North Carolina May Declare Official State Religion Under New Bill

[AlbertCat]

Republican North Carolina state legislators have proposed allowing an official state religion in a measure that would declare the state exempt from the Constitution and court rulings.

The bill, filed Monday by two GOP lawmakers from Rowan County and backed by nine other Republicans, says each state "is sovereign" and courts cannot block a state "from making laws respecting an establishment of religion." The legislation was filed in response to a lawsuit to stop county commissioners in Rowan County from opening meetings with a Christian prayer, wral.com reported.

The religion bill comes as some Republican-led states seek to separate themselves from the federal government, primarily on the issues of guns and Obamacare. This includes a proposal in Mississippi to establish a state board with the power to nullify federal laws.

The North Carolina bill's main sponsors, state Reps. Carl Ford (R-China Grove) and Harry Warren (R-Salisbury), could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, The Salisbury Post reported. Co-sponsors include House Majority Leader Edgar Starnes (R-Hickory). Another is state Rep. Larry Pittman (R-Concord), who in February introduced a state constitutional amendment that would allow for carrying concealed weapons to fight federal "tyranny."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/03/north-carolina-religion-bill_n_3003401.html


The race to the bottom continues apace!



http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022609150

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022608956

[rexcat]

1. The religious...

never cease to amaze me!

[Warpy]

2. About the only thing preventing sectarian violence in the US

is the strict separation of church and state. When any state is allowed to impose any sort of religion, the arguments over which religion and which bible start to occur and that has erupted into violence, the most notable being the Nativist Riots of 1844.

As much as these fools hate atheists, it turns out that they hate each other even more. Only by excluding them from state power have we been able to keep a lid on this stuff, something the founding fathers knew all too well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Nativist_Riots

[skepticscott]

3. The really interesting thing

will be seeing WHAT the official religion they establish will be. Will it be as broad as "Christianity" (since that would include them Catholics, who everyone knows ain't Christian)?

[Warpy]

4. There are even difference among the various Southern Baptist

congregations that would boil over into fistfights.

The founders knew what a horrible mess even declaring the country broadly Christian would make. The separation of church and state was one of the smartest things they did.

[FiveGoodMen]

5. "I was walking across a bridge one day...

... and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off.

So I ran over and said "Stop! don't do it!" "Why shouldn't I?" he said. I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!" He said, "Like what?"

I said, "Well...are you religious or atheist?" He said, "Religious." I said, "Me too!

Are you christian or buddhist?" He said, "Christian." I said, "Me too!

Are you catholic or protestant?" He said, "Protestant." I said, "Me too!

Are you episcopalian or baptist?" He said, "Baptist!" I said,"Wow! Me too!

Are you baptist church of god or baptist church of the lord?" He said, "Baptist church of god!" I said, "Me too!

Are you original baptist church of god, or are you reformed baptist church of god?" He said,"Reformed Baptist church of god!" I said, "Me too!

Are you reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?"

He said, "Reformed baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!"

I said, "Die, heretic scum", and pushed him off.

-- Emo Phillips

[backscatter712]

6. If they get power, I wonder how long until antisemitism rears its ugly head...

Right now, the fundamentalists and other extremist Christians are playing nice with the Jews (especially since these days they're under the idea that by playing nice, they can make the Rapture happen faster,) but if they get enough power to throw their weight around and a few political conditions change, I'll bet that'll change in a hurry, in a very ugly way!

[sakabatou]

7. Impending court action in 3, 2...