CSNbbs

I believe in the complete separation of Church and State (i.e. secularity of government and freedom of religious exercise) and believe the every United States citizen should be guaranteed both the freedom of and freedom from religion.

I believe in the complete separation of church and public schools. Religious activities and religious ideals should neither be condoned nor condemned by public education. In other words, the government should take a neutral position. I strongly disagree with any movement that seeks to place/require religious texts in public school systems, establish prayer in public education, or masquerade religious doctrine as scientific theory (i.e. creationism). However, I do believe that schools should make reasonable attempts to respect the religious beliefs of their students (i.e. allow a student an excused absences to celebrate an important religious holidays, allow individual, silent, personal prayer, allow the formation of unfunded religious organizations, etc.).

I believe that posting the ten commandments or other religious texts, symbols, icons, etc. on public and/or government property is a violation of the right to freedom from religion. Government property and public places should not be used to display favoritism for one religion over another nor should they be used to advocate one religion's ideology over another. However, I do believe that churches, private schools, and individuals should have the right to display the ten commandments or other religious texts, symbols, icons, etc. on their own private property.

I believe that Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee should be required to remove language included in their respective Bill of Rights, Declaration of Rights, and/or constitutions that require state office-holders to have particular religious beliefs.

I believe that private, voluntary, prayer meetings at government organization outside of duty hours, silent, voluntary prayer at meals in U.S. armed forces, inclusion of the (optional) phrase "so help me God" in the oaths for many elected offices, FBI agents, etc., do not violate the right to freedom from religion since all are optional and fall within the realm of free exercise of religion.

I believe that printing "In God We Trust" on US money is a violation of the freedom from religion as it displays favoritism toward certain religions (monotheistic religions like Judaism, Christianity, Islam, etc) other others (polytheistic religions such as Hinduism or non-religions like Buddhism) and advocates a specific religious ideology (trust in a single divine being). I also believe that "under God" should be removed from the pledge of allegiance.

I agree with you on all of this minus a few things.

Quote:I believe that Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee should be required to remove language included in their respective Bill of Rights, Declaration of Rights, and/or constitutions that require state office-holders to have particular religious beliefs.

Thats a States rights issue. Its up to the people of those individual states to have a problem with having the particular language in their Constitution and what not. The Federal Gvt has no say in this matter.

Other than that I agree with you.

the inclusion of "in god we trust" and "under god" is only a relatively recent change. while "in god we trust" was printed on money since the civil war, it wasn't formally codified into being printed in the money until the cold war i think. and i know that "under god" was added during the cold war era.

why were both added? because the government FEAR!ed the country into being scared of the red commie ba$tard pigs. there isn't any reason for both phrases to remain in use by the government now. the reason they haven't come down is because the religious right wing idiots (focus on the family types) own the republican party and some in the democratic party and trying to remove the language would be considered anti-god. you wouldn't want to be called a dirty baby eating godless ATHEIST would you?

(as an aside, this is one of the reasons why i think that atheists are the least trusted group of people in america by far. the government may not recognize a religion per se, but does recognize "god". many people will connect that to the christian god and for all appearances, it looks like the government is recognizing a religion without recognizing a religion. go back to e pluribus unum i say.)