EvC Forum: Separation of church and state

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Topic: Separation of church and state

Omnivorous

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Message 157 of 313 (576824)
08-25-2010 7:35 PM

Reply to: Message 156 by marc9000
08-25-2010 7:13 PM

Torcaso v. Watkins: the REST of the story...

You have misrepresented the import of Torcaso v. Watkins.

In Torcaso v. Watkins the court ruled that the U.S. Constitution prohibits States and the Federal Government from requiring any kind of religious test for public office.

In a footnote, Hugo Black said, ""Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism, and others."

That is far from what your quote claims: "In 1961 the United States Supreme Court declared Humanism to be a RELIGION (case of Torcasco vs. Watkins)"

First, that does not comprise a "ruling" by the court. Second, Black was referring to a specific, organized movement of the time, Secular Humanism, formed to contrast with Religious Humanism, not "humanism" as quoted.

The real perversity in your post, of course, is that the actual ruling reaffirmed keeping religion out of government.

Have you ever been to an American wedding? Where's the vodka? Where's the marinated herring?!
-Gogol Bordello

This message is a reply to:
	Message 156 by marc9000, posted 08-25-2010 7:13 PM		marc9000 has replied

Replies to this message:
	Message 165 by marc9000, posted 08-26-2010 7:37 PM		Omnivorous has replied

Omnivorous

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Posts: 3991

From: Adirondackia

Joined: 07-21-2005

Member Rating: 6.9

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Message 167 of 313 (577005)
08-26-2010 8:08 PM

Reply to: Message 165 by marc9000
08-26-2010 7:37 PM

Bye

And in Everson, Black said; "The First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach."

That wasn't a "footnote"? It had about as much relevance to New Jersey busing as Blacks reference to Secular Humanism did to religious tests for public office.

Are you claiming it was a footnote?

It declared Humanism to be a religion to a comparable extent that a New Jersey busing case declared a wall of separation to be high and impregnable.

And it declared Humanism to be a religion to a far greater extent than did the 1878 Reynolds case about bigamy declared church and state to be separate.

Huh?

Edited by Omnivorous, : hit wrong button

Have you ever been to an American wedding? Where's the vodka? Where's the marinated herring?!
-Gogol Bordello

This message is a reply to:
	Message 165 by marc9000, posted 08-26-2010 7:37 PM		marc9000 has not replied

Omnivorous

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Posts: 3991

From: Adirondackia

Joined: 07-21-2005

Member Rating: 6.9

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Message 168 of 313 (577006)
08-26-2010 8:12 PM

Reply to: Message 166 by marc9000
08-26-2010 7:57 PM

Exactimundo

The US founders were very good with the English language, and using it in a concise way.

Yes, and you have failed to meet their standard.

And if they wanted the authority of the Christian God intermixed with out constitutional republic, they'd have said so.

Have you ever been to an American wedding? Where's the vodka? Where's the marinated herring?!
-Gogol Bordello

This message is a reply to:
	Message 166 by marc9000, posted 08-26-2010 7:57 PM		marc9000 has not replied

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