Foreword: Though I am not a follower of any religion myself, I respect the positive role religion plays in the lives of all people who are comforted and guided by the doctrine of their beliefs, no matter what particular religion they follow. This essay is about the protection of all religions from each other, as some religions have included in their doctrine that all other religions are beyond wrong and must be oppressed or eliminated.
Thank God for Thomas Jefferson. He understood that in order to have freedom of religion, a society must also have freedom from religion. He made sure that the constitution prevented the installment of one religion having legal domination over all other religions by understanding that America was founded on freedom of religion, not founded on the Christian religion. He foresaw that, in the structure of a country in which representative government could eventually vote into effect laws that would favor the religious beliefs and doctrines of a particular religion, that even Christianity could become the oppressed religion through the effects of immigration and popular vote. The separation of church and state was written into the constitution to protect all people, no matter their belief system, from being forced by the majority religion to comply with laws which would take away anyone’s freedom of choice. America was founded on freedom, not religion. Thank you Thomas Jefferson.
As citizens we have to watch out for those who today are trying to go against the separation of church and state. One recent example of such efforts is laws that impose restricted health care choices on women based on religious beliefs. The women affected by these laws have lost their freedom of choice. But the most dangerous example is the effort by some to establish judicial processes based on the religion of the person who is facing court charges, for instance those who want to establish a separate judicial system based on Sharia law. If that kind of personalizing of laws and judicial systems is allowed to happen, it will lead to resentment, perceived injustice, and chaos. If any one religion is allowed to have such an exemption from our constitutional judicial structure, then all religions will insist on having the same right to establish their own judicial system.
One of the first groups to step up and demand exemption would surely be those whose religion supports polygamy. And who has the right to decide what is considered a religion? There are hundreds of religions in America. Any group of people can concoct a philosophy and call themselves a religion. Praise the Lord, or praise the sun, I don’t mind, as long as your religion does not have doctrines that step on the freedom of others.
The literal bottom line for me is that I believe one more thing about religion that demands absolutely the separation of church and state. I believe that freedom and religion are opposites of each other. A religion is a set of beliefs and structure that, if you don’t agree with, you cannot truly be a member of that religion, therefore you must give up your personal freedom to join, and yet it was your freedom of choice to do so.
I know…………it’s a paradox, and ironic.
But wait, I guess I do have a religion, however very simple, personal, and undocumented until now. It has only three tenets:
(1) the faith based tenet is: Don’t worry, everything will be OK
(2) the first rule based tenet is: Live by the Golden Rule as in “treat others as you would like to be treated”
(3) live by and protect the constitution of the USA.
I’ll end this by quoting one of my favorite writings, “Desiderata”, a 1927 prose poem by Max Ehrmann, which concludes with:
“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its’ sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.”