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Somehow Christians have been deluded into thinking that the United States is strictly a Christian nation. It never started that way and it never will be that way. We welcome persons of ALL faiths and they are free to worship in whichever way they choose as long as they don't violate my freedom in which I choose NOT to worship. That is the reason why we have separation of Church and State. Keep religion out of our schools, laws, government, etc...IT DOES NOT BELONG THERE IN A SECULAR SOCIETY.
I don't think the US is a Christian nation. It's made up of mostly Christians but other religions as well.
Your ignorance is astounding given that 100% of Christians do the very same thing you've accused your FIL of. Christians pick and choose exactly what they want to follow and discard all the heinous little tidbits that just don't sit well with them that are to found in your holy book. What a hypocrit!
That is true, I never said it wasn't. Sad but true and we all do it. Trying not to do it is the goal.
I think some do it so much they drop out of having faith or religion of any kind. It's easier that way---throwing away the baby with the bath water.
Yep, the erosion of marriage. You see it like the rest of us see it.
Ha! Don't put words in my mouth. That site was full of it! Why do Christians blame gays and promiscuity on the erosion of marriage? How silly! If Christians are so worried about the "erosion of marriage" then why aren't more Christians staying married? Worrying about two guys wanting to get married has nothing to do with anything when it comes to the Christian idea of marriage now does it? They need to practice what they preach and leave everyone else alone.
Wow,you joined the wrong group if they taught that. I would drop as well.
No. There isn't a group on earth that would have worked out. It was reading the Bible for myself that opened my eyes. That is part of the problem, if there is a "right" group then it is impossible to find. Everyone thinks their version of "the truth" is the right version.
Ha! Don't put words in my mouth. That site was full of it! Why do Christians blame gays and promiscuity on the erosion of marriage? How silly! If Christians are so worried about the "erosion of marriage" then why aren't more Christians staying married? Worrying about two guys wanting to get married has nothing to do with anything when it comes to the Christian idea of marriage now does it? They need to practice what they preach and leave everyone else alone.
I never said anything about gays, you did. I think the biggest erosion of marriages is about selfishness.
No. There isn't a group on earth that would have worked out. It was reading the Bible for myself that opened my eyes. That is part of the problem, if there is a "right" group then it is impossible to find. Everyone thinks their version of "the truth" is the right version.
Reading the bible for yourself is not a good thing. You see all the wackos out there who try to interpret the bible for themselves and the trouble they get in. For instance, one needs to understand Jewish culture to understand the Old Testament. We are social beings we need to learn with feedback from others.
Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, but never what is not.
For those who say Chrisitianity is not under attack, note that the new religious freedom rhetoric within the Obama administration:
"Freedom of worship" has recently replaced the phrase "freedom of religion" in public pronouncements from the Obama administration. Obama, who loves to change terminology, first used the phrase in November at the Fort Hood Memorial Service. Just days later, he used it again in Japan and China. Hillary Clinton repeatedly used the term in a December speech, but never said “freedom of religion”. There is concern that the use of “freedom of worship” instead of “freedom of religion” reflects a policy change by the administration. And we know that when the administration changes terminology, they have their reasons for doing so.
This sounds more like fear-mongering and a complete lack of due diligence in respect to actual investigation to further relegate an obsolete and pathetic argument. From the very beginning, even during his campaign, he made it abundantly clear time and again that this nation is not a nation comprised solely of Christians. It is comprised of Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, and yes, Atheists. Why should it be called "freedom of worship" when an increasingly large number of Americans don't worship anything? At least his reason for doing so acknowledges the fact that there are those who simply don't believe. Let me guess... His "reasons" for doing so are to better supplant and move America forward with his "socialist" agenda, right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by southward bound
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom said in their annual report that this change could have real policy implications. ‘Freedom to worship’ means the right to pray within a place of worship or simply to believe. It doesn’t include the right to raise your children in your faith, for starters, nor to have religious literature, to raise funds, appoint your religious leaders, to evangelize or to have religious education or seminary training. This would effectively wipe out the work of the church, and bring an end to Christian education at any level including training of new pastors. Not immediately, you understand, but it’s a step in that direction. The vice would be tightened gradually.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."
In other words, the President is probably being Constitutionally accurate in his depiction of what the first line of the First Amendment means - not some theocratic utopia the Christian right wishes it to mean. Freedom of religion (or secular government) means precisely that. The government of the United States should not advocate or take sides with religious groups which would thereby proffer any advantage seen in the eyes of the general public towards any specific religion. If that means government funds are taken away from religious groups, organizations, etc... simply because they've always enjoyed those luxuries than so be it. It does not, however, mean that religion is to be eradicated. The difference is that for a very long time Christians have enjoyed this "behind the scenes" propagation of their religion by the U.S. government and that needs to be addressed.
My personal opinion is that religion should have absolutely no say in the policies and governances of our country and, likewise, that our governance and policies should make no laws favoring religion. Issues like gay marriage, abortion, and the teaching of Creationism in classrooms are all issues the religious have brought to bear with a heavy burden on our judicial system.
The fear-mongering by which you've bought into largely reminds me of CEO's with golden parachutes clamoring on about how they still deserve them after causing one of the country's worst economic crisis'. "But, we've always had our bonuses and golden parachutes! They're taking that away from us and that's not fair!"
Just because Christianity has always enjoyed the luxury of a tight bond within our government does not mean that it is right, legal, or Constitutionally favored. Christians are being rudely awakened to the fact that not everyone in this country sees eye to eye with them and their religious fervor and they don't like it. Thus, they rally behind this insane idea that because Obama is at the head of the Executive Branch, he is to blame for the way the Judicial Branch and Legislative Branch are thereby finally copulating with the fact that the U.S. government is not a Christian one. And, from there, the fear-mongering and hatred of our President begins because the acknowledgment of Atheists (and other non-Christians) in American society feels awfully close to a form of government they heard about in 9th grade history class as being bad.
Just as religion should stay out of government, so government must stay out of religion. However, government is not doing so, is it. Neither is the liberal media, neither are the atheists or agnostics or any of the rest of non-Christians. What is it about Christianity that causes them to have such hateful reactions? These posts are filled with name-calling, and it's not from the Christian side.
We have the separation of church and state and our constitution says everyone has the right to whatever religion they want. We have freedom of religion, it does not say freedom from religion. Our country wanted people of all religions and faiths to come here so they wanted people to be free to worship the way they wanted and not to stop that like it was in England under the king.
I think religion and government can be very complementary to each other. In fact, prayer is used to start many government events. The Senate is opened each morning with a prayer.
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