From today’s TFN News Clips:
“If we do not do something, we will not have any Protestants in government.”
— Oklahoma state Rep. Todd Russ, R-Cordell, sponsor of a bill on Bible classes in the state’s public schools. Cordell’s statement came after it was pointed out that only one member of the current U.S. Supreme Court is a Protestant Christian — the others are Roman Catholic and Jewish.
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Didn’t seem to bother W. Or Reagan so why worry about it now?
If they don’t stop doing “something” there won’t be any Protestants willing to admit they’re Protestant. They’ll be to embarrassed.
“Thunk!” That was the sound of my jaw hitting the floor! That’s about all the comment I can muster at this time.
These people are making it very unpopular to be Christian – a religion that is supposed to be inherently good. Jesus wanted people to WANT to be Christian, and the way to do that is to make Christianity look good. Way to go, Todd Russ. Epic fail.
You shouldn’t have to worry about religious persecution in America – that’s why we came here to start with. It’s people like Todd Russ who make me worry for my future children.
The Founding Fathers, with capitol Fs (see Webster’s), that is, the men who in secret session drafted the 1787 Constitution for the United States of America, clearly stated the constitutional principle and it was ratified by every one of the states: “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States,” Art. 6. Which word in that constitutional commandment is unclear or difficult to understand? It does not make any difference what the religion of the Justice or any other political office holder is in the the USA. In the USA every citizen has a right to hold political office regardless of religion affiliation. The question you raise is not in harmony with the founding principle of about America is: “no religious test” means no religious test, whether the office holder is Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Zoroastrian, or atheist. This is the United States of America and “no religious test shall ever be required.”
Those of us who are strict constructionists of the Constitution, have no problem with appointments to the US Supreme Court in respect to religion. Religion is not a constitutional factor. In the USA “religion” is not to be established and no religion test shall ever be required. It is as simple as that. The Constitution says it, I believe it, and that settles it.
There are too many Roman Catholics on the Supreme Court…Sotomayor made it 6 total (Clarence Thomas converted after being appointed and confirmed). I agree, no religious test for office, yada yada, but I hope Obama doesn’t nominate yet another Catholic, no matter how moderate or liberal.
If he doesn’t nominate a Buddhist, I’m seceding.
OH NO! No PROTESTANTS IN GOVERNMENT! Quick, Chicken Little, get out from under that sky NOW!
What about the president and Congress; are they all Catholic or Jewish?
There is a time and a place for discussion of the bible. The time is usually Sunday morning and the place is called a CHURCH. Ever hear of them? Now if you like, you can talk bible all day and all night at home too. But keep your cotton pickin’ bible the hell out of my tax-paid schools! Do I believe in YOUR bible? No, I do not. Do I support YOUR interpretations of what it says or doesn’t say? Hell no. You can’t say “Hell no” is a cuss word because one of the top GOP people screamed it at the top of his lungs a few weeks ago.
The problem is that you think that EVERYONE should care about what YOU think. We should ALL have your narrow-minded, bigoted views you hold near and dear. Well, this grannie DOES NOT.
I’ve nothing whatsoever against you preaching and teaching your kids whatever you want so long as it is done OUTSIDE THE TAX PAYER SUPPORTED SCHOOLS. You want your own Christian school? Go for it, m’friends, go for it. But keep that book OUT OF MY SCHOOLS!
I was brought up being forced to pray to a God I did not worship; finally I started leaving class rather than compromise. And for doing so, I was suspended and eventually EXPELLED even though my parents paid for my schooling. All it took was one little law suit and OUT went the prayers and the book. Just what makes people think they can FORCE their ill laid plans on everyone?
We have a wonderful document called the Constitution of the United States of America. The VERY FIRST amendment is freedom of religion and freedom FROM religion. If I want to worship a turtle that is my right; I don’t, but could.
The Supreme Court has ruled that you can’t do what you want to do, so like some Christian groups, you intend to break the law rather than do you Christian duty and obey the law. Remember some fella by the name of Jesus? He said “render under Caesar the things that are Caesars and the things of God to God?”
Thou hypocrites and liars. You’re no better than sneak thieves.
“If we do not do something, we will not have any Protestants in government.”
Ole Charles has another one for him along those same lines. The demographics already show it. Sometime in the next century—right here in the good old USA—the beloved “white man” is going to disappear as the whole population turns some shade of olive. People who look like DonMcLeroy are going to disappear. People who look like Gail Lowe are going to disappear. People who like Terri Leo are going to disappear. As the Bible says of the evil man in Psalms 37, I searched diligently for him but could not find him. A whole so-called type, or kind, or race of man will cease to exist right here in the United States. Your only hope of finding one might be to visit a zoo where the last one might be on live display in return for a hefty salary. It is happening now. It will continue to happen. No one can or will do anything to stop it. My only regret is that I will not be alive to witness the look on the face of the last living WASP bigot when it happens.
Has anyone heard the latest “birther” insight into recent American history. It was in my local newspaper a few days ago. Baby Barack Hussein Obama was actually born in secret aboard a Chinese communist naval vessel anchored outside of American territorial waters. Fru-u-u-u-i-u-u-u-u-t Ca-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-kes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The fear of Chinese communism is my favorite gunworship fantasy. A relative of mine used that as an excuse to hoard weapons and ammo.
I pointed out to him that the Commies owned us lock stock and barrel, from the top of our head to the tips of our toes, and all points in between (if you know what I mean), thanks to Walmart and George Bush.
He didn’t have an answer.
But I’m probably on his “hit list”.
@ Beverly Kurtin: Amen to what you wrote. That’s why my nose is so bent out of shape over the Office of Faith-Based Partnerships (which Bush began and Obama continues). My tax dollars are paying for proselytizers. Yes, yes, I know the First Amendment and all. Go right ahead Christians and preach all you want. Just do it ON YOUR OWN FRIGGIN’ DIME! I see no reason why my tax dollars can’t be USED for paying for abortions (though abortions cost a fraction of what it costs the taxpayers to raise a child to the age of majority) yet it’s perfectly OK for my tax dollars to be USED for proselytization, preemptive wars, corporate welfare, and other USES of which I disapprove.
(I hope I’ve been crystal clear. I’m writing about the USES of my tax dollars, not about abortion. I hope nobody deliberately misinterprets what I’ve written and accuses me of “creating an erroneous assumption.”)
Charles, as regards the “birthers,” there’s an SUV that parks in my neighborhood. It sports a big bumper sticker that reads: “WHERE’S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE”? (I live in Texas, by the way, so that explains a lot about the bumper sticker). Birthers also claim Obama is a Muslim. Even if Obama WAS a Muslim (which he isn’t, but if he was), where does it say in the Constitution that a Muslim cannot be president? These birthers CLAIM to be strict constitutionalists; where is the evidence that they are?
I agree with the faith-based initiative remarks, Cytocop.
However, as a carpenter, I’m used to using wedges, and you have to use the small end to start and tap it with just enough force until the fat end is doing the lifting.
So I didn’t expect Pr. Obama to come in and rework the whole thing to suit me overnight. I’m willing to give him eight years to get the thing going in the right direction with some traction. I do think it will take all concerned parties to get in there and add some heft to the push against the “atavists”.
It’s pretty obvious now that he’s not a “socialist”, but in a couple years, there will be an ample track record that he’s governing for all Americans. The “soft” racists that are just afraid he’s going to spend all their tax dollars on the inner city (black) poor will shut up and the only ones left will be the hard-core evangelicals and the true KKK gunworshippers. Then they’ll be marginalized.
At least that’s my plan.
Speaking of KKK, I’m thinking about a bumper sticker, “Glenn Beck is Muslin.”
David, I’m afraid the “horse is already out of the barn.” That is to say the Office of Faith-Based Partnerships is already well-established and, from what we’ve seen, is well-accepted by the vast majority of Americans. Therefore if any president, whether Obama or his successor(s), were to try to close it there would be such a shout of protest that it would be heard ’round the world.’ Shutting down the faith-based initiative would give the Christotaliban all the proof they need that their government is anti-Christian, and would likely lead to someone’s assassination. You know how crazy and fanatical the Christotaliban are. Therefore, it will never happen, and the unconstitutional Office of Faith-Based Partnerships will remain in place forever just as the National Day of Prayer will remain permanently. Nobody would dare deny Christotaliban demands.
As for Obama’s alleged “socialism,” the teabaggers STILL cannot make up their minds. He’s still being labeled both a socialist and a fascist. Only proves how ignorant teabaggers are that they can’t tell the difference between socialism and fascism. If it weren’t so scary and pathetic, it would be hilarious. I saw Ann Coulter (that intellectual heavyweight) on Larry King Live the other night. She was claiming Obama is a socialist, and socialism and fascism are the same thing. She said the full name of the Nazis is “national socialism.” Ah HA! There’s that word ‘socialism’ in there; that proves socialism and fascism are the same. Er, Ann, no it does not. What an ignoramus. DUH!
I like your bumper sticker though: “Glenn Beck is Muslin.” (spelling error intended). 🙂
It annoys me too that we’re spending taxpayer dollars so that Biblethumpers can go out and “save people from everlasting hellfire” ie recruit churchmembers.
The Republicans and conservatives know that pandering to the racists is their last hope.
From the Pres.’ point of view, this whole “social issue” must seem like a can of worms. Eventually he has to be able to peel the people out there trying to do some practical good from those who are wanting to control everybody else, from those who are trying to scam the system, etc. When the racially reactive folks settle down and realize he’s not setting up a “Negrocracy” (forgive me, folks, but that’s what they’re afraid of), he’s doing a pretty much middle of the road job of running things, then we’ll be able to take a look at this stuff without all the hysteria.