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

To: one_less who wrote (80214)	1/19/2004 11:03:00 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 82486

they were ALL FOR establishing religion in this country, just not a govt controlled religion. Jewel, that's what "establishment" of religion means--a government controlled religion. Different religions free to do their own thing is anti-establishment.

To: one_less who wrote (80214)	1/27/2004 1:12:29 PM
From: Solon	Respond to of 82486

"they were ALL FOR establishing religion in this country, just not a govt controlled religion." NO. They (as a judicial body) were for the freedom to be FREE of ANY State sponsored religion, and to worship OR NOT according to their own election. Their primary concern was to avoid a Christian theocracy (which in a democracy would permit any theocracy in principle). Thus we have the Establishment Clause as well as the following: "No religious Test shall ever be required as a qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States" (Constitution, Art. 6., Sec. 3.). As to their individual beliefs in a variety of Christian sects, in Deism, agnosticism, and so forth...it bears neither on the political wisdom nor on the intent of the Constitution--such being the preservation of freedom of thought, and the eternal vigilance against the tendency (indeed, the inevitability) of Absolutist religious movements to be authoritarian and brutal when endowed with sufficient power. Freedom of thought cannot coexist with religious authoritarianism and exclusivity.