koshergrl
Diamond Member
- Aug 4, 2011
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The United States, contrary to popular belief, was not founded upon a desire for religious freedom. Our original European inhabitants came here to escape religious persecution, but when our founding fathers determined to rebel against the crown more than a hundred years later, it was not for religious purposes they did so. They acted against tyranny, rather. Specifically they chafed under strenuous taxation and continued rape of American resources, natural and monetary, by the Crown.
Once they embarked upon this path, they began to take into consideration the role that religion would play in their newly established government. Moved by the persecution of Baptists, Jefferson ultimately wrote no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities. (Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, 1786.)
Jefferson made it clear that while the government has no right to establish religion or force men to worship, neither does it have the right to silence or penalize men for their faith. Tyranny, according to Jefferson, is when the government forces men to support an ideology they do not agree with, or prevents them from advancing civilly based upon their faith.
This is the proper relationship of church and state.
Reference:
Virginia Historical Society. Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom (Jan. 16, 1786) From Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (annotated transcript) - Becoming Americans | The Story of Virginia, An American Experience on February
Once they embarked upon this path, they began to take into consideration the role that religion would play in their newly established government. Moved by the persecution of Baptists, Jefferson ultimately wrote no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities. (Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, 1786.)
Jefferson made it clear that while the government has no right to establish religion or force men to worship, neither does it have the right to silence or penalize men for their faith. Tyranny, according to Jefferson, is when the government forces men to support an ideology they do not agree with, or prevents them from advancing civilly based upon their faith.
This is the proper relationship of church and state.
Reference:
Virginia Historical Society. Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom (Jan. 16, 1786) From Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (annotated transcript) - Becoming Americans | The Story of Virginia, An American Experience on February