in the constitution... nope. wrong again. thanks for playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Read the words and understand what they say in plain English. "An establishment of religion" would be a church, a religious congregation, a school/hospital/orphanage run by a church or religious congregation, etc. It is NOT the same thing as "Establishment of (or establishing) a state religion." That concept makes no sense in the context of the phrase that follows, "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." If the first clause refers to 'establishing a state church,' then 'prohibiting the free exercise of the state-established church' would be out of the question - if the state cannot establish a church in the first place, why would they even think about prohibiting the free exercise of a non-existent church? Jefferson was an intelligent, well-educated, articulate person. He knew how to express his thoughts in his native language. If he had wanted to express the concept of 'separation of church and state,' he could have done so, and I (personal opinion here) have no doubt that he would have. When people read (most) other parts of the Constitution, they read the words and understand what they say in plain English. It's mostly on THIS topic (and the second amendment) that people argue their butts off, mostly because they don't like to know what it means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."[/size] Read the words and understand what they say in plain English. "An establishment of religion" would be a church, a religious congregation, a school/hospital/orphanage run by a church or religious congregation, etc. It is NOT the same thing as "Establishment of (or establishing) a state religion." That concept makes no sense in the context of the phrase that follows, "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." If the first clause refers to 'establishing a state church,' then 'prohibiting the free exercise of the state-established church' would be out of the question - if the state cannot establish a church in the first place, why would they even think about prohibiting the free exercise of a non-existent church? Jefferson was an intelligent, well-educated, articulate person. He knew how to express his thoughts in his native language. If he had wanted to express the concept of 'separation of church and state,' he could have done so, and I (personal opinion here) have no doubt that he would have. When people read (most) other parts of the Constitution, they read the words and understand what they say in plain English. It's mostly on THIS topic (and the second amendment) that people argue their butts off, mostly because they don't like to know what it means. Funny you mention Jefferson — "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." (http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Funny you mention Jefferson — "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." (http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html) Right. Meaning that the government needs to keep its mitts off churches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Right. Meaning that the government needs to keep its mitts off churches. Agreed. But the wall blocks both sides and the churches shouldn't try to use the government to enforce their moral views. The better way is to help people properly form their conscience, not to legislate morality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 The law should express the will of the people. If the people are moral, their laws will express/enforce morality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groo the Wanderer Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Agreed. But the wall blocks both sides and the churches shouldn't try to use the government to enforce their moral views. The better way is to help people properly form their conscience, not to legislate morality. doesn't say that. you are reading your own agenda into what it actually says. try again. thanks for playing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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