Hear hear, Kyle. That's a beautifully-explained position, and I'm glad you shared with us what you think and why you think it. I'm a writing teacher, and I'd have to say there'd be few opportunities to improve upon that...we call those "thanks for the ride" papers. Scott ----- Original Message ----- From: Cleveland, Kyle E. <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 7:41 AM Subject: Re: Dang! > Ok, I'm going to go out on a soapbox hanging off a limb here too (though > I'll probably have a spasm and fall off). > > Most of you know where I stand faith-wise so you'll be surprised when I say > that I am a staunch supporter of the separation of church and state. It's > only because of that separation that I have the freedom to practice my > faith. Any attempt by the "religious right" to create even the most minimal > of theocracies should be opposed with vigor. > > I believe what I believe because the logic of my faith seems overwhelming to > me, but it no way was acceptance of that faith forced upon me by government > fiat. I believe that our "founding fathers" (a phrase become trite through > overuse)in no wise ever advocated the co-mingling of government and faith. > For one thing, it's not the government's place to legislate morality. A > moral code is an agreed upon lifestyle between mankind and his maker, or, if > you don't believe in a "maker", mankind and his society. > > One's moral code is an individual and personal script. If the government > gets in the business of legislating the finer points between right and > wrong, who's to say that my personal code won't be legislated away? > > As far as the "Christian Right" is concerned, they need to become more > familiar with their own sacred texts. The theocracy of Israel ended with > the temple veil being torn at Jesus' crucifixion. The implication was that > at that point in time an individual's relationship with God became personal > and not national. These folks would be well served by remembering this most > basic element of their Christian faith. > > From Constantine to the Crusades to the Inquisition to modern day Islam, we > have a pretty good precedent for what happens when you mix the two > "unmentionables": religion & politics. > > Stumbling from soapbox > > -Kyle > > > -----Original Message----- > From: BG Greer, PhD [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 8:44 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Dang! > > > Deri, > > I would be terrified if the Christian Right would have power over our > government. I say more power because in the Bush Administration, we are a > close as we ever have been to that state. The same goes for other extremists > such > as Shiites. If we have gotten rid of Saddam Hussein(and we can't even say > for > certain we have done so) to be replaced by a Shiite theocracy; we have done > a > grave disservice to Iraq. Another tenet of our government is the separation > of > church and state. A theocracy as I understand it, is a government premised > on > certain religgious beliefs. What I know about Muslims and Iraq comes from my > son in law who is Lebanese and who gave me a Muslim 101 just recently. > > Bobby >