#26 = Separation of Church and State

[BritishSnail]

I give thanks that God's One Universal Holy Catholic Church remains protected from corruptions of man. Hallelujah and thanks be to God!

[twkfilmmaker]

kailab, you and I very much need to have a conversation, not to argue but to converse on our apparent similarities. i very much look forward to your next update

[kailabreece]

@twkfilmmaker I'd be honored. Sorry for the extended delay on a new video... I will work on one soon and try to begin doing a monthly release. Thanks for the support and interest. It makes it all the more fun :)

[mellifluouschinook]

this is ... 'what do you know?'

I'll answer like one of million americans...

"well , its one of those things where.."

in other words.. its an excuse to ignore a direct conflict.. which makes sense... a civil war did separate, state and state, federal government and foreign government and state...not to mention brother against brother and cousin against cousin...

but then the rich would have to work instead of living on credit

[mellifluouschinook]

" my question is to my fellow intellectuals is..." "what is meant by seperation of church and state..should ther be such a seperation, and ist the church itself by its very nature ...A state?

stop there! have the native americans been granted the same rights, dignities, and 'law' as a state? the answer is no. so the answer to the question about the church should also be NO!

the christians enjoy an unfair and biased superiority in public policy and

[mellifluouschinook]

...american society due to their version of a 'god' and so, obtain an unfair use of the constitution via a modern demonstrative interpretation of the US constitution

[kailabreece]

Interesting points friend.

[kailabreece]

Good points friend.

[lexrex3]

The Church of England was the official state religion in England and the Catholic Church in Rome (The Holy Roman Emperor). The colonists who came to America wanted freedom from any official State Religion, i.e., they came to America for religious freedom. Hence, the first amendment clearly states the govt. shall not be involved in matters of one's personal religious beliefs.

[oedivelgoog]

Separation of Church and State is only the misleading title of the issue.

The actual issue is no external organization should have authority over the US & State governments nor receive special favor from them. And that the government should not have authority over any person unless explicitly designated in its charter

This includes all special programs to people (welfare), corporations (special laws/kick-backs, etc), industry subsidizing, lobbying, PACs, bank bailouts, UN, WHO, etc.

[oedivelgoog]

--- Fully Separate Church and State ---

I am a member of a Church first and as such I should not be taxed by the State.

Taxation on me by the state is crossing over into the Church authority; thus government is violating the separation principle.

Nor should the laws of the state override the laws of the Church. --------

Isnt it odd how this issue is never about separating church and state?

Instead it is always just hate speech against Christians.

[kailabreece]

"government is violating the separation principle"

- Not sure I follow you friend. However, It is appearent you take your faith seriously

Religion has not been a governing system since the theocracies and monarchies of the age of faith... not exactly a time of laws or enlightened philosophies.

"crossing over into the Church authority"

- The church authority? Are you referring to tithing?

What do you mean by "fully separate church and state?"

[citizenschallenge]

lk,

By doing your best to make sure the goof ball gets as few votes as possible

[loktkey]

Yes there should be, but there really isn't. How could you tell a preacher that he can't be president?

[loktkey]

The separation essentially means that the government has no control over the religion. There is no real independence of religion from politics, rather politics is unable to do anything in regard to the freedoms of religion. There is no real political science to this "separation" as opposed to its being more of a social convenience. The document you refer to is actually around 280 pages you have mentioned the first paragraph, there is also a tax status that incurs a special deduction.

[kailabreece]

I'm not familiar with the rest of the document, but I am NOT in support of ANY tax breaks for religions that "appear" to be making tons of cash or bring politics into their ministry!

[edthescienceguy]

When are we going to stop using a book of fantasies to make our laws.

Whats next,slavery is back, women lose their rights and adulterers get stoned.THE BIBLE DOES NOT BELONG IN OUR GOVERNMENT.

If you want to beleive in god/ allah/zeus/jesus/harrypotter do it in your freakin house.

[oedivelgoog]

Hello Ed....

Slavery in America never left.

Read the US Constitution.

Amend 13: Neither slavery....except as punishment for a crime, shall exist within the US

Flat out says it is still legal in the USA for the government to own slaves!

Maybe we haven't evolved into that superhuman as much as you thought

It has only been 200+ years since America was founded based on Biblical principles.

I wonder what those silly fantasy pseudoscience books you worship say about that.

[jesseakers]

Freedom=Liberty=individual sovereignty- we cannot have that with big gov. America was/is great because we have managed to remain free from serfdom- from the masses answering to the elite- This is a country where the Government is suppose to be the employee of the people- this is why we are free- Free to live in Liberalville or Conservative City- Free to practice Religion 24/7- and free to not practice it at all- No matter what we do lets do it in freedom!!!!!!!!!

[jesseakers]

If i live in an area of my county/state/country that is esp. religious and wants bans or restrictions on things like abortion/gay marriage/etc/ then I should be free to move along to a place that allows me those freedoms- Whereas if I live in a place that restricts gun ownership, free enterprise, etc. then I should be able to find a community that suits me- Although I m not a fan of either san fransico or of the WestBoro Baptist Church I feel so free knowing I live in a country that has both...

[jesseakers]

the federal government needs to have an hands -off policy- The town/city need to be seperate from the county- which in turn puts some distance between it and the state- which in turn puts some huge distance between themselves and the fed. government- We are going in reverse- cross deputizing Sheriffs (which puts them under fed. control) and making Governeors Sub. to the Executive Arm- ....

[rasaxSF]

"The purpose of the separation of church and state 'is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries." -- James Madison

"The government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion." -- John Adams.

U.S. founders were perfectly clear about the separation, contemporary religionists are not.

Also, fascism is extremism on the right, characterized by a corporate state (a la Mussolini).

[HMStephanos]

@rasaxSF Totally agree, but John Adams also said, "The general principles, on which the Fathers achieved independence, were the only Principles in which that beautiful Assembly of young Gentlemen could Unite....And what were these general Principles? I answer, the general Principles of Christianity, in which all these Sects were United..." (June 28, 1813, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson)

The U.S. was not founded as a Christian nation by any means, but Christianity did influence its founding.

[kailabreece]

@HMStephanos "The U.S. was not founded as a Christian nation by any means, but Christianity did influence its founding."

Jesus had influenced the US as much as Shakespeare did... language/rhetoric only.

A religious nation was the LAST thing the founders wanted, that and democracy... lol... two things that are being pushed today. We were meant to be a SECULAR REPUBLIC, and for very good reasons.

[ZullGostnu]

Without the separation, government would be in the same boat as religion, ignored. Government and religion are hold overs from childhood concept of parents. Parents are the first gods, the first government.. As parenting evolved, so has go government and religion. Most of us have outgrown religion, soon more of us will outgrow government too.

[Clyaton]

Pat Robertson... lol... Liked the vid as usual. The road to evil is paved with good intentions... That what government is when religion grabs a hold. separation of church and state can be blamed on Thomas Jefferson. He knew that religion would corrupt government and vice-versa. He apparently learned from history!! He also said a nations banking system is more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies.... But now we have the Fed and we are 'owned' by it, gov is controlled by it..

[capricornchick]

currently, i feel that i am on the 'soft' perspective of the debate

the stuff you said about religion being a business- interesting :) and neither should control the other

i really liked this issue :) & your opinion

also :) how you put the vid together, the use of the images, was really nice- i liked :)

[capricornchick]

ok,

i feel the state and church should be separate. if you live in a country where there is a large population, you are bound to have more then one faith, so if you began making laws based on one faith and enforcing that law on all the people- i feel it is un-just and the government isn't looking out for all it's peoples interests

i don't mind public displays of religion just as long as they don't infringe on other peoples faiths- or lack thereof lol :)

[sfehrenbach]

Very well said and I agree. This issue should not be seen as merely an atheist agenda for there is no way or including faith into the political arenda without picking a particular side. And let us not forget there are over 80 different types of Christianity alone in the U.S. Without the seperation of Church and State you create a class system based on faith.

[itsbizbuz]

Hi, good video, Watch the french secularist system, it's fair and in my opinion the best model in the world.

[UcanbeGOD]

Separation of Church and state means me being free FROM Religion and free FROM the state. :) And since religion is by its nature authoritarian and stupid, like the state, we can just go ahead and call it Separation of me and bullshit.

[CrackerJackLee]

if alive today they would not understand scientology inc, moonies, loonies, mormons, polygamy, the dominance of judaism, the threat of islam, hail bop, even gay rights would cause them to roar with laughter (two hairy pot bellied men sleeping together in the throws of passion, sharing salve and swapping drawers). separation of C&S was easy then. today it takes a box of lawyers and 7 years just to define the transmittal page. gov't does not seek religion; religions seek to influence gov't.

[CrackerJackLee]

i think there is confusion because the word "religion" has a different meaning today than in 1776. today, everyone wants their group to be deemed as a religion. back then, the existing religions were known and understood by the drafters of the constitution.

[graaaaaagh]

Good video.

"I'm completely in favor of the separation of church and state. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death. " - George Carlin