POLITICS AND RELIGION

This is not said often enough - and is not properly understood by many.

Freedom of religion and the separation of Church and State are among the basic cornerstones of America, American values and American “philosophy”.  Every American has the right to worship and believe as he or she so chooses – or to choose not to worship or believe.  The government cannot force anyone to choose one religion and set of beliefs over any other, or to choose any religion or beliefs.  No specific religion or church can dictate government policy or legislation. 

There is no official “American” religion or church.  America is not a “Christian” country.   

While religious beliefs may motivate involvement in politics as a practice of good citizenship, and the religious can preach the gospel, or their version or interpretation of the gospel, to those who will listen, the specific religious beliefs of a specific religious sect or religion must never be the basis of legislation, and the religious cannot force those of different beliefs, or no beliefs, to live their lives according to the specific individual beliefs and rules of their specific religion or religious sect.

All law in America is based on the Constitution and civil law - and is not, and must NEVER be, based on specific religious law.

Murder is not illegal because God said, “Thou shalt not kill”.  Murder is illegal because life is protected under the Constitution and under civil law. 

If the specific religious beliefs of your chosen sect or religion tells you that abortion is wrong – don’t have an abortion.  If the specific religious beliefs of your chosen sect or religion tells you that homosexuality and same-sex marriage is wrong – don’t practice homosexuality and do not marry someone of the same sex.  But you cannot force someone with different religions beliefs, or no religious beliefs, to act in accordance with the specific religious beliefs of your chosen sect or religion, and most definitely not via legislation.

Many people mistakenly identify those who want to legislate the specific religious beliefs of fundamental Christianity as being “conservative” and identify legislating these specific religious beliefs as being a component of conservative political philosophy.  Nothing could be further than the truth.

The basic fundamental tenet of conservative political philosophy is limited government, and the protection and maximizing individual rights.  True conservatives believe that the government should have minimal involvement in the personal and business life of the individual.  The so-called “evangelicals” of the “Christian right” wants the government to tell individuals how to live their lives – in direct contradiction to true conservative philosophy.

Unlike “love and marriage”, politics and religion NEVER go together!