Separation of Church and State
YNT forum thread about the seperation of church and state
Lloyd and I started getting into it about the separation of church and state. I basically started the conversation saying how the Christmas displays that York used to have that were super creepy were taken down because of the separation thing (even though it wasn’t true, and I knew that).
Lloyd then began to express how separation of church and state doesn’t exist on the basis of the founding fathers establishing the country to be a Christian nation. I obviously do think that it does exist so I argued about it for a pretty long time with most of the other posters agreeing with me.
I understand the arguments that he’s making and can see that the evidence he brings is most likely true, BUT he isn’t proving the point that separation doesn’t exist. He’s just saying that our founding fathers were mostly Christian. Really? They were? I had no idea *insert some sarcasm*.
Our founding fathers were also oppressed and religiously persecuted in their original country (England). It’s not surprising that these people, who were subject to such persecution, would like to worship whomever, whenever, and however they saw fit. This was a right, an inalienable right endowed by their Creator, that they were willing to give to everyone in this new country they were starting.
It can be argued that most of the laws this country was founded upon, had some Christian philosophical undertones, but it can also be argued that the separation law was as well. The most Christian thing that a person can do is to “create disciples of all nations”, but if the recipient of that message has made up their mind or just doesn’t listen, the next Christian thing to do is to “live and let live”. It might be offensive that a person won’t hear “The Word” but it’s Christian to “turn the other cheek” and move on. They won’t let Jesus into their heart, the least Christian thing to do is to impose it on them and force them to worship God, when that’s not God’s Will. In fact, God will know that He is not in the heart of that person, and it will be for naught.
The fact is, separation of church and state exists, and I’m glad that it does. I couldn’t handle a government, that isn’t just supposed to represent me but everyone, telling me who to worship. This is my RIGHT, that was ENDOWED to me by my CREATOR.
Tags: christianity, constitution, first amendment, Religion, seperation of church and state