Progressive and liberal Christian Americans, like all other progressive and liberal Americans, tend to understand the intent of the Founding Fathers and honor Article 6 and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. That is, they understand that there must be no religious test or requirement for office in government, that there must be no laws respecting an establishment of religion (or faith-based government institutions), or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, "thus building a wall of separation between church and state," as Thomas Jefferson so clearly stated to explain the freedom of religion clause in the Constitution.
Unfortunately, some leaders of the “Religious Right” have been extremely politically and socially active in claiming that the Jeffersonian point of view is merely the view and opinion of “Godless Secular Humanists,” and some have merely misrepresented Jefferson and claimed he agreed with them. Consequently, they have succeeded in misleading many other Americans about this issue. They have led many to believe that the Founders wanted America to be a Christian nation, and that “godless liberals” have “taken God out” of our schools, our public institutions, and our government.
That is misleading deception, designed to further open the door for the Theocratic political actions of the “religious right” to gain even more power to rule. And it has proven to be utterly counterproductive and very damaging to our religious freedom and democracy.
During the last 30 years the Religious Right has succeeded in taking over many policy making and law making bodies, from local school boards to city councils to state legislatures to the U.S. Congress to the White House twice (under Reagan and G.W. Bush).
Furthermore, the theocratic “religious right” also violates an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax code regarding tax-exempt churches, because even though it allows them to indulge in a wide range of political activity, including speaking out on social issues and organizing congregants to vote, the code prevents churches and ministers and pastors from endorsing a candidate or engaging in partisan political advocacy in behalf of a candidate. That would also violate the spirit of Article 6 of the Constitution and the clear intent of the Founders. But, unfortunately, the IRS does not enforce the code, so the churches and ministers on the “religious right” violate not only the Constitution but also the IRS code, with impunity.
And, it’s not just right-wing evangelical Protestants. One Catholic Bishop wrote a letter to all priests in his diocese condemning Barack Obama. The letter was to be read for all congregation before the election, claiming that Obama and the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate had launched an "assault upon our religious freedom." Another Catholic priest who used the pulpit to attack Obama, telling his congregations that voting for Obama could put their "soul in jeopardy." And yet another priest said Obama was the anti-Christ and even claimed that "It will only be a matter of time before our nation is completely destroyed."
But, it is the evangelical Protestants who are the most vehement in their religious bigotry and intolerance. Franklin Graham, the son of the famous Billy Graham, said President Obama was "waving his fist before God." The younger Graham even claimed that Obama was going to create "a new nation without God or perhaps under many gods." And Graham is considered mild compared to the more rabid preachers on the “religious right.”
Now it is time for all Americans to realize what has happened, and how and why America is so bitterly divided.
(Quoted from
Why the "Religious Right" Is Wrong.)
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