Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
An Ethical Christian
Who would have thought? An Christian ethicist who's actually - ethical.
[link] Americans are besieged by lies about the relationship of church and state, Brent Walker insisted during the Maston Christian Ethics Lectures at Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon School of Theology, April 10-11.
“The lies I want to talk about are particularly insidious, because … most of them have at least a grain of truth in them,†said Walker, executive director of the Washington-based Baptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty. “That’s what makes them so hard to answer with a sound bite or a clever slogan.â€
Two kinds of people perpetuate the lies, he said. “People who should know better†sometimes spread them intentionally, and “well-intentioned souls who simply have been misled†sometimes repeat them “with a pure heart and the best of motives.â€
Walker goes on to detail his top ten list of the biggest lies and misunderstandings about the separation of church and state.
[link] • “The United States is a Christian nation.â€
“This is a whopper!†he contended. “The United States of America is not a Christian nation—in law or in fact.â€
Although no one can deny the nature of Americans as a religious people, the Constitution is a secular document, he said.
“We do not have a Christian theocracy,†Walker explained. “We have a constitutional democracy in which all religious beliefs are protected.
“And that’s good. The same Constitution that refuses to privilege any religion, including Christianity, protects the rights of Christians to proclaim the gospel to all who will listen. As a result, paradoxically enough, we are a nation of Christians because we are not a Christian nation.â€
Very nicely stated. The rest are also very well done. I found myself agreeing with his arguments, and seeing my own thoughts and opinions on the separation of church and state, the First Amendment, and religious freedom in America echoed back at me from a Christian ethicist.
I have to say, it was kind of weird. Heh.
If Christians in America could just listen and understand what Brent Walker is telling them, we'd be in a better position as a nation.
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Treaty of Tripoli
" “This is a whopper!†he contended. “The United States of America is not a Christian nation—in law or in fact.â€
Although no one can deny the nature of Americans as a religious people, the Constitution is a secular document, he said.
“We do not have a Christian theocracy,†Walker explained. “We have a constitutional democracy in which all religious beliefs are protected. "
All you need to do is consult the Treaty of Tripoli. It was written under President Washington. Its text was unanimously approved by the Senate. It was embraced by then-president John Adams. It says, "...the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion...." From its inception, the US' secularity couldn't have been more clear.
Yes...
The Constitution protects freedom of religious expression. It's also true that the predominating religion in the US is Christianity.
Isn't this all pretty clear - or have I missed something?
So True
Many christians w/ whom I speak 'bout this stuff do understand Walker's points. Most of them don't want to bother dealing with other christian's wanton ignorance about it any more than atheists do.
Nutter Pride is the real party pooper for all concerned.
And Thx bro.
a personally evolving organism
Yep.
I think that at times we (the generic "we" meaning "us human folks") tend to focus more on the fringes than the boring middle. Hello? National Enquirer? Jerry Springer? Professional Wrestling? Nascar? Heh.
YW, brother.