Separating Church And State
By James Donahue
There was good reason behind the Constitutional declaration of a clear separation of church and state. The men who hammered out that great document knew from historical experience throughout Europe that church dogma did not belong in the legal workings of fair and honest government.
Once the Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Evangelical churches got involved in the classic struggles behind the crowns, the result was devastation. Wars were fought over differences in church doctrine. “Unbelievers” were often executed for causing dissension in the king’s business. The commoners were forced to accept the teachings of whatever church the king decided was the correct one.
Advancements in science and philosophy were blocked by archaic church dogma. The wise council of men who framed the new nation in America would have none of that. They put a lot of thought into their words as they drafted the indenture by which this government would function.
Sadly, there has been a slow and methodical movement among elected state and national representatives in the United States to slip Christian theology back into the laws of the land. Since Christianity has been the predominant religion among white middle-class Americans, the vast majority of our elected representatives have gone to Washington and state capitals, sometimes with their religious believes clearly written on their sleeves. And it constantly shows up in the legislation that has been sent back to haunt us.
Thus we have long-lasting in-fighting over such issues as executions, abortion, gay rights, immigration, the teaching of evolution, prayer in schools and public places, the word’s “In God We Trust” printed on our money and even the “re-writing” of world history in school textbooks to fit the Biblical story. It has only been in recent years that women have been given similar privileges to men.
Strangely, these same elected legislators who claim a devotion to the teachings of Christ, have no problem dumping billions of tax dollars into a military for warfare and big corporations, while denying federal assistance to the poor and downtrodden. They fight against public health care, against aide to war veterans, the sick and the elderly.
The cartoonists have been having a field-day poking fun at a bearded character they call the “Republican Jesus,” who teaches the very opposite of the real Christian doctrines. Somehow the Teabag Republicans who promote these foolish ideas after spending their Sunday’s in church, are missing the point of these cartoons.
It might be a wise thing for the so-called “Christian” legislators to be required to sit down for an hour each day and read the New Testament . . . and especially the four Gospels . . . from cover to cover. They all need to be “educated” as to the REAL teachings of Jesus and never allowed to spew out in public speeches the things they want to believe Jesus said or did.
If they actually read the New Testament, they would discover that Jesus was a liberal political thinker. Some might have identified him as a “hippie socialist.” He taught such things as giving all you have to the poor before following him. He healed the sick without question as to their faith, their position in society or the cause of their ailment. He pardoned the sinners and gave comfort to the poverty stricken.
Jesus never dressed in fancy robes or wore gold jewelry. He never stood in exalted temples to teach his lessons. He was likely to be found in simple robes on a hilltop speaking to the throngs of people who were anxious to hear his every word.
Jesus never pretended to be God, or the Son of God. He was murdered because he attacked the money changers in the temple and spoke out against the false religious teachers of the day. As they are today, the religious leaders possessed the political power to have Jesus “eliminated.” To them, he was becoming a nuisance.
We challenge our elected leaders to read the real teachings of Jesus, and follow his advice. It would do them, and our nation a lot of good in these troubled times.
By James Donahue
There was good reason behind the Constitutional declaration of a clear separation of church and state. The men who hammered out that great document knew from historical experience throughout Europe that church dogma did not belong in the legal workings of fair and honest government.
Once the Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Evangelical churches got involved in the classic struggles behind the crowns, the result was devastation. Wars were fought over differences in church doctrine. “Unbelievers” were often executed for causing dissension in the king’s business. The commoners were forced to accept the teachings of whatever church the king decided was the correct one.
Advancements in science and philosophy were blocked by archaic church dogma. The wise council of men who framed the new nation in America would have none of that. They put a lot of thought into their words as they drafted the indenture by which this government would function.
Sadly, there has been a slow and methodical movement among elected state and national representatives in the United States to slip Christian theology back into the laws of the land. Since Christianity has been the predominant religion among white middle-class Americans, the vast majority of our elected representatives have gone to Washington and state capitals, sometimes with their religious believes clearly written on their sleeves. And it constantly shows up in the legislation that has been sent back to haunt us.
Thus we have long-lasting in-fighting over such issues as executions, abortion, gay rights, immigration, the teaching of evolution, prayer in schools and public places, the word’s “In God We Trust” printed on our money and even the “re-writing” of world history in school textbooks to fit the Biblical story. It has only been in recent years that women have been given similar privileges to men.
Strangely, these same elected legislators who claim a devotion to the teachings of Christ, have no problem dumping billions of tax dollars into a military for warfare and big corporations, while denying federal assistance to the poor and downtrodden. They fight against public health care, against aide to war veterans, the sick and the elderly.
The cartoonists have been having a field-day poking fun at a bearded character they call the “Republican Jesus,” who teaches the very opposite of the real Christian doctrines. Somehow the Teabag Republicans who promote these foolish ideas after spending their Sunday’s in church, are missing the point of these cartoons.
It might be a wise thing for the so-called “Christian” legislators to be required to sit down for an hour each day and read the New Testament . . . and especially the four Gospels . . . from cover to cover. They all need to be “educated” as to the REAL teachings of Jesus and never allowed to spew out in public speeches the things they want to believe Jesus said or did.
If they actually read the New Testament, they would discover that Jesus was a liberal political thinker. Some might have identified him as a “hippie socialist.” He taught such things as giving all you have to the poor before following him. He healed the sick without question as to their faith, their position in society or the cause of their ailment. He pardoned the sinners and gave comfort to the poverty stricken.
Jesus never dressed in fancy robes or wore gold jewelry. He never stood in exalted temples to teach his lessons. He was likely to be found in simple robes on a hilltop speaking to the throngs of people who were anxious to hear his every word.
Jesus never pretended to be God, or the Son of God. He was murdered because he attacked the money changers in the temple and spoke out against the false religious teachers of the day. As they are today, the religious leaders possessed the political power to have Jesus “eliminated.” To them, he was becoming a nuisance.
We challenge our elected leaders to read the real teachings of Jesus, and follow his advice. It would do them, and our nation a lot of good in these troubled times.