Net Llama! wrote:
You're wrong there, but actually bring up a good topic: The Spirit of the Constitution. While I agree with my compatriot that Bush will probably propose good candidates to the Supreme Court (and has already), the use of "strict" interpretation of the Constitution gave me pause. Strict isn't the word I'd choose. "Accurate" seems more appropriate. The founding fathers had a lot of things in mind when they wrote and ratified the constitution. It is those principles which must be understood. The words "separation of Church and State" had absolutely nothing to do with keeping our govenment officials from governing based on their religious values. In fact, as John Adams stated:
I don't care what anyone's religious beliefs are. Its their own business. I don't force mine on anyone, and all agents of government in the united states are legally prohibited from doing the same. Ashcroft somehow decided that law doesn't apply to him.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."(http://www.probe.org/docs/amgovt.html#text1)
The principle being shown in the Constitutional "Separation of Church and State" involves the government not forcing us to all be a particular religion, as the King/Queen of England had been. They recognized that we need to be free to practice religion as we see fit, not all be Catholic or Anglican. This was a great thing! It allows us to be Quakers, Baptists, Catholics, Episcopalian, Hindu, Budhist, or some strange combination of these or many others.
However, it is not practical (nor desireable) to expect our officials to remove their morals and convictions when governing. The opposite should be true. We elect them largely based on their convictions and morals, their character and integrity.... at least that's largely what I'm looking for in a candidate. I guess that's part of what makes me conservative. That and a lot of other things.
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