Theos-Talk Archives (August 1995 Message tl00057)

>And incorporated in this freedom is the separation of church and
>state, so that one religion does not try to impose itself onto
>society through government influence.

This idea of "separation" (which is not in the Constitution) is
misleading as the writers of the first amendment did not wish to
remove God from government, they only wanted to prevent
government from imposing one version of God on people.

>The Rev. Franklin is incorrect in believing that this country
was founded on Christian beliefs.

The U.S. *was* founded on the idea of two greatest commandments
and the Golden Rule, it was not founded on the idea that one
group's interpretation of the Bible is right. The founding
principles are best reflected in the words: We hold these truths
to be self-evident, that all men are created equal and that they
are endowed by their Creator (sic. God) with certain unalienable
rights -- and the role of government is only to protect such
rights.

Peace,
Patrick