If they are allowed to have their way all other religions will be banned or outlawed and only the Christian religion practiced. How long will we tolerate this in a nation that was founded with the separation of church and state woven into the very fabric of the nation.
Where would it lead if they get their way? Will everyone be required to pay the church a tax? ....or officially belong to one in order to get the opportunity to cast a vote, hold office or own property? To be forced to attend services every Sunday or be ostracized from the community?
You may say it can never happen, but that was how things were when each state had their own religion. That was before a few enlightened men, some even members and pastors, saw that church and government were a wrong mix .
In 1877, New Hampshire was the last state to revoke the section stating "House of Representatives. Article 14. Amended 1877 deleting requirement that representatives be Protestants. Senate. Article 29. Amended l877 deleting requirements that senators be Protestant."
The latest figures show the majority of Americans (60% to 76%) identify themselves as Christians. Despite this seemingly high level of religiosity, only 9% of Americans in a 2008 poll said religion was the most important thing in their life, compared with 45% who said family was paramount in their life and 17% who said money and their career were paramount.
Where does that leave the rest of American society? Will they be outcasts?...... second class citizens to the evangelists? Will all other Christians be welcomed or shunned?
I feel that our forefathers had the right idea ....... to allow the freedom to choose how you worship, and to put no restrictions on it. Welcome other forms and beliefs. After all, this was a new nation with new ideas so why not let the people decide for themselves whether to pray or not? Let's try to honor their concept of religious freedom and to worship or not in the manner you see fit.
The evangelists feel that their beliefs should be forced on others, and they wish to dictate to others that they follow their teachings. They believe they should be able to tell women how to treat their bodies, and if one might have put their life in danger in childbirth they should die in order to preserve the unborn child.
This is nothing like what I was taught to believe true Christians feel. Does one condemn someone who lives another lifestyle to death or punish one for exercising a given right?
They seem to feel that they should have the authority to say if a woman has the right to birth control. Does any human have the right to dictate to another how to live one's life as long as they are not committing a crime? To create a crime where it once was accepted, simply on religious grounds, is unacceptable.
While I am not a deeply religious person, I would never think of denying a person his or her right to worship as he/she likes. I have known people of many different beliefs .... from Christian, to Muslim non-believers to Wiccan. I respect their beliefs, and find that under it all they are humans with the same desires, concerns and feelings as you and I. They just view things differently than I do.
Ask yourself if you are ready to accept an extreme religious view or do you accept that Americans have the right to choose?
No comments:
Post a Comment