| Topic: |
Sociology > Education |
| User: |
"" |
| Date: |
13 Dec 2005 07:21:01 AM |
| Object: |
Welcome wall, don't fear it (David Barton Info ) |
Welcome wall, don't fear it (David Barton Info )
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/1205/13ednewatt.html
Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription) - GA,USA
Religious leaders abuse trust with political views
By AMBER BRESTLE
Published on: 12/13/05
On Sunday, I attend church, like so many other Atlantans. But at one
particular service, a guest speaker, David Barton, spoke. Throughout his
biased and at times blatantly false presentation, I sat in disbelief.
For those who do not know, Barton is the founder of a group called Wall
Builders. He travels to various places and delivers a speech in which he
uses his historical documents to "prove" that our Founding Fathers never
intended there to be a separation of church and state.
Throughout his presentation, he also attempts to demonize the Democratic
Party and to convince churchgoers that it would be a sin not to support
Republicans. This is utterly ridiculous.
First, the framers of our Constitution thought separation of two major
establishments, religion and government, was so integral to the well-being
of the United States they made it the first item on the Bill of Rights. At
one point in his presentation, Barton stated that Thomas Jefferson intended
the wall of separation between church and state to be "one-directional,"
prohibiting the government from running churches but ensuring government
operates by Christian principles.
Jefferson clarifies the meaning of the First Amendment in his famous letter
to the Danbury Baptists: "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act
of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should
'make no law regarding an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church
and State."
I have never encountered a wall that is one-directional, and I don't
believe Jefferson ever did, either. The man who was one of the most
talented penmen in American history specifically used the word "wall" for a
reason; he believed it to be the best fit in describing the suitable
relationship between religion and government.
Barton tries to make the Republican Party sound as though it is the
righteous party of America. God gave humans the ability to decipher wrong
from right. Instead of blindly following one party, as Barton and many
churches try to suggest, why not employ the God-given abilities of decision
making and intellect to get educated on issues and vote accordingly?
There is no righteous political party. They are created and made up of men,
not God. This used to be clear to the religious leaders of America, but now
they have started to abuse the trust given to them by their followers and
the power granted to them by God. They abuse this trust every time they try
to persuade their congregation to vote for a specific political party and
lead their sheep in believing that it is against God to do anything but.
That Sunday in church, I realized how important wisdom, intellect and
personal spiritual insight are to Christians and Americans. They are the
divine abilities instilled in all people so that they will never be misled.
I encourage every reader to research the efforts of Barton and the
opposing views to employ those gifts given to you by God
**************************************************************
Posting and reading from alt.politics.usa.constitution OR alt.education
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 U.S. and a couple from overseas as well]
***************************************************************
.. . . 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)
.. . .
****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
****************************************************************
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