It’s obvious to anyone that isn’t blinded by their own convictions or the convictions they have promised to follow even if proven shaky and/or untrue simply to maintain party unity that a major reason the Republican Party seems so fractured, out-of-touch, and just plain ignorant and/or self-blinded to reality is the following:
“Freedom of Religion” means exactly that: Freedom to choose what religion, if any, you believe in and to practice your faith in the context of your life without infringing on anyone else’s same right.
It does NOT mean merging Religion with Politics and using as your only basis for support “It’s what I believe as a *Insert Faith Here*.”
The days of that argument holding any water at all began to decline quite a while ago. It wasn’t a sudden dropoff, but like the 50’s propaganda films that seemed well-intentioned but slightly out of touch then and completely absurd and laughable now, there is a similar trajectory.
The fact that Americans are progressively, by generation, less and less likely to be indoctrinated in any particular Faith will eventually lead to two things:
1) Belief will become a more personal, meaningful, and DEEPER thing, since it will be increasingly chosen by individuals through the process of self-exploration and exploration of perspectives, one’s own and those of others, and not slapped on them by their parents or community.
2) The number of people that can be accurately described by Albert Einstein as “Crusading Atheists” will dwindle to a small, angry minority just as offensive and abhorrent as in-your-face “Crusaders” for any form of belief. There being no more “cause” to be angry about, the remnants will simply be angry “about” something else…for some people aren’t angry for reasons, they simply pick a reason to affix their anger to.
P.S.: The “banning” of any religion or form of spirituality is not only WRONG by definition (banning beliefs? Read ‘1984’)…also, it can’t be done. Beliefs can NEVER be destroyed. Ideas can NEVER be “done away with”. It’s been tried…doesn’t work. So apart from being immoral, it’s also completely illogical, impractical, and a complete and utter waste of time.
Instead of protesting religion “telling people how to think” by “telling people how to think” (Does anyone else see the Republican Math here?), how about this…everyone leaves everyone else alone to decide, on their own, with their own minds and without propaganda from either side, without any form of coercion at all…”What do I believe?”.
THAT would be a monumental step forward in the “evolution” of humanity, and it would be achieved through ACTIVE ENCOURAGEMENT OF FREEDOM, rather than FORBIDDANCE OF FREEDOM. Now…what’s wrong with that? Peace.
-Puppy >.< Yip!