I am glad to live in America where we have many rights or freedoms...freedom of speech, right to bear arms, freedom of religion and the list goes on and on. My question has to deal with our freedom of religion.
They wrote that in the United States of America we would have the freedom of religion not religionS. What did the founding fathers consider a religion? According to Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary which contains the closest rendering of definitions to the time in question the word religion means, "1. Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion."
In it's "MOST COMPREHENSIVE SENSE" religion dealt with the Christian religion. I think they only had the Christian religion in mind when they made that statement. To further this point when they mentioned separation of Church and State it was a direct condemnation of Roman Catholicism and the Church of England both of which were oppressive and mandated "faiths" also known as "state Churches" which God plainly condemns.
Here is where I need to stir something up...in New York City, very near the site of the terrorism perpetrated by muslim jihadists in their war against Americans (infidels) on the World Trade Centers, where thousands of innocent Americans lost their lives, our President is in favor of allowing a mosque, a muslim place of worship and religious exercises to be built.
Does anyone else see a problem with this? Would George Washington have a problem with this? Would Thomas Jefferson or Ben Franklin have a problem with this? I think they would!
Here is the deal...could we build a Baptist Church on Muslim soil? Of course not! The muslims wouldn't allow it! How is it then that we can allow it in our own backyard spitting in the faces of the families who lost loved ones on 9/11?
Here is the argument...we are America and we are better than that...besides as americans we are guaranteed the freedom of religion. I just don't see that...just like burning an american flag is not protected as freedom of speech! Someone told me that the Founding Fathers always meant for government to evolve...by my logic...we would still have slavery, women could not vote etc etc. Our country saw those things as wrong and VOTED to change them but sound principle is sound principle! Why do you think the muslims will not allow true Churches to be built and the true Gospel to be taught? They know the danger it would cost to the control they have over their society! Our Founding Fathers had spent years in Europe fighting muslim radicals and knew the danger they could pose to American society if allowed to propagate their hate false teachings.
Bottom line...have more respect for the families who lost loved ones on 9/11! Don't allow a place to be built that would represent one like the one whose Imam taught those terrorist that flying a plane into the World Trade Centers was a good thing. Let them build it somewhere else because ANYWHERE is too close to the site of the awful tragedy of 9/11!
Amen!
ReplyDeleteFrom the standpoint of truth vs. error, I would be glad that mosques and Islam did not exist at all. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Neither is their salvation in any other.
ReplyDeleteFrom the standpoint of respect, I believe it would be respectful, good and right for the Muslims to choose to give up their plan to build there.
From the standpoint of opposition, any American citizen has the right to oppose the mosque being built there and use whatever moral influence they have to stop it.
BUT from the constitutional standpoint of freedom of religion, the government should no more interfere with this religious structure than they should a church building or synagogue.
I think we would do well to be more acquainted with what our Baptist forefathers thought on this matter, than Washington, Jefferson or Franklin. For example:
"The liberty I contend for is more than toleration. The very idea of toleration is despicable; it supposes that some have a pre-eminence above the rest to grant indulgence, whereas all should be equally free, Jews, Turks, Pagans and Christians." Baptist preacher John Leland, as printed in The Writings of the Later Elder John Leland, p. 118.
"Government should be so fixed, that Pagans, Turks, Jews, and Christians should be equally protected in their rights." Leland, p. 358
fair enough comment bro. vaughn and I do understand your point.
ReplyDeletehowever my argument was geared towards our founding fathers not our baptist forefathers. I think when the founders referenced religion they had NO RECOGNITION of Islam as a religion. They would not have allowed a mosque to be built because they recognized the horrible system of beliefs that it truly is.
Most would argue that Islam is a very peaceful system of beliefs but take the time to read the bloody pages of the Koran and see how hate filled the system truly is.
Our Founding Fathers were not too far removed from many wars in Europe which were fought with the followers of Islam. They understood this and wanted no part of it in our country.
Freedom of Religion was not a blanket statement of permission, approval or blessing on ANY religion to thrive in America. Just like freedom of speech does not allow a man the right to burn the American flag.
Brother Hebert, when you say that you think when the founders referenced religion they had no recognition of Islam as a religion, you are probably correct concerning some of them. If I were looking for such, I would probably look more toward Adams than Jefferson. Here is one quote from Jefferson that gives a little flavor of what he thought:
ReplyDelete"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." - Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782
I don't think we should make as big a distinction between our founders and our Baptist forefathers as I perceive you to be making (to perhaps mistakenly). Men like Leland and Isaac Backus were alive and well at the founding of this country and part of the fight for freedom of religion. Leland and Backus both carried on correspondence with Jefferson, and Leland lobbied James Madison in support of the Bill of Rights. So the political founders were at least made aware of the Baptist position, whether they agreed with it or not.