Thomas Jefferson said it: In a letter he wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802, he clearly stated,
"The legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state."
What can be more emphatic than that? And his letter was addressed to a religious group. Jefferson's letter ranks with the Federalist Papers as a foundation intended by our founding fathers. He was of course referring to the First Amendment--the Amendment now under attack by the Bush Administration.
Europe has adopted Jeffersonian wisdom while the Bush administration has moved away from our founding fathers' philosophy, touting the phrase "strict constructionism" as cover for their propaganda. Never mind that history, not just Tom Jefferson, teaches that governance by any religion is a government doomed to fail in due course. Secular governance simply works better; it is democratic; it frees the potential of humanity. Secular governance is not without problems. It just works better.
Equally worrisome is the fact that Justice Scalia and his cohorts see Jefferson as being wrong. Never mind that the whole of Islam is in turmoil over religion, that Islam and Christianity each have two mainstream branches, that Buddhism, Confucianism and Hinduism have long and remarkable histories for peaceful-living and co-existence. Why have the three monotheisms essentially been at war since Mohammed's day--nearly 14 centuries--without bringing peace?
What are the PROS and CONS of governance by religion?
If you are "PRO," what are we missing?
Which sect should govern?
Whose god is God?
If you are "CON," what are your reasons?
Why has secular governance worked better?
Is secular governance really immoral?
Has it always been so?
If you are "PRO," what are we missing?
Which sect should govern?
Whose god is God?
If you are "CON," what are your reasons?
Why has secular governance worked better?
Is secular governance really immoral?
Has it always been so?
Posted by RoadToPeace on Wednesday, August 17, 2005.
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