January 16th is National Religious Freedom Day. The day commemorates the Virginia General Assembly’s adoption of Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on January 16, 1786. The Virginia Statute was the basis of the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution and also can be used to support Jefferson’s idea of the separation of church and state. The Religious Right have of course co-opted the day by mass marketing misleading information about what real religious freedom means in this country. Luckily, Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) has some help available to tell the truth.
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was passed at a time when state support and protection of churches was the norm in what would become the United States. Thomas Jefferson offered the statute as a way to protect the church and the state. It is obvious from reading the text that separating church and state was the goal.
Category: Definitions
While reading the Washington Post online last night I came across this little headline:
Atheists Who Pray? On Faith Panel | New Pew survey says 21% of atheists believe in God, 10% pray. What gives?
Indeed – what gives?
In the past week, Michael Newdow, the man who lost his lawsuit against “under God” in the pledge of allegiance on a technicality, lost his lawsuit concerning the use of the words “In God We Trust” on US currency. The federal judge based his decision on a previous case from the early 1970’s that upheld the words on the currency. Using Aronow v. United States, the court ruled that the motto is a “secular motto” having only a spiritual, psychological and inspirational value.
Some friends of mine, including some atheists, think Newdow is wasting our time fighting over mere words.
I have another view and it has something to do with sports.
First off it is not a political party. The word “secular left”, as used in the context of this blog, is from the pejorative used by extreme political conservatives to pander to their extreme religious conservative base. The label includes anyone and any group who dissents against the extreme political conservative agenda in regards to social and culture issues.
I just get tired of people with half a brain writing on issues they have little to no clue about. I hate the myths and lies they express about secular people and how they try, like Matalin, to paint everyone west of their view point with such a broad brush that it sounds ridiculous to those within those groups.
I have decided to do something about it.