US better off if religion kept out of Government

the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion

Lets tax real property owned by all religious organizations. They only cost the rest of us money they should be paying. They use the services taxes of working people pay for yet contribute nothing to the cost. Religion and government should be separate. Some who are religious are OK people but many hide major prejudices and hate under the cloak of 'belief' of one sort or another. Slavery, oppression, murder and all sorts of mental problems and abberant behavior are all excused and even promoted by many religions.                    

Keep religion separate, private and out of Public life and office and we would be better off worldwide.

[RainDog]

 Now that wasn't too hard, was it?

 You actually stated your opinion, as controversial as it may be, without directly insulting any member of the forum, and you are to be commended for it.

 Admittedly, my bets were on you not being capable of it, but I have to applaud your effort. I was wrong.

 Now... I suppose the question is whether or not you can keep this up.

  Good luck!

[Jaymo]

post deleted due to having lost interest in irritating Mahonri.

[melloroadman]

Mahonni you do have a right in this country to voice your opinion but you should show wisdom and researched your beliefs before you speak so boldly .Just because I or you believe something it does not make it the truth . May God give you and you receive from Him the truth that will set you free to enjoy life .Marvin

[Big_Bill]

Hey Jeremy,

Slavery is first mentioned in 1800 B.C., in Hammurabi's Code, who was the sixth King Of Babylon, pre Muslim. It was compensation for unpaid debts, of the debtors.

Today Slavery is still practiced around the world, and exists in just about every country.

It has never been a black or white thing, just a rich or poor thing. Many of the original settlers from England brought their Indentured Servants along with them, they were debtors, working off their debts. Their debts grew, as they were charged for their food, clothing, lodging and any medical care received,while under this sentence, also any damage that they may have caused as servants.

And America was founded by people that were persecuted in Europe for their religious beliefs, mostly Protestants.

[Jaymo]

No longer interested.

[PeakChick]

It was precisely because of the religious persecution that some of the protestant settlers of our nation experienced and the long history of religious intollerance and reprehensible behavior pertperated in the name of many religions that the constructors of the U.S constitution saw fit to ensure separation of chuch and state. Religion, of any persuasion has no place in governing a nation.

[RainDog]

You sure have a lot of airguns, PeakChick.

 I'm sure glad I don't have y'all's airgun addiction problem. Me, I just want one mo... okay, TWO more and I'll be perfectly fine. All set.

 Seeya,
 Parks

 PS: I can actually think of one more I'd like, so that makes three. So three more but that's all. Then I'll quit. Y'know, unless there's like a really good deal or something...

 PPS: So what does this have to do with separation of religion and state? Nothing!

[airgun/cuz]

Mahonri,I am getting a kick out of your posts/responses,I don't know you but what you have to say makes me wonder where your dislike for people comes from,I don't want to rain on your parade by bringing up last nights remarks about crack houses being all over the U.S.,,,,,Unfortunately we live in a society where there is corruption,That does not meam that all people are crooked,Unlike N.Dakota with a population of maybe 11 people,I come from New York with a population of 19-20 million,New York City where I grew-up,population of 8-9 million about 15x more than N.Dakota,,,,,,,,YES, WITH SO MANY PEOPLE,there is more corruption.............the flip-side is that there are also more good honest non-corrupt people,,,,,I am saying this to say,most people that think the whole world is corrupt are usually involved in corruption themselves,Im 45 yrs old,for about 20 of those yrs. I had thoughts/beliefs  just as yours,I know why I had tunnel-vision,I lived a life-style much faster than most,unlike what society would consider normal/sane,,,those who weren't in my circle,kept their distance & rightfully so! The way I seen it,there was no good at all,that's what I surrounded myself with....In 1991, I had a rude awakening, after being handcuffed,beat down & thrown through a window,a light in my head went on,not because I needed over 200 stitches to sew my face & head together but because I was doomed for death........did I mention that is was the N.Y.P.D. that threw me through the window.....HOW CORRUPT IS THIS COUNTRY,when police are just as thugged-out as we were,those were my thoughts......I come from an old-fasion Italian family(Roman Catholic)..I had to change my belief,first I started with my faith & converted to Christianity & accepted CHRIST,through him I was able to change my ways,which helped me change the way I thought,within  a short-time, I was in school becoming state certified in as a substance abuse counselor,from there I saved many lives & found that most people are good & those that chose not to be,had no faith.............TO SUM THIS BOOK UP,Instead of looking at everthing through negative eyes & looking as though all is corrupt,you should look into your own eyes & ask yourself what you see.........I know it ain't HAPPINESS!

[TexasShooter72]

Ahhhhh, now this falls in the arena of my full-undivided expertise...

...which is why I am NOT going to say a single thing.

Aren't you proud of me?

Matt

[Timmyj1959@yahoo.com]

If you look up  "Good People",,, there you will see a picture of my Buddy Joe. Dont be intimidated because he is such a big ole "bruser". Joe has a heart of gold,, he would not hurt a flea,, well,, unless it bit him!!LOL!! As a certified counselor,, Joe did all he could to help my Family pertaining to my 22 year old sons drug habit,, MANY hours on the phone,, Joe even arainged to bring John to NY for treatment. Well that did not happen,, despite all our efforts,, John is back in jail now. Now,, before some MORON attacks me & my wife blameing us for Johns problems,,, our youngest baby girl (21) is driving a new car she bought on her own,, she works hard & pays for it ,, she just joined the ARMY & ships out Oct. 3. Our oldest baby (23) is newly married,, just graduated,, living in a new 3000 sq. ft. home,, with LOTS of toys!!LOL!! 2 out of 3 aint bad?? :p  Joe has become part of our Family,, me & my girls Love him & Tonya. Dam good thing we have free long distance!!He He!!  Cant wait to meet them in person,,, I gots some big hugs for em,,, hope Joe dont crack any of my ribs!! Whats this got to do with this thread??? I have NO EARTHLY IDEA!! Like Kimmie Sue said today,,, Dad,,, Ya got the Oldtimers!!LOL!!   Tim.

[TexasShooter72]

In the dictionary under "good people" you will see Timmy, Joe, Stephanie and the rest of the GTA crew.  This might also fall in my arena of expertise but onc again I'm gonna keep my mouth shut.

People put 'themselves' in compromising positions.  It has no bearing on how hard as parents we've tried.  My own parents are my best friends.  Sometimes it takes falling on our own faces before we grow-enough to start thinking on a more personable level.  At least in my own case...   the prodigal son has come home.  Took me a while...   but it takes a while somtimes to realize that the person in the mirror is the one responsible for our own actions.

Over and out!

"the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion"

Does it help those of you who can't understand very well if I put the statement in quotes?

[TCups]

Regarding slavery -  when almost every other nation in the world was actively practicing slavery or just looking the other way, Americans fought a Civil war, the bloodiest in our history, largely to end slavery. No other nation on earth has done so much.  Slavery continued on this continent and in the rest of the world long long after the slave trade was gone forever from the USA.  And yet, the "blame America first" crowd always equates "slavery" with the USA in general and with the "South" in particular.  A position of absolute ignorance of the economics of slavery and those who brought it to theses shores a few hundred years ago.

Regarding separation of Church and State, it was never meant to infer a Godless government.  "In God we trust".  It was meant to keep the "Church" from becoming a political power and then practicing state sponsored religious persecution for those of another faith or religion (or for that matter, lack of faith or religion).  Examples of the alternative are abundant throughout history (Catholic v. Protestent, Muslim v Christian, Sunni v. Shiite, and on and on and on.  

But never forget the absolute basis of American Constitutional rights.  These come from "Creationism" - "All men are created equal", and from God as the highest political power: "and are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights".  No logical argument can be made for "all humans are evolved equally, else I misunderstand the basic hypothesis of evolution.  And if there is not God in government and there is only moral relativism, then who, relatively speaking shall say what our rights are?

Any government that slips from the true intent of religious freedom and separation of church and state and adopts the position that "God (and religious faith) has no place in government" overlooks, no, denies the very foundation of America's greatness -- her Constitution and Bill of Rights, and opens the door for someone other than God to dictate what our "rights" are.  No thanks to that view.  

In God we trust.  May God bless America.  And if God ever ceases to be the highest moral authority our government answers to, then may God help us all.  Amen.

[TexasShooter72]

Okay.  I guess I'm gonna open my big mouth after-all.

The very words that speak of a separation of "church and state" were put in place for a reason.  It is a reverse-psyche attempt at encouraging everyone to believe just that.  In truth, this particular election has shown more non-separation of church and state than any other.

When a federal 9th circuit judge in California ruled that "One Nation under God" was unconstitutional it was our very own beloved President Bush that slammed it back down again.

http://www.au.org/site/DocServer/One_Nation_Under_God.pdf?docID=154

Thereby defeating the notion.  It was REVERSED.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/06/14/scotus.pledge/

Religion and Government are indeed ONE.  Religion keeps the masses in check thereby alleviating an up-rising.  Religion keeps people content.  It preaches complacency and acceptance of outside circumstances following an entourage of humility in the name of the Father.

If you want to see what's REALLY going on...

http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com

However, I have no opinion on the subject(hahahahaha...).

I don't feel like being the skapegoat for every hyper-religious fanatic who disagree's with te truth that was flushed down the western sewer a long, long time ago.