Cyber-Gazette
Masonry ICF
Common Sense Too
........... Part1 ............
Introduction
Thank You TP
Common Sense Too
........... Part2 ............
Original Design
Convention
Two Party
Injustice
Unproper
Commerce
Bill of Rights
Recipe Tyranny
Expenditures
Common Sense Too
........... Part3 ............
Legacy
Spirit Taken
Protect Us
Traitors
Tolerance
Marriage
Taxation
Church State
Common Sense Too
........... Part4 ............
Gun Rights
Protect Life
Liberty
Tea Party
....American Spirit....
10th Amendment
Pledge Allegiance
Supreme Tyranny
Principles
Reagan Lives
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Common Sense Too: Part 3
Separation of Church and People:
If you would look to the history of our country you would find that many of those who migrated to the new world did so to escape religious persecution. In England for example there was a state religion and those practicing other religions were discriminated against. Our constitution was crafted to allow the maximum religious freedom possible. Our constitution was crafted to limit government and maximize an individual’s control over his own life.
Imagine how those religious explorers and freedom seekers would feel like today if they could see what has happened to this new world. Instead of a government that allows the maximum religious freedom, they would find a government that is trying to push all religion from public life. Imagine that. Anyone who has a strong belief in their religion is told that they should be ignored in their talks with their representatives concerning their values and concerns. Imagine that. They should be condemned for the way they vote because their vote is tainted by their strong religious view. Imagine that.
They should accept the government taxing away their money to send their kids to schools where their values are off limits, where even the utterance of the concept of God is frowned upon. Your kids’ lives, from age 5 to 17, are sanitized of your religion and your God for a significant part of their childhood in the name of religious freedom. Imagine that. Doesn’t sound like religious freedom to me. Sounds like a government promoting the concept “THERE IS NO GOD”.
Our governments control our parks and town squares. In some places, these governments are limiting access of the Boy Scouts to their parks because the Boy Scouts require members to recognize the existence of God. The tolerant solution to this would be for those with objections to start their own similar Boy Scout organization with no requirement for the recognition of God. Instead intolerance of the Boy Scouts has lead to some government bodies using separation of church and state as an excuse to ban the Boy Scouts from some public lands. Imagine that. I thought the Boy Scouts were about hiking and camping and giving to the community.
Our governments tax our earnings and use some of those taxes to give grants to community organizations that help different segments of society. As a member of a strong religious organization, under separation of church and state taken to the extreme, you would not have access to those funds. Separation of Church and State! Try Separation of People from the Church! In previous times the different churches were the conduit for charity. The best way to destroy Churches is to eliminate one of their vital functions; charity!
The issue of religion is covered two places in the original constitution.
In Article VI of the constitution there is a phrase, “no religious Test shall ever be required”, in reference to the requirements for elections of Congressman and Senators and the appointment of officers of the federal government.
Amendment I of the bill of rights is the second place where religion is referenced in the original constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Note that while the first amendment prohibits the government from the establishment of a state religion, it also is prohibited from interfering with the free exercise of religion. Our government’s restriction of religions in the name of separation of church and state (which is not in the constitution) IS A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION by prohibiting the free exercise of religion.
The origins of the concept of separation of church and state comes from an 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson to a minority religious group that feared religious persecution from a majority religion in their state. Here is an excerpt of that letter:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and 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. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
It is funny how liberals will point to one quote by a founding father that is not contained in the constitution as the reason for their stand for their extreme separation of church and state position. But they will never consider the volumes of quotes by many founding fathers making it clear that gun ownership was an individual right not a collective right.
In reading the Jefferson quote above the wall referred to in “wall of separation between church and State” is the portion of the constitution that states: “legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,”. There was not any mythical interpretation of SEPARATION inferred to in Jefferson’s letter.
There is just an assurance to the concerns of a minority religion that a majority religion will not use government to force their opinion of God onto the people of another religion.
Tyrants in black robes have taken words that are not in the constitution by a founding father and first they have added those words to the constitution in principle, then they reinterpreted those words to produce a result that is opposite to the intent of Jefferson. The current interpretation oppresses all religions in the name of religious freedom.
The key phrase to consider in Jefferson’s writing is: “legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions.” Nowhere in this sentiment is there an indication that church and religion should have no access to public resources. The only restriction indicated is that no legislation shall be enacted that requires a person to act contrary to his religious opinion.
One might also conclude by the sentiment in Jefferson’s letter, on opinion versus action, that atheism is also an opinion and no powers of government shall reach action supporting that position. In essence atheism should be treated as a religion as it is based on opinion not fact. I would contend that the extreme separation of church and state stand of the liberals not only discriminates against religion by restricting use of public resources, I would contend that atheism is given preference over other religions. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT LEGISLATE RELIGIOUS OPINION. That would include opinions that nature and the trees have a spirit and deserve rights. That would include opinions that there is no God at all.
Simple logic is all that is needed to understand that the extreme separation of church and state stand of liberals was not the intention of the founding fathers and is not reflected in Jefferson’s writings. Here are some examples.
The Declaration of Independence was written by Jefferson and references God.
Sessions of Congress were and still are started with a prayer.
In God We Trust is minted onto our coins. Taking an oath, such as the oath of office or an oath to tell the truth in court, included placing your hand on a bible.
Religion is one of the socials graces that bless our lives as referenced in Thomas Paine’s original “Common Sense”. Remember this passage from above:
Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices. The one encourages bonding, the other creates distinctions.
Government is but a necessary evil and must be limited in our lives. Society is a blessing and a grace that promotes our happiness uniting our affections. Legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions. Religion should not be separated from Society, it should be embraced by Society. Government must limit itself to protecting the rights of each person to sovereignty over their own lives while at the same time allow Society and Religion to flourish in the public square. With each man’s opinion as his own domain, the exchange of opinion is the bond and blessing of Society free from the tyranny of force.
If you would look to the history of our country you would find that many of those who migrated to the new world did so to escape religious persecution. In England for example there was a state religion and those practicing other religions were discriminated against. Our constitution was crafted to allow the maximum religious freedom possible. Our constitution was crafted to limit government and maximize an individual’s control over his own life.
Imagine how those religious explorers and freedom seekers would feel like today if they could see what has happened to this new world. Instead of a government that allows the maximum religious freedom, they would find a government that is trying to push all religion from public life. Imagine that. Anyone who has a strong belief in their religion is told that they should be ignored in their talks with their representatives concerning their values and concerns. Imagine that. They should be condemned for the way they vote because their vote is tainted by their strong religious view. Imagine that.
They should accept the government taxing away their money to send their kids to schools where their values are off limits, where even the utterance of the concept of God is frowned upon. Your kids’ lives, from age 5 to 17, are sanitized of your religion and your God for a significant part of their childhood in the name of religious freedom. Imagine that. Doesn’t sound like religious freedom to me. Sounds like a government promoting the concept “THERE IS NO GOD”.
Our governments control our parks and town squares. In some places, these governments are limiting access of the Boy Scouts to their parks because the Boy Scouts require members to recognize the existence of God. The tolerant solution to this would be for those with objections to start their own similar Boy Scout organization with no requirement for the recognition of God. Instead intolerance of the Boy Scouts has lead to some government bodies using separation of church and state as an excuse to ban the Boy Scouts from some public lands. Imagine that. I thought the Boy Scouts were about hiking and camping and giving to the community.
Our governments tax our earnings and use some of those taxes to give grants to community organizations that help different segments of society. As a member of a strong religious organization, under separation of church and state taken to the extreme, you would not have access to those funds. Separation of Church and State! Try Separation of People from the Church! In previous times the different churches were the conduit for charity. The best way to destroy Churches is to eliminate one of their vital functions; charity!
The issue of religion is covered two places in the original constitution.
In Article VI of the constitution there is a phrase, “no religious Test shall ever be required”, in reference to the requirements for elections of Congressman and Senators and the appointment of officers of the federal government.
Amendment I of the bill of rights is the second place where religion is referenced in the original constitution: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Note that while the first amendment prohibits the government from the establishment of a state religion, it also is prohibited from interfering with the free exercise of religion. Our government’s restriction of religions in the name of separation of church and state (which is not in the constitution) IS A VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION by prohibiting the free exercise of religion.
The origins of the concept of separation of church and state comes from an 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson to a minority religious group that feared religious persecution from a majority religion in their state. Here is an excerpt of that letter:
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and 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. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
It is funny how liberals will point to one quote by a founding father that is not contained in the constitution as the reason for their stand for their extreme separation of church and state position. But they will never consider the volumes of quotes by many founding fathers making it clear that gun ownership was an individual right not a collective right.
In reading the Jefferson quote above the wall referred to in “wall of separation between church and State” is the portion of the constitution that states: “legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,”. There was not any mythical interpretation of SEPARATION inferred to in Jefferson’s letter.
There is just an assurance to the concerns of a minority religion that a majority religion will not use government to force their opinion of God onto the people of another religion.
Tyrants in black robes have taken words that are not in the constitution by a founding father and first they have added those words to the constitution in principle, then they reinterpreted those words to produce a result that is opposite to the intent of Jefferson. The current interpretation oppresses all religions in the name of religious freedom.
The key phrase to consider in Jefferson’s writing is: “legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions.” Nowhere in this sentiment is there an indication that church and religion should have no access to public resources. The only restriction indicated is that no legislation shall be enacted that requires a person to act contrary to his religious opinion.
One might also conclude by the sentiment in Jefferson’s letter, on opinion versus action, that atheism is also an opinion and no powers of government shall reach action supporting that position. In essence atheism should be treated as a religion as it is based on opinion not fact. I would contend that the extreme separation of church and state stand of the liberals not only discriminates against religion by restricting use of public resources, I would contend that atheism is given preference over other religions. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT LEGISLATE RELIGIOUS OPINION. That would include opinions that nature and the trees have a spirit and deserve rights. That would include opinions that there is no God at all.
Simple logic is all that is needed to understand that the extreme separation of church and state stand of liberals was not the intention of the founding fathers and is not reflected in Jefferson’s writings. Here are some examples.
The Declaration of Independence was written by Jefferson and references God. Sessions of Congress were and still are started with a prayer. In God We Trust is minted onto our coins. Taking an oath, such as the oath of office or an oath to tell the truth in court, included placing your hand on a bible.
Religion is one of the socials graces that bless our lives as referenced in Thomas Paine’s original “Common Sense”. Remember this passage from above:
Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness POSITIVELY by uniting our affections, the latter NEGATIVELY by restraining our vices. The one encourages bonding, the other creates distinctions.
Government is but a necessary evil and must be limited in our lives. Society is a blessing and a grace that promotes our happiness uniting our affections. Legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions. Religion should not be separated from Society, it should be embraced by Society. Government must limit itself to protecting the rights of each person to sovereignty over their own lives while at the same time allow Society and Religion to flourish in the public square. With each man’s opinion as his own domain, the exchange of opinion is the bond and blessing of Society free from the tyranny of force.