Old Glory's NEW LOOK — circa 2012?Let's begin with an almost universally recognized fact about United States history — religious freedom!
Those original colonists came here looking for an escape from the religious zealotry that was part of their lives in England. It had become an overbearing, oppressive arm of the government, and a method for subjugating the population.
Now, just a bit more than two centuries after the birth of our nation, we are once again in danger of being subjected to malignant thinking that seeks to enslave our population. And, this is in spite of the careful efforts of our founding fathers who did everything they could to protect us from such abuse ever happening again.
Our constitution specifically articulates the complete separation of church and state. It prohibits "any religious test" from being applied to candidates for public political office. Yet, look at the number of times we hear of candidates invoking religion as the basis of their campaigns. One popular candidate actually suggested altering our constitution to bring it more "in line" with the "devine teachings" of the bible!
What do you think would happen if anyone suggested that democratic principles be applied to the governance of the churches? "Let the people vote on what is sinful and what isn't!" (How long do you think it would take for the citizens to banish some things they didn't like?)
Of course, this is fueled largely by the agony of abortion and the Roe v. Wade decision in our supreme court three decades ago. And, for the last thirty some years, that court has consisted largely of conservative judges who were appointed by republican presidents. And still, Roe v. Wade has been upheld! (Oddly enough, the citizens who want a total ban on all abortions are same people who are widely in favor of capital punishment.) And, after that hurdle is cleared, I can foresee these missionaries deciding whether judaism, hinduism, and numerous other beliefs are "acceptable" in a country that prints "In God We Trust" on its currency.
Here's a (rather obvious and refreshing) thought regarding religious freedom:
You simply cannot claim that religious freedom exists unless you also grant citizens the right to choose no religion at all! None!
