Is America a Christian Theocracy?

[Pakuni]

And don't even bring up Leviticus.

You better not be mixing fabrics,  buddy.

[tower912]

Or eating most kinds of meat.

[Skatastrophy]

Good to see that the ACLU is suing Louisiana for being on bullchit

[dgies9156]

We are a Christian-based society. Our laws come from the respect that Christianity professes toward the value of an individual. Not killing, not stealing, not lying for example, are certainly Biblically-based and part of the fabric of American society. So yes, the foundation of Christianity forms the foundation of our legal system and the basis for the human rights we espouse as a country.

That said, I have a BIG problem with the notion of hanging the Ten Commandments in a classroom. We don't endorse religion in this country -- or at least we try not to.

As a practicing Roman Catholic growing up in what was then the Buckle of the Bible Belt (Nashville), the fundamentalist Christians truly forced their beliefs on us. In the early 1960s, before the Warren Court outlawed it, public school children were praying out loud every morning. Didn't matter whether the children were those of Brother MU 82, Islamic, Jewish or, God forbid and worst of all -- Catholic! You prayed (of course, we did too because I went to Catholic Schools, but that was a choice my parents made).

The Southern Church of Christ and Southern Baptists frowned on consumption of alcoholic beverage. So guess what? Until 1967, Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County was D-R-Y, dry! Yeah, the capital of bachelorette parties had almost no place where an individual could buy a drink. And getting wine and spirits was a complex and often time-consuming process. Sumner County, home of Hendersonville and Gallatin, was the same way. It was religious organizations trying to evangelize through the law.

Look, I'm comfortable as a Catholic and I'll talk to anyone who wants to listen about it. But, let people be. Churches have the right and the obligation to teach the Word. But there's a line to be drawn at forcing people to practice your rituals. It makes those of us who don't share your view but are compelled to act uncomfortable and ultimately, angry.

Best thing that could happen in Louisiana is that those who espouse the values of the Ten Commandments lead by example and live by them. It will do far more to foster the word of God than posting some BS plaque in a classroom.

[Pakuni]

We are a Christian-based society. Our laws come from the respect that Christianity professes toward the value of an individual. Not killing, not stealing, not lying for example, are certainly Biblically-based and part of the fabric of American society. So yes, the foundation of Christianity forms the foundation of our legal system and the basis for the human rights we espouse as a country.

These are in no way uniquely Christian values.
And to the contrary, many of the Founders were deeply skeptical of religion and worked to eliminate it from government institutions.

https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/02/living/america-christian-nation/index.html

[dgies9156]

These are in no way uniquely Christian values.

I never said they were.

[Skatastrophy]

These are in no way uniquely Christian values.
And to the contrary, many of the Founders were deeply skeptical of religion and worked to eliminate it from government institutions.

https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/02/living/america-christian-nation/index.html

Yeah agreed, but dgies point still stands.: The US' cultural power is in the plurality of religions and backgrounds of its people. No matter where our shared framework of morals and values originates, we agreed from the beginning not to codify any religion into our nation's laws.

[Pakuni]

I never said they were.

I apologize if I misunderstood your post.

[MU82]

Best thing that could happen in Louisiana is that those who espouse the values of the Ten Commandments lead by example and live by them. It will do far more to foster the word of God than posting some BS plaque in a classroom.

That's the gospel truth right there, my brother.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

NCMUFan

I agree completely. That would not offend me and I would wonder who the idiot was that put it up. I am not easily offended and that poster would not move my needle, other than to make me chuckle.

I don't think you are answering the right question. The real question is if Wisconsin passed a law stating that every public school classroom must display a poster that said "God does not exist", would it move your needle? That's the apple to apple comparison, not some random poster in a single classroom.

[Hards Alumni]

I think you mean the illegal immigrants. Waitin' on da BOTUS lettin' in da Palestinians next, hey?

The door should be open to anyone.

[Hards Alumni]

nm covered

[MU82]

I don't think you are answering the right question. The real question is if Wisconsin passed a law stating that every public school classroom must display a poster that said "God does not exist", would it move your needle? That's the apple to apple comparison, not some random poster in a single classroom.

True. Thanks for amplifying what I said, TAMU.

I used similar wording as NCMU did in his silly hypothetical pretending that we never heard of the ten commandments. But yours is the apples-to-apples comparison, and Christians would go absolutely bonkers if Wisconsin (or any state) passed a law requiring an atheist phrase be displayed in every classroom.

And I wouldn't blame them.

Such a law would be clearly unconstitutional, as the Louisiana law is.

[Goose]

TAMU

If that happened in WI I would believe it must reflect the beliefs of more than 50% of the population and accept it. That said, I would think more than 50% of the population were idiots.

I have my beliefs and it would take a great deal to really move my needle. That said, it would make question the state of mankind if that was the case.

[The Sultan]

TAMU

If that happened in WI I would believe it must reflect the beliefs of more than 50% of the population and accept it. That said, I would think more than 50% of the population were idiots.

The entire point of the Bill of Rights is to protect the rights of the citizens from the government. Hanging the poster that TAMU mentioned, or the Ten Commandments, is clearly a case of a government entity engaging in the establishment of a religion in violation of the first amendment.  It doesn't matter if 1%...or 51%...or 99% agree with it. It's unconstitutional.

[21Jumpstreet]

The separation of church and state is a grand myth, but this is too blatant for most to ignore. It will likely be overturned, but it might not be the slam dunk it should be.

And, neither the Bible nor Christianity are the basis of our laws and constitution. Neither created them nor truly and entirely live by them. That Moses line is pure gold...en calf.

[MU82]

The entire point of the Bill of Rights is to protect the rights of the citizens from the government. Hanging the poster that TAMU mentioned, or the Ten Commandments, is clearly a case of a government entity engaging in the establishment of a religion in violation of the first amendment.  It doesn't matter if 1%...or 51%...or 99% agree with it. It's unconstitutional.

Yep. The framers went out of their way to make sure America isn't purely a majority-rules nation. The Ellectoral College is a classic example. Again, we either follow the Constitution or we don't.

The separation of church and state is a grand myth, but this is too blatant for most to ignore. It will likely be overturned, but it might not be the slam dunk it should be.

And, neither the Bible nor Christianity are the basis of our laws and constitution. Neither created them nor truly and entirely live by them. That Moses line is pure gold...en calf.

All true, but this really has nothing to do with the separation of church and state. It has to do with the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Unfortunately, lots of Americans want to skip right past No. 1 and get to their favorite Amendment, the one with the vague reference to a well-regulated militia.

[rocky_warrior]

I'm not sure why you thought it was a good idea to start this topic?