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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DMaA who wrote (72830)	8/21/2003 10:57:18 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

This does NOT mesh with posting the commandments in courtrooms. Much of the religiosity in public life came AFTER the founders- during many of the periods of religious revivalism. Our founding fathers were averse to combining state and church. They were very averse to it, and the written record is replete with evidence of their concern. They would probably be working with the ACLU if they were alive today. They were radical men of vision, and not men enamored with the status quo. If our founding fathers had been into the status quo, we would have remained a colony of Britain: God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group or denomination should be favored by the state more than others. Civil government being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to render loyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed will of God. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on its work. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for the pursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties for religious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxes for the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free state is the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free and unhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to form and propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference by the civil power. (emphasis added).