Spring Break
Get out of my government
Andrea Robertson
Issue date: 11/11/08 Section: Opinion
Religion and politics are two ideas that should never intersect; however, we constantly see religion surfacing in the political arena.
Through the First Amendment of the United States' constitution, we have our religious privileges protected from the government. We have been given the guarantee that under no circumstances will the U.S. government take away our right to practice the faith that we believe to be correct. If the government can give us this promise, then the church should stop imposing itself upon the government!
President-elect Barack Obama received much opposition from many individuals due to their religious beliefs. Catholics were instructed that they shouldn't vote for him because he is pro-choice. That view has nothing to do with whether or not Obama would be an adequate leader; that view has everything to do with taking away a woman's right to choose.
Citizens were also opposing Obama because of his Muslim background. In the political arena, we never see discrimination against those who lead a Christian lifestyle, which Obama has been doing since the 1980s. So, why is it OK to discriminate against someone with a Muslim background? We are supposed to have a separation of church and state; therefore, religious beliefs shouldn't even be brought into the equation.
Take a look at Elizabeth Dole, who tried to bring religion into her campaign ads. Her "Godless America" ad against Kay Hagen seriously outraged me! Regardless of whether Hagen believes in God, she should not be thought to be an inadequate leader simply because of this. That is her choice; it is not the choice of other people to say that she, or anyone else, should believe a certain thing.
Religion also sticks its nose where it doesn't belong with the issue of homosexual commitment ceremonies. It isn't right for a religious group to say that it is wrong for two people to pledge their lives to each other, especially when the commitment of two people involves more than religious beliefs - there is a lot of legal issues involved as well. If you spend 20 years of your life with someone and the relationship doesn't work out, you deserve to have some kind of legal protection that will allow you to split things evenly, similar to what takes place during a divorce.
People should be able to make their own choices, regardless of what anyone else believes. God gave us free will, so the church needs to acknowledge that, instead of trying to control the population through control of the government. A good principle for those who have a problem with the supposed lack of God in our government is to teach your children what you believe is right. Stop trying to dominate the world and concentrate on your own.
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
Through the First Amendment of the United States' constitution, we have our religious privileges protected from the government. We have been given the guarantee that under no circumstances will the U.S. government take away our right to practice the faith that we believe to be correct. If the government can give us this promise, then the church should stop imposing itself upon the government!
President-elect Barack Obama received much opposition from many individuals due to their religious beliefs. Catholics were instructed that they shouldn't vote for him because he is pro-choice. That view has nothing to do with whether or not Obama would be an adequate leader; that view has everything to do with taking away a woman's right to choose.
Citizens were also opposing Obama because of his Muslim background. In the political arena, we never see discrimination against those who lead a Christian lifestyle, which Obama has been doing since the 1980s. So, why is it OK to discriminate against someone with a Muslim background? We are supposed to have a separation of church and state; therefore, religious beliefs shouldn't even be brought into the equation.
Take a look at Elizabeth Dole, who tried to bring religion into her campaign ads. Her "Godless America" ad against Kay Hagen seriously outraged me! Regardless of whether Hagen believes in God, she should not be thought to be an inadequate leader simply because of this. That is her choice; it is not the choice of other people to say that she, or anyone else, should believe a certain thing.
Religion also sticks its nose where it doesn't belong with the issue of homosexual commitment ceremonies. It isn't right for a religious group to say that it is wrong for two people to pledge their lives to each other, especially when the commitment of two people involves more than religious beliefs - there is a lot of legal issues involved as well. If you spend 20 years of your life with someone and the relationship doesn't work out, you deserve to have some kind of legal protection that will allow you to split things evenly, similar to what takes place during a divorce.
People should be able to make their own choices, regardless of what anyone else believes. God gave us free will, so the church needs to acknowledge that, instead of trying to control the population through control of the government. A good principle for those who have a problem with the supposed lack of God in our government is to teach your children what you believe is right. Stop trying to dominate the world and concentrate on your own.
This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 5
Josh R.
posted 11/12/08 @ 12:47 AM EST
This article makes a strong point, religion and politics should never mix. I am more then certain that people who comment on the article will bring up that America was founded on christian morals. (Continued…)
Richard Kristeller
posted 11/12/08 @ 11:39 AM EST
I totally agree with on this, but you have to look at it from these people's pint of view. The United States is dominantly Christian. And those people are only concerned about their right of religion. (Continued…)
David
posted 11/12/08 @ 2:14 PM EST
This country is FAR from being a Christian country. and nothing pisses me off more than when idiots proclaim that this country was founded on Christian principals. (Continued…)
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