May 25, 2014 8:16 AM

Freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom FROM religion...amiright??

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the town of Greece, New York did not violate the Constitution by opening its public meetings with prayers, even though the vast majority the chaplains involved were Christian. How would smug Christians feel if they lived in a nation where they were members of a religious minority?

If I’ve written it once, I’ve written it a thousand times: America isn’t a Christian nation; it’s a secular nation with an 80% Christian majority. Read the Constitution (Exclusion Clause, 1st Amendment). And the Treaty of Tripoli.

Of course, repeating something doesn’t mean that people will believe you if they’ve convinced themselves otherwise. I could talk about the separation of Church and State or the Exclusion Clause or the Treaty of Tripoli until I’m blue in the face, but those convinced God’s a Republican and created America in Her image aren’t going to care. And they don’t. Their faith in God ipso facto proves that America’s a Christian nation that She favors over all others. If that isn’t the very definition of ignorance and hubris, I don’t know what would be…but it’s the way too many in that 80% majority think. When you believe that yours is the One, True, and Only Faith, everything else is just make-believe.

Throughout our history, the separation of Church and State has ensured that public government meetings were free from prayer and other religious observances some might find divisive. It’s been about the business of governing, not proselytizing or advancing the interests of the majority religion. Then Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy decided that public prayer is acceptable because it “adds an air of gravity” to the proceedings. What could possibly go wrong, eh? I could argue that sacrificing a goat (or a virgin) would accomplish the same thing, but why make Kennedy’s rationalization of state-sponsored religion any sillier an more offensive than it already is?

The question begging to be answered here is where to draw the line. If you allow prayer at public meetings, which prayers are allowable? If non-Christians are present, do you also allow them to offer a prayer? Or do you limit it to Christian prayer, because…well, because ‘Merica’s a Christian nation, don’tchaknow?

Those who oppose the separation of Church and State may think they’ve won a huge victory for religion- THEIR religion. What they’ve failed to take into account is that theirs is not the only religion on the theological spectrum. What happens when a Hindu, a Jew, a Zoroastrian, or yes, even a Satanist demand equal time…and if you allow equal time, are you prepared for the prayers to drone on interminably? Do you allow everyone to offer a prayer…or do you limit it to your own religion (i.e.- Christianity) because you’re in America and it’s what Jesus would do?

Ah, but prayer “adds an air or gravity” to the proceedings, doesn’t it?

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on May 25, 2014 8:16 AM.

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