I was going to save this topic for Part 5 on Friday, but I think it would be better to put it first to form a better basis for the remaining topics. Separation of Church and State has become a big topic in recent months with the issues of courthouse monuments bearing the 10 Commandments and "faith-based initiatives." In reality, the phrase "separation of Church and State" was never even mentioned in the First Amendment. It actually reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." As for the Constitution, there are two ways to look at it: 1) it was founded on Biblical principles and it was the intention of the authors for this to be a Christian nation, or 2) it was written to give all the power and authority to the wealthy, white, land-owners. My guess is that it was somewhere inbetween the two.
When our forefathers came to this country, they wanted freedom from the overbearing Church of England. They wanted freedom of religion, and if that meant freedom from religion, then so be it. Regardless, they sure like to mention God a lot. Even today, the words "In God We Trust" are written on every piece of American currency. However, nothing is ever written about Jesus. The God mentioned so often in the founders' documents may very well be God, Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, the heavenly father of Jesus, but then why were they so ambiguous? Obviously, I've never met George Washington or Thomas Jefferson, so I can't be sure what their intentions were.
From a Christian standpoint, I think God would prefer the government to keep their hands off His Church. I mean, He gave us free will for a reason. It can't exactly be free if our government, which guarantees equality for all men and women, is trying to shove a particular faith down our throat. Plus, if a certain faith were promoted, people would just rebel against it more. Jesus, when confronted by the pharisees about paying taxes, replied, "...give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." (You can read the story in Luke 20:20-26) I think that was his shrewd, witty way of saying the two could never have a complete partnership with each other.
I don't like big government. I think the government should stick to collecting taxes (which I'm happy to pay) and passing legitimate laws (which I'm happy to obey); but keep them out of my personal life. Religion is the most personal thing a man can have, and I don't want leaders to have the ability to take away aspects of that from my life. I love my God and I love my country, but if they ever have to compete, Uncle Sam doesn't stand a chance.
5 comments:
wow, you have a wise way with words curtis! i like reading your thoughts and opinions...this is what bloggering is all about. missed you in tokyo last weekend. you remember the warm chocolate croissants??:)
well here's my opinion on church and state and our forefathers so to speak. Granted In God we trust is written on every dollar bill and it's "one nation under God" blah blah blah sorry, but here's the deal most of the founding fathers we're Masons and whatnot if you look once more on the dollar bill you will see so many different examples of this throughout the original plans for the country. So yeah sure in God we trust but which God? Mormons believe in the same God we do but are they right, the islamic religion believe that Allah and our God are one in the same right? so who's to say that our fathers weren't mislead in the same way. just food for thought and whatnot you know. I agree with curtis on all the seperation of church and state but look at the facts behind the forefathers....
hey that last post was me it didn't put my name for some reason
I know I am late on this posting (big surprise), but I must add my two cents in here. I just have a little beef here about Jimmy's comment, but it will blend into your stuff Curtis, so I am not wasting your blog commenting space. Our forefathers were Puritans, which are (quoting from the handy-dandy Webster)'a member of a 16th or 17th century Protestant group in England and New England opposing the ceremonies and government of the Church of England'. So, it sounds like our forefathers were Protestants, right? I am not mocking you in the least bit at all, but just informing you of were our forefathers were coming from.
When I thought about this, of Puritans and our forefathers, if our forefathers left England becuased they were opposing the government of England, is this not go along the same lines as what you, Curtis, put in your post from the day pervious to this day's post. Will, where that "Into His Kingdom" or whaterever their post name is (do not mean that in a curd way), said you were going against the government or such on opposing the war the in Iraq. But, that is the reason our forefathers left England, because they opposed the government of England. Does this even matter or make any sense? This just hit me and I had to say something. Sorry for the length of it.
Update: The correct posting name of the person I was referring to is called Sold Out for the Kingdom. And it was when the stated "careful when you judge those who are in authority over you and the rulers of the land.....God takes that seriously and in that aspect.......you will bring judgment on yourself".
Post a Comment