From: "Brian B. Riley" <brianbr@together.net>
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 22:22:26 +0800
To: <cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: Re: Democracy...
Message-ID: <199809170315.XAA26801@mx02.together.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



On 9/15/98 10:27 PM, Jaeger (Jaeger@hempseed.com)  passed this wisdom:

>
>hey, would you care to show us where "seperation of church and state" is
>to be found in the constitution/bill of rights?  absolute right and
>wrong is not a religious belief (necessarily)..  your religious beliefs
>do not affect the nature of reality.  there are absolute truths by

 [snip]

>> Ever heard of seperation of church and state? Democracy? the rights of
>>
>> the individual?  While you certainly have the right to practice your
>> religion in what ever manner you so choose demanding that everyone
>> else
>> does, or that the president of the us of ais subject to you PERSONAL
>> faith decisions is outragous

 The first amendment states only that there shall not be 'an 
establishment of religion' it says nada about 'separation of church and 
state.'  The intention was simple; that there would never be an 
'official' state religion. It didn't say religion had no place. They were 
escaping a regime with an established state religion that used the 
goverment to stamp out religious deviationism. That was the sole reason 
for that clause in the 1st amendment.

Brian B. Riley --> http://members.macconnect.com/~brianbr
 For PGP Keys  <mailto:brianbr@together.net?subject=Get%20PGP%20Key>

   "...if you drink much from a bottle marked "poison."
  and it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later"
             _Alice in Wonderland_: (Lewis Carroll)