Separation of church and state OK to Christians?

IMHO it's important for PEOPLE to live moral lives. Not really. There is nothing wrong specifically with amorality. It comes down when speaking of Governments, to intruding on anothers right or wellbeing. In addition it's good for everyone to participate in Government. Again, I don't think that's quite right. It's good to help folk move towards moral behavior but the best way to do that is by example, not fiat.The big thing I'd object to in your initial statement is that Secular implies Amoral? Almost by definition, Government will be involved with the issue of right and wrong. Two entirely different spheres.Religion relates to how GOD and the individual will get along. If you are by whatever standards going to hell, that is between you and GOD.Government relates to how you and I will get along. The purpose of Govermnment (not the sole purpose but a major one) is to sanction my behavior such that it does not harm you.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

What makes you think that?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Well, the exact translation varies from version to version. But the concept of GOD and Gods is not as simple as that might lead folk to think. In some other thread we can go over the various ways GOD and GODs are seen and depicted in the Bible.But even if that were true, it is a message to GOD's people. It says the Jews must worship only one diety, or at a minimum, not rank another diety above him.It is certainly not something opposed to freedom of religion, even under the most conservative, most literal (even though most who call themselves Literalists are the least likely to take the Bible Literally), most Evangelical interpretation it wouold not oppose freedom of religion. Others are free to worship however they wish, they're wrong and damned and going to hell and gonna burn baby burn, but they are free to screw up.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Only between you and GOD and most likely only after you're dead.And no, good and bad are not the domain of religion.Let me try to expand on that slightly because in some ways Christianity is quite different from the other two Judaic Religions in that regard.Judaism and Islam are deeply involved in interpersonal relations. One of the funtions of both Rabbi and Imam is in settling disputes. When you read the Koran or Tanakah you find sura after sura, passage after passage, dealing with interpersonal relationships. If your brother dies you gotta bang his widow. You can charge interest to an infidel but not a believer. They go into very great depth on what you can eat, what you can wear, how you treat different classes, who you can or cannot associate with, how you should wear your hair, when and how to pray and on and on.Christianity is quite different. Jesus boiled all the suras, all the passages down to the essence, Love GOD and love others as you love yourself. Christianity makes some basic assumptions.The first is that you must love yourself. Often that last part of the two part commandment gets neglected, but it's important. GOD wants you to love and be happy with yourself.Next, GOD assumes you're an adult and have some idea of what you like,how you like to be treated. Instead of a precise set of rules, good an dbad, right and wrong, he says, "Look, treat other folk the way you'd like to be treated". This is important so we'll come back to it in a second.Finally, GOD says "Love GOD and show your love not by what you say, but how you behave."Now let's head back towards the idea of a Christian supporting a Secular Government. Would the Christian like being forced to deny his Christianity, or pray to some other GOD? If not, if the Christian would not like to be treated that way, then GOD says you cannot treat OTHERS that way. For a Christian to try to force Christianity on others would be to violate the very commandments we were told to obey.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Yeah, and GOD is tied to the land and if he is needed somewhere else you gotta load up an ox cart with Godly soil and haul it to the new location. LOL

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Well, look over message 22 and see if that helps. And please, always feel free to ask any questions. Look, you're already damned, what you got to lose?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

His first miracle was not turning wine into water. But heading back towards the topic, I really believe that the concept of a Theocracy, any theocracy, in this life is basically anti-Christ.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion