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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank
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To: The Philosopher who wrote (80250)1/19/2004 5:46:16 PM
From: one_less  Read Replies (1) of 82486
 
"The other is the legal sense, as the word is used at law and in the constitution. In that usage, only governments can establish religions, and they establish them as the state religion enforced by the state and supported by taxes or other government exactions. "

I disagree with your usage. The government is prohibited from passing any laws with respect to the topic.

The terminology in our constitution says nothing about congress's ability to do anything except establish laws in this regard. It does not say congress is prohibited from establishing laws that create a federal theocracy, religion, church, etc. It would have been easy and a simpler thing for the authors to state it exactly that way if that is what they wanted. The terminology states 'no laws with respect to the establishment of religion'. This means hands off, no laws period, pro or con with respect to the topic 'establishment of religion'.

In one direction the results are the same; there can never be a law forcing people into adherance to a religious practice. In the other direction it prohibits congress from interfering with the right of people to establish their religion(s) in the land.

This second aspect is what has caused a lot of confusion in the last couple of decades. Atheists and opposing Clerics are claiming that you have no right to establish your religion in public. So, they'd like to legislate enough government controls (The state has its hands in everything) to make you go hide in a closet if you want to pray. Ta daaa laws that restrict and interfere with the establishment of religion. This has the virtual effect of making your religion something that can't be practiced outside church. How ridiculous, your religion is designed to guide you in your behavior outside of church.
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