How establishment hurts religion & society: A holiday reminder for non-separationists

[usregimechange]

When government provides a public forum for religious expression, it can not just invite a particular sect. The number of those offended by that endorsement is irrelevant. How many does it take? Answer: One.

Your own freedom weakens the minute you attempt to limit the umbrella of liberty to your majority. You end up damaging both Christianity and our democracy.

If as a Christian you could obtain the State's sole preference toward your beliefs and symbols, what would happen? Would you obtain more converts? Would you spread your beliefs and save the world from all the infidels? No, you would burn your own power and influence, divide even your own peers, create a system that honors paternalism, and then get to watch your brothers and sisters sail to a new land.
http://our-conscience.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-establishment-hurts-religion-and.html


This holiday reminder was brought to you by Our Conscience:
http://our-conscience.blogspot.com/

[usregimechange]

1. "The real war on Christmas comes from those who ignore the values of Jesus in order to promote..."

"...the veneer of nominal Christianity."

Ibid

[asteroid2003QQ47]

2. "Values of Jesus"--on sale now at Wal-Mart and Costco.

Buy now or wait for after x-mas sale,purchase two or more and get a free Conscience,
what to do, what to do?

[usregimechange]

3. Now now... be good.

:-)

[DavidDvorkin]

4. I've argued for years that removing even the smallest brick weakens the Wall of Separation

Separationists who shrug off government transgressions as minor are standing aside as the Wall is demolished.

[quaker bill]

5. The movement for separation

was fought for by the Seekers, Anabaptists, Levellers, Quakers, long before it became a secular cause. Many of these Christians were jailed much of their adult lives, had their land and money taken, and many were executed in the fight for separation. Their concern was to protect faith from government interference. At that time in England, the collection plate was the IRS, ministers were civil servants, and you went to jail for not attending and making your tithe every week.

These folks did not agree with the faith practiced by the state. Many resisted and died to be free of it. The sickness came over with the pilgrims, and the jailings and executions continued in Boston. It took a toll of many years and many lives to get religious tolerance written into our laws.

It was not done to protect government from religious influence. It was done to protect religion from government interference.

[asteroid2003QQ47]

6. The illusion of separation shields the church/State unholy alliance,

the State "faith" serves to protect the status quo.

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What is a wife and what is a harlot? What is a church and what is a theatre? are they two and not one? Can they exist separate? Are not religion and politics the same thing? Brotherhood is religion. O demonstrations of reason dividing families in cruelty and pride!
--William Blake