While the North Carolina House of Representatives has finally killed the bill to allow the state to establish a state religion, a new study found that 34 percent of adults would favor establishing Christianity as the official state religion. While 47 percent opposed the establishment of state religion, it was less than a majority.
Another 11 percent thought that the Constitution allowed for the establishment of an official religion. Thus, they are entirely unaware of the workings of the first amendment or the prior rulings of the Supreme Court.
Republicans were the most likely to favor the establishment of a state religion with 55 percent favoring it in their own state and 46 percent favoring a national constitutional amendment.
While the poll reportedly included 1000 people (a sizable group), I still want to believe that it is skewed and that most people recognize the danger of religious-based government in a world torn apart of sectarian violence. Even if these people lack knowledge of the Constitution, they are given a daily lesson on the dangers of state-sponsored religion in their newspapers and news broadcasts. For those advocating such a change, they leave us with the chilling view that, for some, the problem with abusive theocratic regimes like Iran is simply the disagreement with the choice of the religion.
Source: HuffPost
“Please do not allow the Religious zealots to deter you from defending the 2nd Amendment. You simply must understand the importance of the 2nd and the grave peril that our Bill of Rights currently faces”
G.Mason,
While I support the right of citizens to bear arms I think your obsession with it is misplaced in that many other far more important Constitutional Rights that are being infringed on today represent a greater danger to us all. I would suppose you believe that an armed citizenry would stave off tyranny coming to our doors. The truth is that given that this country has the largest, most powerful military in the world, if the fascists decide to take over, the citizens won’t be capable of stopping them. By concentrating on the Second Amendment as the most important of them all you remove focus from the other infringements of the First, Fourth, Fifth, etc. It is the slow erosion of these Amendments that will cause the disaster that all the arms of the citizens will be unable to stop.
When you diminish the threat of the religious zealots, by making it secondary to the Second Amendment you overlook this:
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/12/08/west-point-and-religion/
Dredd, I completely agree.
I would in fact say that there needs to be a class specifically on the US Constitution that is a requirement for graduation.
It is simply sad that so many are completely unfamiliar with James Madison, who is truly the Father of the Constitution in all reality.
Madison made it quite clear that Religion was to be kept very far away from the government and vice versa.
Civics 101 needs to be included in every school’s curriculum.
Please do not allow the Religious zealots to deter you from defending the 2nd Amendment. You simply must understand the importance of the 2nd and the grave peril that our Bill of Rights currently faces
What pains me is that typically the most boisterous, loudest chest thumping self proclaimed defenders of the Constitution.
On the left we have the anti-gun fascists who wish to remove the 2nd amendment and leave us defenseless against Government tyranny. On the right we have the religious zealots who wish to turn us into Jesusland and throw out the 1st Amendment.
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
Nothwithstanding the general progress made within the two last centuries in favour of this branch of liberty, & the full establishment of it, in some parts of our Country, there remains in others a strong bias towards the old error, that without some sort of alliance or coalition between Gov’ & Religion neither can be duly supported: Such indeed is the tendency to such a coalition, and such its corrupting influence on both the parties, that the danger cannot be too carefully guarded agst.. And in a Gov’ of opinion, like ours, the only effectual guard must be found in the soundness and stability of the general opinion on the subject. Every new & successful example therefore of a perfect separation between ecclesiastical and civil matters, is of importance. And I have no doubt that every new example, will succeed, as every past one has done, in shewing that religion & Gov will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together; [James Madison, Letter to Edward Livingston, July 10, 1822, The Writings of James Madison, Gaillard Hunt]
An alliance or coalition between Government and religion cannot be too carefully guarded against……Every new and successful example therefore of a PERFECT SEPARATION between ecclesiastical and civil matters is of importance……..religion and government will exist in greater purity, without (rather) than with the aid of government. [James Madison in a letter to Livingston, 1822, from Leonard W. Levy- The Establishment Clause, Religion and the First Amendment,pg 124]
It was the belief of all sects at one time that the establishment of Religion by law, was right & necessary; that the true religion ought to be established in exclusion of every other; and that the only question to be decided was which was the true religion. The example of Holland proved that a toleration of sects, dissenting from the established sect, was safe & even useful. The example of the Colonies, now States, which rejected religious establishments altogether, proved that all Sects might be safely & advantageously put on a footing of equal & entire freedom…. We are teaching the world the great truth that Govts do better without Kings & Nobles than with them. The merit will be doubled by the other lesson that Religion flourishes in greater purity, without than with the aid of Gov. [James Madison, Letter to Edward Livingston, July 10, 1822, The Writings of James Madison, Gaillard Hunt]
[I]t may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to unsurpastion on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded agst. by an entire abstinence of the Gov’t from interfence in any way whatsoever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, and protecting each sect agst. trespasses on its legal rights by others. [James Madison, in a letter to Rev Jasper Adams spring 1832, from James Madison on Religious Liberty, edited by Robert S. Alley, pp. 237-238]
What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wish to subvert the public liberty may have found an established clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not. [Pres. James Madison, A Memorial and Remonstrance, addressed to the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1785]
Experience witnesseth that ecclesiastical establishments, instead of maintaining the purity and efficacy of religion, have had a contrary operation. During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution. [James Madison, A Memorial and Remonstrance, addressed to the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1785]
…Freedom arises from the multiplicity of sects, which prevades America and which is the best and only security for religious liberty in any society. For where there is such a variety of sects, there cannot be a majority of any one sect to oppress and persecute the rest. [James Madison, spoken at the Virginia convention on ratifying the Constitution, June 1778]
It was the Universal opinion of the Century preceding the last, that Civil Government could not stand without the prop of a religious establishment; and that the Christian religion itself, would perish if not supported by the legal provision for its clergy. The experience of Virginia conspiciously corroboates the disproof of both opinions. The Civil Government, tho’ bereft of everything like an associated hierarchy, possesses the requisite stability and performs its functions with complete success; whilst the number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and the devotion of the people have been manifestly increased by the TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE CHURCH FROM THE STATE. [James Madison, as quoted in Robert L. Maddox: Separation of Church and State; Guarantor of Religious Freeedom]
The Civil Government, though bereft of everything like an associated hierarchy, posesses the requisite stability, and performs its functions with complete success, whilst the number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and devotion of the people, have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state. [James Madison in a letter to Robert Walsh, March 2, 1819]
The Civil Government, though bereft of everything like an associated hierarchy, posesses the requisite stability, and performs its functions with complete success, whilst the number, the industry, and the morality of the priesthood, and devotion of the people, have been manifestly increased by the total separation of the church from the state. [James Madison in a letter to Robert Walsh, March 2, 1819]
To the Baptist Churches on Neal’s Greek on Black Creek, North Carolina I have received, fellow-citizens, your address, approving my objection to the Bill containing a grant of public land to the Baptist Church at Salem Meeting House, Mississippi Territory. Having always regarded the practical distinction between Religion and Civil Government as essential to the purity of both, and as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, I could not have otherwise discharged my duty on the occasion which presented itself [James Madison, Letter to Baptist Churches in North Carolina, June 3, 1811]
and lastly and the most applicable to this article
The experience of the United States is a happy disproof of the error so long rooted in the unenlightened minds of well-meaning Christians, as well as in the corrupt hearts of persecuting usurpers, that without a legal incorporation of religious and civil polity, neither could be supported. A mutual independence is found most friendly to practical Religion, to social harmony, and to political prosperity. [James Madison, Letter to F.L. Schaeffer, Dec 3, 1821]
I think this survey just proves that we here in the good old USA are no different than the taliban. Those who want a religious based government believe their god is the one and only god so therefore they have the right and duty to subjugate everyone else to their believe. It is just plain right, end of argument. My guess is this will never change. Thus the 47% will have to convince the 19% left that they better get off their duff or their duff will be at the beck and call of the 34%.
Boxer prefers not to puzzle out the implications of various possible actions but instead to repeat to himself, “Napoleon is always right.” Animal Farm
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/animalfarm/themes.html
The Danger of a Naïve Working Class
One of the novella’s most impressive accomplishments is its portrayal not just of the figures in power but also of the oppressed people themselves.Animal Farm is not told from the perspective of any particular character, though occasionally it does slip into Clover’s consciousness. Rather, the story is told from the perspective of the common animals as a whole. Gullible, loyal, and hardworking, these animals give Orwell a chance to sketch how situations of oppression arise not only from the motives and tactics of the oppressors but also from the naïveté of the oppressed, who are not necessarily in a position to be better educated or informed. When presented with a dilemma, Boxer prefers not to puzzle out the implications of various possible actions but instead to repeat to himself, “Napoleon is always right.” Animal Farm demonstrates how the inability or unwillingness to question authority condemns the working class to suffer the full extent of the ruling class’s oppression.
Keep em Dumb, Give em something Dumb to believe in. Then put a ring through it and lead em where you want.
I am 99.9% atheist, My correctness will be proven at my end, but I will have no ability to acknowledge it.
Religion is not dumb. Belief that inspires love and equality, value and respect for all Life is truly a valuable philosophy.
Keeping em Dumb and Down is creating a hell on earth that the sociopaths and psychopaths profit highly from.
Baa Baa Dumb sheep give me all your wool, come back next year give me another bag full.
Gee, if we only allow Christians in the “official” religion, what happens to the Jews, the Mormons, the Buddhists, etc., etc., et.?
What complete IDIOCY ! ! !
Just another example of the Neanderthals at work, and it should scare the he!! out of all intelligent, caring people.
./
Do the 34% believe that imposing religion by law would somehow make existing criminals stop breaking the laws that already exist?
I would like to see the following poll: How many people believe, that if we passed a law making it illegal to break other laws, we would reduce crime?
And 66% say what….
Prof.,
In re: Your Final Paragraph
I’d like to believe that Rachael Weisz want to make mad passionate love to me.
That does not make it so.
I know people around here who not only fall into that 34%, they think Christianity is already the official religion of the United States just like Budweiser is the official beer of NASCAR.
Which is an odd but possibly not coincidental coincident.
I am surprised that it is that high – I would have assumed 27%
In the words of Ann Toinette Romney, “Let them eat Religion”
When is the next plane to Holland…….?
Stupid is as stupid does! The American Taliban is getting closer and closer to reality.
I think it would be interesting to find out just which particular “flavor” of Christianity the want to be official and the percentages of choices. Mormonism, Catholicism, Baptist, Episcopal I have seen many not view one another very favorably.
34% of the population believes in BigFoot, UFOs, and thinks the lunar landing was staged. I like to think it’s all the same folks.
It would interesting to unpack those numbers in order to see the political affiliation of that 34%.
I think nobody wants religious authority more than politicians and military leaders do; being appointed by God to lead, with papal privileges, is so much easier than having to muck about with elections and objective standards.