COMMENTS:
Definately. It was one of the most cherished values of men like Thomas Jefferson.
Besides, it's in the Bible.
"Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s."
If that doesn't imply a seperation of politics and religion, I don't know what does.
I used to assume it's part of what the US was about, like a big part,
but not anymore.
by Jyl on Tue Apr 25, 06 10:43am
[+]
^Yeah, sad really.
it was only a part in last 20 years or less, think of what was going on before, prayers in schools, religious education taught in MOST schools. I think it is more separate than it ever was , Bush may have made a few steps back, but from 1776 to at least 1976, religion was more involved in the gov. than it is now.
I think in the past the argument was "the founding fathers meant no established church,as in the Church of England"
I'm not saying I think that, but that was the argument I do believe.
it was only NOT a part in past 20 years, I meant to say up there.
Abso-frelling-lutely. Why did the Pilgrims leave Europe for the New World? Among other reasons, so that they could live somewhere where they were free to worship without government interference. Right now, we've got a step worse- religious interference in givernmental affairs. It's not amenable to those of us who believe in what the Founding Fathers said, not what the Refounding Fathers want to *believe* what the Founding Fathers said.
yeah, but the USA did not exist when the Pilgrims landed
I will let Tomas jefferson anser this one:
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, and 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 and state.
I'm not saying that's not what they had in mind, I'm just saying, religion was forced far more on american society from 1776 to 1960's or 70's than it is today.
But for the record again, I agree it should be separate
|
