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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: estatemakr who wrote (44156)	12/6/2007 2:53:31 PM
From: Cogito	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541369

Estatemakr - I'm going to offer my responses to a couple of the excerpts you quoted from Romney's speech. >>"It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it's usually a sound rule to focus on the latter — on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people." I agree with the first part of the paragraph. However, the last sentence is pure pandering to the religious right. What I take from that sentence is that he doesn't think the US should have any policy that religious Christians wouldn't agree with. "We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America — the religion of secularism. They are wrong." I disagree. Religion is indeed a private matter, and secularism is not a religion. Estatemakr, you said, "While we separate church and state, this nation was founded by people seeking religious freedom, and with deep religious conviction. To remove God from recognition by society would be to go against the beliefs of the founding fathers of our nation." It is true that a small number of Puritans were among the first settlers in the US, and they did come here to escape religious persecution. But they weren't the people who founded the nation. They only established a few settlements. The last of the Puritan emigrants arrived in approximately 1642. More than a hundred and fifty years later, the majority of the men who wrote our Constitution and founded our nation were Deists. They believed in a Divine Creator, but did not think that the Creator had any interest in or influence on the daily lives of men. They did not believe the Bible was the word of God. They were not Christians. That's probably why the words God, Jesus, Bible, and Christian appear nowhere in the Constitution. I am referring to Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine, etc. Those who claim that this nation was founded on Christian principles are simply interpreting history to suit themselves. By the way, nobody is suggesting removing God from recognition by society. That would violate the principle of religious freedom. The question concerns what the government does, not society at large. I do agree that Romney helped himself with this speech. He wanted to lay the fears of the religious right to rest, and I'm sure he has at least partially succeeded in doing that. But he certainly didn't convince me that he really understands what the separation of Church and State is all about. - Allen