How dangerous are fundamental evangelicals to American rights?
956269
Extremely dangerous. It is people like them that do the most harm to America. These people are supposed to be preaching tolerance and forgiveness. However they use their pulpits to help split America by their hate-mongering. The separation of church and state no longer exists. I feel every church that even hints at which way you should cast your vote should be shut down immediately. Enough of these sick, twisted, immoral hypocrites. God-like? How about Godless.
660633
I believe there is great danger in letting a church or group of churches to have to much influence and control in government.  Take a look at mideval european governments.  It was all about the Catholic church.  The government needed the church then, so they ended up wedding their functions.  The church at that time had incredible wealth, influence and control over people.  It was impossible to govern without the blessing of the church.  And if you were a citizen, you had no real freedom of belief.  You had to follow the churches teachings or you were run out of town or worse, killed.   \n\nTo be honest, GWB and some of his "faith based initiatives", scares me.  I have no problem with churches offering support and charity as an expression of humanity and compassion.  I am however afraid, that the government will soon become reliant on this involvement and before long we could be back in the same boat as before the U.S. broke away from England.  I don't think anyone wants that.\n\nThere was a very strong reason that our forefathers of this country in the first amendment wrote, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.."
375238
For all our cherished freedoms, Americans are by and large still very puritanical. If not for the "coastal liberals", the masses would probably not even notice as their rights are squelched one by one by this fascist Bush crime family
1058941
Of course, first amendment rights.\nI Corinthians 13;8a, Love never fails!!!!!
1170011
No.  Our founding fathers declared that Church and State were separate and that ALL peoples and beliefs were equal in the eyes of the law.\n\nI'm constantly scared that we're on a slippery slope and those freedoms are being taken away by groups that believe that the US was founded for them.  It was not.
482
Oftentimes, we mean "An organized, militant Evangelical movement originating in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century in opposition to Protestant Liberalism and secularism, insisting on the inerrancy of Scripture." \n\nBut the concept of fundamentalism can be extended to any ideology or theology whose tenents include a strict adherance to a code, especially one which demands the observance by persons who do not subscribe to that code.\n\nNaturally, this makes for a source of conflict. And an understandable one at that. For example, say you believe some act is wrong. Furthermore, you believe you have a duty to prevent wrongdoing altogether. Consequently, you have a moral obligation to prevent any person from doing that act - including people who do not think that act is wrong.\n\nAny critical examination of a dogmatic theology or ideology will reveal how necessary this is, yet any objective look at disparate cultures will reveal how subjective - and frightening - this can be.\n\nThe hope of the future is that fundamentalist evangelism will be enacted by appeal to reason rather than dictates of law. Ideally, people would choose to perform 'right' acts for their own sake, rather than out of fear of punishment.
1149737
Hi Reuben,\nWe as Americans have to understand that Christian morals form the foundation of American Judisprudance and American society. The founding men and women of this country also happened to be predominantly Christian. I am not religious myself, but I do believe that it will never be possible to eliminate the theme of religion from Government. \n\nI remember in public high school being alienated for objecting to saying the pledge of allegiance. I was branded anti-American. I objected because I did not believe in the phrase "under God." Nevertheless I was forced to recite the pledge. \n\nMy point is that Christians founded this country and Christians run it for the most part. Life just isnt fair sometimes. It's sad to believe that in the USA we must make compromises with our moral values to acomodate the majority. But when we come to the bottom line, it's not about who's interpertation of the constitution we will accept. It's all about who's making the laws. Who we vote for.
1124770
If my history lessons and further study of history are correct the US is a secular nation and its founders believed that no religion should be put above any other religion. Quite the foresight if I might say as they put this provision into the Constitution to protect the country from the various sects of christianity not the various religions in the world. The controversy you state is only a controversy in your head as I could care less about your religion. However, if any religion tries to usurp the US Constitution it is within the rights of any one to question and eventually put a halt to their actions. Christians have no more rights nor less rights than anyone else. So, if you see a problem with someone who doesn't share your religious views you have not read the first amendment properly. Get over it.
409852
Shhh!  You'll upset the Christian Fundamentalists. :)
447103
yes evangelicals are christians. scary buggers.
1022784
No, No and No.  Right now, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and James Dobson are crowing in delight over the rift  the right has caused. They practically come out and say Bush's election was their victory.\n  Bush was advised very carefully on this sticky wicket and, again, as with gay marriage and immigration pulled off a diversionary tactic to divide us and take attention off the greater issues.  God guides him, so he says. We know he uses God.  And the sooner the Christian Right wakes up, the better
729753
I would be more worried about a Fundamentalist president than an Atheist one.  Most Atheists operate on logic and reason.  Fundamentalists are f*cking crazy.
1003396
Yup, I am a godless hell bound liberal who hates America.  i guess it doesn't matter that I am an eight year veteran of the United States Army or anything like that.  I defended your right to free speech as well, even though I am an atheist morally corrupt individual.
857712
The real battles in America are between the faithful and those who want to make religious expression illegal.  \n\nChristians and Muslims respect the unborn child.  \nLiberals want to make abortion an internationally recognized human right, forcing all nations (including Muslim nations) to legalize abortion for any reason at any time throughout a pregnancy.\n\nChristians and Muslims fight pornography.\nLiberals want "freedom" to indulge in all the pornography they want, even when our children end up seeing it all around them.\n\nLiberals want to outlaw crosses, yarmulkes and the hijab in schools, the workplace, and eventually in public (case in point: Holland).\n\nLiberals want schools to teach that two men can get married, or two women, and that no one should have the right to say there is anything wrong with that.  Christians and Muslims believe marriage is something holy, not homosexual.\n\nIf you are fighting against the Christians, I think you should look again at which side you're on.
511654
No, but the Republican party is sure touting that there is a war on Christianity to polarize certain groups because that will get them put into office.  There are also groups that think the US should be a theocracy but that is blatantly unconstitutional.  Sorry, it's a democracy where all of us have the same rights.
1065705
Yes. You could see it in the election of Bush. The religious right that elected him think they have the right to make him push their policies. It is detremental. Though maybe not any more detrimental than having big business/oil impacting politics. \n\nCan't there be some type of limits on special interest groups like Focus of the Family pushing their agenda in Washington? It's a blight on the fact of democracy when big money and influence wins power in our government . . .
981678
I agree. \n\nThere wouldn't be America if it wasn't for Christains. Even alot of laws are based on Christianity. \n\nWe are the oldest demorcary because of that. We should defiently not change it.