| Jennifer Killpack-Knutsen ( @ 2007-01-12 12:12:00 |
Chris Buttars is at it again
I guess Chris Buttars didn't make a big enough religious splash in the last legislative session. From the Senate Site:
"Little by little, over the last 200 years or so, a cloak has been pulled over the First Amendment, masking it’s guarantee that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
I think it is time to pull back that shroud and carefully re-assert the vision established by our founders. As Lisa wrote in today’s Deseret Morning News, I am introducing legislation which will take a small step toward restoring the unalienable rights of freedom of expression and freedom of religion.
This bill puts Government out of the business of prohibiting religious expression. The only situation in which the government will be allowed to ban religious expression will be to further a compelling government interest using the least restrictive means possible. You can read the 2-page text here"
I commented to the post the following:
I'm all for protecting people's right to worship, but not to force others to worship their definition of a diety. I support your right to believe what you want, to display religious artifacts in your home and on your property, to wear clothing that states your beliefs, to pray and worship in your churches and homes. I do not support the creation of a culture where one narrow definition of diety is forced upon the rest of us in school and public prayers and speeches and displays of Christian religious symbols are displayed to the exlusion of all others.
Your bible is very clear on public displays of piousness:
Matthew 6:5 - 6
5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
It seems to me that this drive to be as publicly pious as possible shows either a huge ego problem or a lack of faith in your god. Don't you believe that all your time spent at home and church worship, and living your life to your god's highest standards is good enough to get you into heaven? Give your god some credit, and in the meantime, leave the rest of us to live our lives in the way we choose.
I guess Chris Buttars didn't make a big enough religious splash in the last legislative session. From the Senate Site:
"Little by little, over the last 200 years or so, a cloak has been pulled over the First Amendment, masking it’s guarantee that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
I think it is time to pull back that shroud and carefully re-assert the vision established by our founders. As Lisa wrote in today’s Deseret Morning News, I am introducing legislation which will take a small step toward restoring the unalienable rights of freedom of expression and freedom of religion.
This bill puts Government out of the business of prohibiting religious expression. The only situation in which the government will be allowed to ban religious expression will be to further a compelling government interest using the least restrictive means possible. You can read the 2-page text here"
I commented to the post the following:
I'm all for protecting people's right to worship, but not to force others to worship their definition of a diety. I support your right to believe what you want, to display religious artifacts in your home and on your property, to wear clothing that states your beliefs, to pray and worship in your churches and homes. I do not support the creation of a culture where one narrow definition of diety is forced upon the rest of us in school and public prayers and speeches and displays of Christian religious symbols are displayed to the exlusion of all others.
Your bible is very clear on public displays of piousness:
Matthew 6:5 - 6
5. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
It seems to me that this drive to be as publicly pious as possible shows either a huge ego problem or a lack of faith in your god. Don't you believe that all your time spent at home and church worship, and living your life to your god's highest standards is good enough to get you into heaven? Give your god some credit, and in the meantime, leave the rest of us to live our lives in the way we choose.