Are extreme christian groups a hinderance to the governments ability to govern non-christians fairly?
927146
Last week's Newsweek had a wonderful article about Evangelical Christians' impact on laws and government, and developments of the Evangelical movement.\n\nI do believe that the fundamentalist Christian viewpoint is influencing policy a little too closely these days.  I believe firmly in the seperation of church and state, which is a founding principle of this country, despite what some folks will claim.  However, I don't necessarily think that mixing religion and politics is always a bad thing, particularly if it happens on an individual level.  By this I mean, for instance, a lawmaker who, because of his/her religious upbringing, values service to the poor.  Because he/she has this ethical value of helping the poor, he/she sets up a program in his/her district that offers skills training and assistance with job hunting to people on welfare.  \n\nHowever, when the mixing of religion and politics becomes more a matter of attempting to legislate a particular moral code or prohibiting certain things simply because this is part of this religion, then there is a problem.  I think we are seeing this in several areas.  The first is the constant attack on a woman's right to choose, which since Roe v. Wade is being steadily chipped away by legislation such as parental consent laws and the ban on third trimester abortions.  Another is the push and increase in funding to abstinence-only sex ed. programs in schools, which has been shown to be ineffective.  Speaking of abstinence-only, this also applies to AIDS relief funding.  The government requires AIDS-relief programs to spend a certain amount of money on promoting abstinence as a preventative measure, which has caused difficulties in many of these programs to effectively provide adequate preventative care.  There is a continuous push to teach "intelligent design," a theory with no backing from scientists (outside of a handful of Christian scientists), alongside the well-established evolutionary theory in public school science classrooms.  Less succesful has been efforts to re-establish official school prayer, although this issue pops up periodically (even though no-one is stopping students from praying privately in school, or establishing after-school prayer groups).  Funding has been effectively curtailed for stem-cell research, which has the potential to provide cures for several life-threatening illnesses, based on the fudnamentalist belief that human life begins at conception.  And of course, the current debate over gay rights and equal marriage.\n\nThere are also the self-stated goals of several Christian groups, to promote Christian values and the Christian way of life in government.  That doesn't sound so bad, if we're talking about promoting the values of "Love thy neighbor," "Turn thy cheek," "Blessed are the peace-keepers" and "Whatsoever you do onto the least of these, so to you do unto me."  However, when we start talking about things like, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live," I get very nervous.\n------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nI got your e-mail, the answer is yes.  I couldn't reply to the e-mail because your e-mail address hasn't been confirmed yet.
600683
No. Government without religion is a cold, heartless government. We need religion to help with compassion and understanding, as well as infusing some much-needed morals into our officials. The US was founded on Christian principles, and nowhere in our founding documents does it say that religion is not allowed in government, only that the government cannot establish (ie: force on you) a religion. \n\nTo all those who will start blathering about "separation of church and state" please note that this phrase is NO WHERE in our documents. It is found in private letters written by Thomas Jefferson a decade after this country was founded.
5207
Morality and Religious Laws tend to go hand in hand, which is typical, as it deals with personal nature, instead of governmental issues.\n\nHowever, National Law, Local state Law, and civil law tend to follow the morals of religion to some extent.  This is a true crime, in my opinion, as it allows religion to dictate what the state can and can not do.\n\nTo some extent our government has harbored a christian ethos into running this country.  However, to be inclusive of other faiths, and other nationalities within our own community, the government has adopted a policy of seperating church and state.  but this ethos, that of sepration, isn't always as clean cut as one would hope.\n\nLet us hope that in the near future we will adopt a stance of removing religion from state governments and federal governments.  To finally allow the SOCIETY to control religion, and let the GOVERNMENT worry about PROTECTING the society.
876652
I think that you are a bit too worried. I do not believe that that is happening in such a degree that we have to be worried. I know that if it starts it has to be stopped while it is possible, but I do not see how it can catch on to everybody else. Yes, there are political leaders who are willing to create policy based on religion, but I believe that the majority in power will successfully oppose those voices.\nIf it would happen, then it will be theoretically like an Islamic state. Of course, because of Christian morals are far less aggressive than Islamic morals it will not look like an Islamic state, but it is scary to believe that it is not like that just because of the morals.
150611
the constitution has provision to keep the government out of the church... but this regulates only the government's role in religion, this does not address the attitude that is tolerance and mass attitudes toward a particular religion-- of course hate crimes are illegal but beyond that the government is to stay out of faith, this may be more apparant in the writings of the founders than the constitution
48850
church and state were intermingled at the time of, and after, the writing of the constitution.  Obviously our forefarthers did not mean to have a God-free society like liberals would like to have.
979885
No------ Christians today must remain neutral and not get involved with politics in any way, shape or form. We must not put our trust in human rulers.(Psalms 146:3) \nIf we vote for any imperfect human, then we are showing disloyalty to our King, who now reigns in heaven. Our allegiance is to our righteous King, and his Father's heavenly government only. The Bible says that man was not meant to rule over man. ( Ecclesiastes 8:9 )\nWe must obey the laws of governments as long as they do not conflict with God's laws. We maintain the same position as Jesus' apostles: "But Peter and the apostles answered and said, We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)\nHuman governments will soon be put out of existance and will be replaced by God's government which will rule over the entire earth. When you say the Lord's prayer and ask for God's Kingdom to come, that is what you are praying for. \nThe new government will last forever as seen at Daniel 2:44--"\n"And in the days of these kings(current human rulers) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever."\nAs long as governments condone war and make false promises they cannot hope to acheive, we will never see peace or security. Only God's government will make that happen. (PSALM 37:9-11)   \nChristians should not put their trust or confidence in political governments or rulers that God will soon overthrow. We need to look to God's Kingdom as the only hope for all mankind.
94229
Well first we have to realise that there is no real seperation of church and State,  Read the real Constitutin, it only says that there will not be an official state religion and that the state can not pass any laws restricting religion.  It never says a world that the state is seperate from the Church, only the state can not interfere with a Church by passing laws effecting it.  ( and they look at all the church zoning laws, tax laws, minister requirements to do weddings and tell me they keep thier end of the deal)\n\nBut the idea of seperation of Church and State has been created from a speach made by Thomas Jeffereson to a religioius group and he was still refering to thier protection and rights.\n\nThe lie taught today is done to try and destroy the Christian teachings and Chrsitian hisotry of our nation.\nThat is the purpose of the teaching of seperation.
455550
Your question is flawed by an assumption that all Christians think alike. There are many denominations of Christian Churches which would be described as extropiatic. There are some fundamentalist Christian churches that condemn members for thinking outside the circle. There is everything in-between. I attend a Christian church whose membership tolerates all human understanding and celebrates the differences.
1006779
NO!!! I don't want one government controlling the world, but I know(the Bible) that in the end-times that is gonna happen, and all the Christians will be persecuted and put to death. I don't want to speed that along any more than necessary.
294906
It's one of the United State's most fundamental issues to protect each individual's freedom of religion.  Of course our government has no right to have any say in religion whatsoever (unless the religion requires others to be harmed like it said above).  It is even more important to note that its a FREEDOM of religion.  It should not be encouraged or discouraged.  Many politicians today quote biblical phrases and speak of their beliefs according to how government should be applied.  This is wrong, because there are those who do not believe in Christianity.  We have to remember the basis of this country.  The puritans came over here in the first place to escape religious persecution!
782144
I don't believe Christians "joined" the government.  The Bible (and the beliefs contained in it) should never be constrained or limited by the govt., rather, it should be the conscience of the govt. If govt. goes against that "conscience", I believe it is every believer and every citizens right and obligation to bring govt. back in line with the beliefs that have been laid out in the constitution.  Every framing document written by the founders of this country began with the requests of guidance and blessings of God. For people to say that Christianity has never been a part of our govt. is simply ludicrous.  While they may have not been perfect, the founders held a standard that was based on God's standard; as laid out in the Bible.  \n\nThe standard by the way, is not the Christian next door, or the lady down the road, or the preacher on TV.  The standard is Jesus.  Don't judge Christianity by the followers, judge it by the leader (Jesus) and you will never by disappointed.
843227
I'm not sure what you mean...Democrats can be Christians too.\n\nAnyway, as a Christian, I believe that religion should be kept out of govenment. Why? Because I don't want a Muslim president or Congress (or any other religous persuasion) outlawing my religion.\n\nGod grants choice, and so should the government.
504011
I regret I have to disagree. First of all , it doesn't mean just because you are Christian, you can neccessary be good. There is no relation betwen non corruption and Christian. Secondly, all the examples of problems cited occur in any country. The US is not alone in this. Thirdly, practices such as the death penalty and the conducting of wars are not neccessary bad. Just imagine what would have happen if the US didn't enter the Gulf War to drive the Iraqis from Kuwait. The balance of power will not only be changed in the Middle East, but the whole world.\n\nSo, having said this, I can't say the US is a corrupt place. Not completely anyway.
933607
God did not put them there, man did- God allowed it.  \nPersonally, regardless of who is in office, Christians are to obey the word of God, respect the authority that is in the office of government and pray.  Who is in office is still no excuse for immorality- Each pperson makes their choices and each person will be accountable for those choices- right or wrong.
977393
Wow, you have quite a challenge ahead of you...\n\nLet's see. Often times a zealous theocratic government can reduce crime. I guess there could be a sense of unity and common purpose among the people. It might also be easy to mobilize the people to war or big projects, i.e. the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980's. \n\nThe ruling religion could also offer possible protections and rights to the people. For example, many devout Jews and Christians do not believe in working on the Sabbath. If you had a theocratic Jewish or Christian government, the people might at least have a few days off that they wouldn't enjoy under a secular totalitarian regime (like a Communist government).\n\nYou might want to read up about Iran, Tibet, and 1990's Afghanistan to come up with more ideas. These are/were all theocratic states.
1027498
Religion and government are two different things. Officials should be, and are, elected based on how well they serve the state or national government. Not because of religion.