Secularize This

Monday, June 11, 2012

10

One argument that is used often to justify public displays of religion on government property is that the United States was founded as a Christian nation and that we derive our laws from the sacred Ten Commandments.  I will argue that this is not true.  Below is a chart of the Bill of Rights and the Ten Commandments and you will see that there is little to no correlation between the two.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. You shall have no God before me
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.You shall not murder
In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.You shall not commit adultery
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.You shall not steal
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
I put this to your proposal; if in fact these United States was founded as a Christian nation, why is the very first amendment to our nation's constitution saying that Congress shall not make any laws respecting an establishment of religion?  This clearly defies the first commandment given by that flaming bush to Moses saying that you shall have no God before me.  If we were truly a Christian nation, how can we allow to have other faiths openly practiced here, or, even worse, have the blind atheists troll the internet denouncing the true God?

The fact of the matter is that we have to go all the way to the SIXTH Commandment before we find any rule/law that pertains to modern day society; You shall not murder.  The first FIVE commandments were of the utmost importance that our founding fathers failed to ignore them altogether when laying the foundation of these United States.  Our founding fathers thought it was more important to protect the citizens from tyranny by creating a clear distinction between the government, church and civilization.  They had just finished defeating the King of England (and head of the Church of England) in the Revolutionary War and saw what influence religion had on matters of state.  There are only two places for religion and those are the places of worship and the worshipers home.  We can look at modern day nations that have Islamist regimes and see what happens when we mix religion and government.  Taking our rules from ANY Bronze Age text with unknown authors is a disaster waiting to happen.  Just because the majority believes in their own imaginary friend DOES NOT give the majority the right to enforce those same beliefs on those that do not share the same enthusiasm.  

I will take this one step further in saying that we are not a Christian Nation.  One of the premises around the United States being a capitalist society is that we are all millionaires in the making, if we just work hard, we can have that mansion, we can have that car, we can have that yacht, etc.  Our society is built on us coveting our neighbors have obtained in order to drive success.  Not everyone will achieve that mansion in the Hamptons with a Lamborghini in the garage that they drive to the docks to devour caviar on their yacht.  No, but hard work towards that will lead to happiness.  

I propose these New Commandments to lead a life by.

1) Have an open mind to anything, prejudices make it impossible to be impartial
2) Always question, test what others claim
3) If it causes any harm (physical or psychological) to another, refrain from that action
4) What you do will resonate through eternity, do what is right
5) If you don't wish to be judged, don't pass judgement.  Those who are first to pass judgement tend to have the skeletons deepest in the closet.
6) Encourage exploration and critical thought
7) If you are in a position to help others less fortunate than you, see it as a privilege and not a burden
8) Treat others as you wish to be treated
9) Live, love and be free
10) Do these everyday, one day is not superior than the other  

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