No seperation of Church and State?

[BeFree]

That's what the Radically Regressive fundies would have us believe.

If that is true, then why is it that churches do not pay taxes?

[judge_smales]

1. Who says this??

You'd have to be pretty far out to be suggesting that. Is there somebody peddling that today?

[BeFree]

5. Hey Judge

Uhhh... we've been hearing about 'No church & State separation' for some time now. Haven't heard it today, but IIRC, the last time I heard it was when Judge Moore was tring to Hang Ten in an Alabama courthouse.

Far out, eh? Never thought I'd hear a Judge say that. LOL

[ithacan]

7. Republican party says this

The Texas Republican Party Platform, 2002:

"Christian Nation – The Republican Party of Texas reaffirms the United States of America is a Christian nation, which was founded on fundamental Judeo-Christian principles based on the Holy Bible."

"Our Party pledges to do everything within its power to restore the original intent of the First Amendment of the United States and dispel the myth of the separation of Church and State."
http://www.texasgop.org/library/RPTPlatform2002.pdf

Also:

William Pryor, Bush's nominee for the 11th circuit court of appeals said in a speech that the First Amendment does not mandate "a strict separation of church and state."

Tom DeLay, House Majority leader, speaking at a luncheon in July, 2001 called the Faith Based Initiative a way of:

"standing up and rebuking this notion of separation of church and state that has been imposed upon us over the last 40 or 50 years."

http://www.theocracywatch.org/separation_church_state2.htm

This is a mainstream line in a major part of the GOP. Don't dismiss it. Especially since every one of the GOP leaders in Congress is a religious right person...

For more on how the GOP has been taken over by the religious right, see http://www.theocracywatch.org/

[booley]

2. depends on yoru definition of "respect"

The RR likes to say that the founding fathers only wante dot keep the state from froming a chruch.

but the first ammendment reads..no law "respecting" an establishment of religion.

according to my dictionary, respect means pertaining to or giving deference to.

In other words, the government isn't suppoed to show deference or favorable treatment towards an establishment of religion.

I think it safe to assume that the word meant the same thing 200 years ago. I mean, why would the founding fathers, who obvioulsy knew english, use a word that didn't mean what they wanted to say?

Then you have the little detail that jefferson and Madison (who wrote that part of the constitution) both used the term. One would assume they would know what they meant.

[YNGW]

4. Meaning

It's pretty clear they didn't want the State to also be the head of a certain faith, i.e. English Throne and Church of England relationship.

[izzie]

6. Well you could check and see if the word meant that then.

But I do not think the founders wanted any church getting into the business of govt. Those people knew it sort of first hand. After all, in the name of God giving power was pretty common for rulers at the time this country came along.I want church and state to be far apart.

[DrWeird]

3. That's a pretty unamerican thing to say.

They hate us for our freedoms.

[bobbieinok]

8. see David Barton thread - he's the one pushing this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1078690