I appears to me that religion and God talk as seeped back into Political speech and I am so done with it. This idea of separation of church and state has been given credence from time to time, but the question now is can we codify it (make it law) soon? It seems that only reason and evidence. Metaphysics should be off the table, period. I don't care why you believe something (from my political leaders) I care what your policy is. How can we get this "God bless America" stuff out of the government? I am sick and tired of all this God stuff from elected officials while they are doing the peoples work. They can say on their off time and so forth...
You could keep questioning which god or gods should be blessing America. If you can get rid of the god nonsense it opens the debate into who you trust on your money, after all if you can't trust Ganesha or Odin, then how about gold instead.
However, within the political choices of the people, shouldn't their choice be able to include whatever strange invisible sky daemon to run your country through a set of subjective rules as they see fit.
I may be taking the piss of course...
You may be done with it, as are many of us, but the evangelical, conservative, republican party is not done with it and is just revving it up.
Every Democrat president has been a Christian too. They also stand in front of the nation saying God talk too.
I think believers need to be reminded that no one has to respect their beliefs.
They are free to believe whatever they please, by law. However, no one is required to abide by whatever dogma they subscribe to.
Their right to believe is only tolerated under the Constitution.
A great start to breaking religious influences on public policy would be to tax all the churches.
Just treat them like the money-making enterprises that they are.
Personally, I do my best to point out to them that I do not respect their beliefs, I only tolerate them.
Separation of church and state has been codified in law since December 15, 1791, along with freedom of speech.
I am aware the constitution limits the government in some ways. I am suggesting a law that is equal and balanced in both directions. And most specifically what our elected representatives can do and say in the execution of their duties
The law you referred to is the 1st Amendment to the constitution? Yes? If so, I would agree that it prohibits government representatives from establishing or interfering with religion, yet it is happening everyday and a great deal of the time. Is your thought then that the 1st Am. is not properly informed or due feel that, for instance... A Rep. from Geogia can discuss what the definition of their God is?
First amendment, yes.
The problem has been interpretation, which will go on forever. Here is a brief history of that interpretation:
[mtsu.edu]
The law is a living, moving thing, that will always be changing (in democratic governments) according to current majority public sentiments mediated by precedent.
But that same law also protects free speech, so individual lawmakers are legally free to express their religious sentiments. And voters are free to vote them out.
We could start by taxing churches! Prosperity gospel. Greed is good. Joel Osteen is a fine example. He couldn't even share his mansion property and church to shelter folks from a flood FFS!