On religious freedom

[denuseri]

Which is why the founders of the US Constitution ensured a separation of Church and State, a condition which Christians in the US are fighting like mad to change.

All the framers wanted was to avoid having a state sanctioned church of some kind and to keep the state from backing any one religion over another and to allow anyone to worship whatever they wanted.


No one is denying them the right to SAY what they want about others, nor is anyone trying to force them to accept those others into their exclusive clubs.

Really? Then why do they spend so much time trying to do that very thing?

We are only saying that they do NOT have the right to assault those others, or to promote attacks upon them, or to publicly attack individuals because of their lifestyles.

Whats an attack? A verbal attack like the ones you use against them?

Just like I do not attack individuals who might believe in a certain god or gods, I only attack the religious organization which spouts inanity and hatred.

You attack individuals every time when you attack the group they are part of and you know it.

I'm not saying that churches should be forced to accept gay marriages, (yet you have) for example, or even that they must accept gays into their congregations. I agree that a group should be allowed to want it's members to conform to its own internal policies so long as they are breaking no laws. I'm only saying that the churches do NOT have the right to lie (um actually they do have the right to free speech just like the rest of us, they can lie about another group etc as much as you do...which includes saying whatever for the most part even when its not true IE: including lies...slander on the other hand and where the legal line lays is a whole different matter.) about those who are gay, or to try to deny gays their rights. And apparently, that means I'm persecuting the church.

Persecution? naw your just excising your right to lie (coughs free speech) about them and deny their rights.


One of the requirements for tax-free status of religious organizations is that they not engage in political discourse from the pulpit.

Really? I would love to see where that is in the Constitution.

Sure, the preacher can have his political opinions, and he can speak them freely OUTSIDE of the church. But INSIDE the church, as a church official, he is not permitted to declaim political views.

According to whom?

No one enforces that law, however, and there have been instances of preachers literally threatening their congregations with hellfire if they don't vote the way he tells them to. THAT is wrong, and should cost that church its tax-free status. But I guess THAT'S persecuting them, too.

Still would love to see this law.

My solution is to remove the tax-free status from ALL religions, and only give them deductions for actual charities they support. And there shouldn't be a tax deduction for individuals who donate to churches. Let them donate to the charities themselves. I can't get a deduction for joining Sam's Club. Why should someone get a deduction for joining Liars for Jesus?

Tax free status must then be removed from all groups of every kind.