Forward this if you agree, delete it if you don't" read the title of a short ditti email that touted that the majority of americans are just fine with "In God we Trust" on the money and prayer in school"
I did neither.
Agree or Delete so much sums up the attitude of the person who originated the email though doesn't it? "If you don't agree with my views, shut up and disapear becuase you don't matter and I'm not listeninglalalalalalalallalalalalala!!!!!"
I believe that the Government belongs as seperate from Religion as I can get it. They try hard to get the job done but screw up frequently and end up missing the point with secular agenda's as it is.
Rereading that last sentence, the exact same problem is why I do not go to a given church...They try hard to get the job done but screw up frequently and end up missing the point in religious matters. So over all, aren't enough screw ups happening without the governments two cents?
Taking religion out of the government would also settle the gay marrage issue. NOBODY gets a government sanctioned "Marraige". We all get legal life partnerships and then drive right on over to the religious structure of our choice and get the blessing of our chosen One True Faith.
My wife and I have different religous beliefs. We teach our children that this is what we Know and this is what we Believe. And most importantly that They must learn to Make There Own Choices.
Forced belief is false. I think that God by anyname created us becuase a perfect world was just too easy. When you are the all supreme Alpha and Omega, setting up a biosphere that can run forever in a perfect cycle just isn't all that special. And having a chorus of Angels to stand around and say Gosh, Thats Cool! is nice and all but...well, that's what they were created to say.
So the concept of Humanity is special becuase we were created to exemplify the biggest gamble of Eternity. Free Will. With it, we try really hard to get the job done but....well you know the rest of that line. At the same time, for all our failings, when we do succeed, it is with great pleasure that Itself looks down at the world and says" Yes. It is good." Good not becuase the laws of nature forced it to be so. Good becuase it is given in free will.
Government cannot force religions freedom on the unwilling. So in the end. I really don't care if "in God we trust" is on my money. The God my money talks about is not interested in being there to begin with. Our nation is indeed Under God,as the addition to the pledge says but not in the way Ol Joe MaCarthy would have wanted it.The main reason I would agree with getting it off the money and out of the schools is so that those who do not understand the very basic religious value of Free Will can no longer abuse "God" as a tool to there own designs.
I replied-all to the email. I did not agree, but I will not shut up, becuase, as the person who did not agree OR shut up when they forwarded it to me so aptly said " I've sent this to you so that you will know my opinion, tell me what you think."
Isn't THAT what makes this country the strength for freedom that we claim to be?