September 7, 2003

An explanation of my last post, then I’ll get back to watching a movie…

This post was inspired by an article that David Limbaugh (yes, rush’s brother) wrote on the separation of church and state, initially regarding the 10 commandments memorial in Alabama.

The premise was that while the first amendment prohibits congress (i.e., the federal government) from making laws regarding an establishment of religion, yadda-yadda, the 10th amendment makes it clear that the states reserve that right.

Initially, this struck me as being clearly the correct interpretation of the law… until I looked at the rest of the first amendment and asked him if it also follows that the states reserve the right to abridge free speach or the freedom of the press…

Well, we’ll see if he gets to my email. I won’t hold it against him if he doesn’t, but it would be interesting to see what he says.

I suspect that he may agree with that interpretation and point to the fact that there ARE laws that abridge free speach (e.g., the traditional “fire” in a crowded theater)… actually, I suggested that to him in the email…

He’s got a book coming out this month on the subject, and it might be worth a read… especially if I can find it at the library, since I can’t afford to be blowing money on books I don’t need.

About the president’s right to believe what he believes… Article VI, clause 3 says “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” That doesn’t say to me that George Bush isn’t allowed to believe in God… In fact, it says quite the opposite.

While I may be a Republican, anyone who knows me knows that I’m not exactly a member of the religious right… I believe in astrology, I’ve been part of some magik ceremonies that were … convincing… I’ve grown more spiritual over the last few years, but I can’t really recall willingly going to church except in the presence of a hottie…

So don’t interpret this as me trying to argue that the fathers intended a unity of church and state, or that I’m trying to force Christianity on the world… I’m not. But it does strike me that the way a lot of cases involving religion have been handled exceed and misread what was actually intended.

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