- Banned
- #101
The legislation part is wherre I would take issue. I don't agree with the governmet making legislation on issues of religion, no matter how important they seem to be to anyone. The government just doesn't need to get involved in these issues. Certainly people are free to call their rperesentatives but the moment they say "I beleive God wants" or "my church needs", it should go right out the reps other ear. There should be no laws establishing any kind of religion. And any law passed to uphold a particular religious position gets us on the way there.
You are absolutely right that people are free to make mistakes. I am also free to not like the people who convince others to make mistakes, intentionally. In just about any other profession, taking someone's money under false pretense and not delivering the goods is a crime. Thanks to the governments hands off approach to religion, you can collect all kinds of money on all kinds of promises from the church and you don't have to deliver squat and you're not guilty of anything except being a jack ass, in the eyes of the justice system. Hopefully God is watching and they get to pay for that sometime down the road. Now, of course, the church can insist, on issues like the private religious use of public facilities, but that opens the door for the public to get involved with regulating the church. There are plenty of folks like me who would love to see Pat and Benny in hand cuffs. So, the trade off is easy to see. If you don't want the public interest in the church then the church should, in it's own interest, just stay away from these kinds of demands. Careful waht you ask for, you just may get it. Want to use the gym ? Fine. Next time some jackass preacher starts making claims of being able to heal foks or rescue them from financial disaster and then starts passing the hat, the public should hold him liable for delivery of the goods. That's how we treat everyone else out here in the public sphere.
Having said all that, I am a Christian. It's not Christ I have any bone to pick with. My religious views are mine and not for public use. I don't need a gymnasium or any other kind of publically funded support to get me any closer to God. I have a difficult time understanding why anyone would think otherwise. I have read the Bible through a few times now and I don't recall any directions about that except "render unto Ceasar...." Even Christ seemed to recognize the seperation of church and state.
You are absolutely right that people are free to make mistakes. I am also free to not like the people who convince others to make mistakes, intentionally. In just about any other profession, taking someone's money under false pretense and not delivering the goods is a crime. Thanks to the governments hands off approach to religion, you can collect all kinds of money on all kinds of promises from the church and you don't have to deliver squat and you're not guilty of anything except being a jack ass, in the eyes of the justice system. Hopefully God is watching and they get to pay for that sometime down the road. Now, of course, the church can insist, on issues like the private religious use of public facilities, but that opens the door for the public to get involved with regulating the church. There are plenty of folks like me who would love to see Pat and Benny in hand cuffs. So, the trade off is easy to see. If you don't want the public interest in the church then the church should, in it's own interest, just stay away from these kinds of demands. Careful waht you ask for, you just may get it. Want to use the gym ? Fine. Next time some jackass preacher starts making claims of being able to heal foks or rescue them from financial disaster and then starts passing the hat, the public should hold him liable for delivery of the goods. That's how we treat everyone else out here in the public sphere.
Having said all that, I am a Christian. It's not Christ I have any bone to pick with. My religious views are mine and not for public use. I don't need a gymnasium or any other kind of publically funded support to get me any closer to God. I have a difficult time understanding why anyone would think otherwise. I have read the Bible through a few times now and I don't recall any directions about that except "render unto Ceasar...." Even Christ seemed to recognize the seperation of church and state.
