Religion in Government

Fortunately, democracies have laws in place to protect minorities from unjust rules by the majority. Democratic laws and institutions protect the freedoms and rights of all individual citizens.

The argument that the United States was established in the name of Christianity is complete hogwash.

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The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.

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-- John AdamsAdams also signed the Treaty of Tripoli under which article 11 states "The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion."The following from No webpage found at provided URL: http://www.nobeliefs.com/jefferson.htm

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Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious pinions, more than on our opinions in physics and geometry....The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. -- Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782

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Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting "Jesus Christ," so that it would read "A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination.

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-Thomas Jefferson, Autobiography, in reference to the Virginia Act for Religious Freedom

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{Edited to add URL}This message has been edited by DBlevins, 05-29-2004 05:50 PM

Wow! I really do need to read more! I was always under the impression that the First Amendment was intended to protect the rights of the different Christian denominations.Thanks, DBlevins.

Now you are just making stuff up.The constitution was written way after the first landing of which I speak of. It was then that they placed a cross on the sand, and said a prayer to God, proclaiming this land in his name.The constitution was written by Christians with God in their hearts, who were smart enough to not include church and state together. They didn't need to write anything about God, because we have the Bible which explains that.Here is a web-site with some truths about God and our founders.
Angelfire - error 404Here is a picture of the first landing site with the cross still there, now in stone.
Angelfire - error 404Here, some more stuff you probably won't read:
CBN.com - The Christian Broadcasting Network Not true, it was their believe that brought about the whole thing to begin with. The separation of church and state is not to be confused with God and state. Everywhere you look it is written:ONE NATION UNDER GOD.I wonder why? That has nothing to do with this thread, keep your thoughts on the subject at hand, and try not to get so emotional.For the last time, do not put words in my mouth, it dis-respects me, and makes you look foolish.

What was it they were running from? Looking for?Yes they were smart to separate religion from state. But not God.
In God we trust.

First, the Virginia Colonies were not settled for religious freedom, no matter what that site says. They were a commercial venture from beginning to end. As usual, he tries to combine to seperate incidents, the earlier Virginia Settlements which were commercial ventures with the Pilgrim landings much later and further north.And as to the Mayflower, the Pilgrims were some of the most intolerant, untrustworthy, bigotted people ever to hit our shores. You might just want to check and investigate King Philip's War and the destruction that the Pilgrims brought to the Wampanoag.But NONE of the Virgina or New England settlements were intended to found America. Nor were they the first settlement in North America. The Spanish had colonized Florida and even moved up into what is today Texas, Arizona and New Mexico before the first English settler set foot on the shore of the James.You really need to do some research one your own.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

was first added to the US Coins around the Civil War. It was not in general us as a motto before than and certainly not as a motto by the founding fathers.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Please reread your post 35.You quoted a question. You then made statments that had nothing to do with it.It has been suggested that you will be recieved better if you are able to write with only the normal number of errors and typos. I suggest that if you want to debate at all you will have to be able to read as well.

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And as to the Mayflower, the Pilgrims were some of the most intolerant, untrustworthy, bigotted people ever to hit our shores.

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It is a common myth here in the U.S. that the Pilgrims (those Puritans who settled in New England, starting with the Mayflower) came to this continent for practice relgious freedom. Actually, they left England because they wanted the right to practice religious intolerance. It is interesting that early Massachusetts had very strict laws against what it considered deviant sects. One Quaker, Mary Dyer, was even hanged because she refused to be banished.

Yes, my statement is erroneous. Keep reading my posts though, I think you'll see what I was trying to say: This message has been edited by custard, 05-29-2004 09:11 PM

Dude, need to hit the history book a bit harder, or simply go back and read the links you posted. Sailing to, and writing about 'the Americas;' and discovering the West Indies are not germaine to this the influence of religion in US govt.This message has been edited by custard, 05-31-2004 04:18 AM

riVeRraT writes:

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All the laws of the constitution were written in the spirit of God.

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Then why do you have a constitutional right to worship some other god? Isn't one of your god's commandments that "Thou shalt have no other gods before me"? Isn't that the first commandment?How can the constitution be written in the spirit of god if it violates the very first commandment of god?

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Slavery was part of the Bible, so they didn't believe it was wrong.

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They most certainly did! You really haven't thought this through, have you? There was a huge debate right from the Declaration of Independence through to the Constitution about what to do regarding slavery. They're talking about freedom and yet enslaving.

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I believe God intended for there to be slaves, but not the way we know it. It was only supposed to be more like a job, not slavery.

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(*blink!*)You did not just say that.You really have no idea what slavery is, do you?

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Rrhain
WWJD? JWRTFM!

schrafinator writes:

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Fortunately, our Constitutuional rights are NOT determined by majority vote in the US.

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Sorta. The Constitution can be amended by popularly elected individuals. It's not a direct line, but it is there. If enough people want to revoke the First Amendment, then it will be revoked.

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Rrhain
WWJD? JWRTFM!

No that is fact. If its not written down, it'ts not fact. Also they may have had 'God in their hearts' but the point of comming to the Americas was for freedom of many different things.riVeRrat as for your research, I'm not so sure if I buy a website with information where the copyright/work cited is followed by links to more Angelfire links (free personal web servers) and this 'Return to Bro. Terry's Home Page!' Check out wikipedia, and then get back to me. Meaning no disrespect, I have followed your opinion on this topic and have felt it has been very accurate and resourceful, however, I would have imagined you would have figured the meaning of my post. The point I was trying to convey was it does not matter who found America, and what they said, the cold hard facts are in the Constitution. more to add I'm in a hurry so I leave this as is. I will add more in a few hours.

Well, at least it's made as difficult as possible. While Congress can vote an Amendment, it then has to be ratified by two thirds of the states.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion