What kills me most about Ron Paul is his persistent attempt to rewrite USA history and blatant disregard of the facts regarding separation of church and state. He has stated in Lew Rockwells blog that “The notion of a rigid separation between church and state has no basis in either the text of the Constitution or the writings of our Founding Fathers. Really? Lets check... Thomas Jefferson: Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church and State. James Madison: “The civil government … functions with complete success … by the total separation of the Church from the State.” Strongly guarded as is the separation between Religion & Govt in the Constitution of the United States.; practical distinction between Religion and Civil Government is essential to the purity of both, and as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. “Because the Bill [to institute an assessment to fund teachers of Christianity] implies either that the Civil Magistrate is a competent Judge of Religious Truth; or that he may employ Religion as an engine of Civil policy. The first is an arrogant pretension falsified by the contradictory opinions of Rulers in all ages, and throughout the world: the second an unhallowed perversion of the means of salvation.” John Adams: “The Government of the United States is not in any sense founded upon the Christian Religion.” (1797, The Treaty of Tripoli, initiated by President Washington, signed by President John Adams, and approved by the Senate of the United States.) George Washington: “If I could conceive that the general government might ever be so administered as to render the liberty of conscience insecure, I beg you will be persuaded, that no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution.” Benjamin Franklin: “When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself so that its professors are obliged to call for the help of the civil power, ’tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one.” Alexander Hamilton: “[I]n politics as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured by persecution.” “The [president] has no particle of spiritual jurisdiction. . . .” Thomas Paine: “As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of government to protect all conscientious protesters thereof, and I know of no other business government has to do therewith. ” “Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law.” “All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.” There are a helluva lot more quotes out there from our FFs to support a pretty strong line between church and state. SCOTUS has referenced it at least 25 times and been somewhat murky on the subject, sometimes ruling against particular religious rights and sometimes for them. See the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause. My point is that Ron Paul and his Tea Party jihadists spread this false dogma regarding this issue to promote Christianity over other faiths and beliefs as represented in civil outcomes. This spiritual tyranny would make our FFs want to puke! False patriots!!! John F. Kennedy said it best I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 23:18:04 +0000