Separation of Church and State is a Basic Christian Doctrine
By Jim McMeans
http://www.crossleft.org/?q=node/2529
[excerpt]
I wrote the following article, The Origin of the Principle of the
Separation of Church and State, in the hope it might be helpful in
informing Americans that there is more than one religious viewpoint on
the issue of Church and State separation.
Many individuals who argue for the elimination or modification of the
principle of the Separation of Church and State believe they are
upholding basic Christian doctrines and principles. Seemingly, they
argue on the behalf of all Christians. However, many Christians
throughout history have advocated the strict separation of Church and
State and this predates the U. S. constitution by nearly two thousand
years. In my opinion and based on the available evidence, the
principle of the separation of church and state was originated by the
earliest Christians. The article, which I published on this site many
months ago and have updated based on comments from the members, gives
a brief history of the principle from the point of view or perspective
of those Christians who are firm believers in the strict separation
of Church and State.
Also, in the debate over the constitutionality of certain laws on the
federal level, many conservatives often refer to the necessity to
adhere to a policy of Strict Constructionism, or in other words, a
strict interpretation of the constitution guided by the concept of
"original intent." That is, what did the founders intend when writing
that particular section of the constitution or amendment. Many strict
constructionists believe that the laws and policies of the country
should not stray from the exact written words of the document. In
order to interpret vague passages, they consult the constitutional
debates and supporting documents.
My own belief is that many conservatives who espouse this policy are
in fact being politically expedient, picking and choosing from the
constitution when it supports their pre-conceived beliefs and
ignoring the constitution when it contradicts them. This is best
demonstrated in the controversy over the separation of church and
state, where the constitutional facts overwhelming support strict
separation. Instead, these individuals tend to use misleading
phrases, such as, "The exact words `separation of church and state' do
not appear in the constitution."
Be that as it may, conservatives and conservative Christians who
oppose the principle of the separation of church and state are
looking at the wrong document when they consult the written words of
the constitution for guidance or try to interpret what the founders of
this country's original intentions were on this issue. I submit that
Christians should first attempt to discern the original intentions of
the founders of Christianity, by consulting the New Testament, the
known history of the period and any other early writings that can be
traced to the first two hundred years of the new religion. If the
founders of Christianity adhered to the principle of the separation
of church and state, then the original intentions of the founders of
the United States are less relevant. Since, in actuality the two sets
of founders are in accord, this should put the issue to rest, at
least as far as Christians are concerned.
The article is also posted at http://www.crossleft.org/?q=node/2529
The Origin of the Principle of the Separation of Church and State
The issue of the Separation of Church and State is constantly in the
news because of the efforts by some individuals to erect Ten
Commandment monuments or plaques in courthouses, to place Nativity
Scenes and Christmas Trees on public property, as well as the issue of
the appropriateness of specifically Christian prayer at government or
public meetings and in public places. Many people who advocate these
practices point out that the specific words "separation of church and
state" are not in the U.S Constitution.
In my opinion, the main reason why Christians should support the
principle of the strict separation of church and state is that this
principle is a basic, fundamental Christian doctrine held by numerous
believers since the founding of Christianity. See the specific
examples listed in the paragraphs below. If one believes the accepted
Christian chronology and accepts this premise, then it can be said
that the concept of the separation of church and state predates the
constitution by roughly 1750-1800 years. Therefore, there is little
need for Christians to concern themselves with the more recent
opinions of James Madison or Thomas Jefferson on the matter or with
what constitutes proper constitutional interpretation, though it
certainly wouldn't hurt to educate oneself on those important points
of American history. For Christians, it should only be necessary to
study the early history of Christianity to arrive at the proper
conclusion on the subject.
[end exzcerpt]
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You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
American Theocrats - Past and Present
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocrats.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads [Virginia] SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members, there are members from
all over the US and a couple from overseas as well]
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.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
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USAF LT. COL (Ret) Buffman (Glen P. Goffin) wrote
"You pilot always into an unknown future;
facts are your only clue. Get the facts!"
That philosophy 'snipit' helped to get me, and my crew, through a good
many combat missions and far too many scary, inflight, emergencies.
It has also played a significant role in helping me to expose the
plethora of radical Christian propaganda and lies that we find at
almost every media turn.
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THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
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