Reply #32: Its the federal government endorsing a particular faith, [View All]

[OregonDem]

I don't mind crosses on the side of the road, as long as they were put there by the victims family. I don't mind crosses on the gravestones of our soldiers because that is a representation of that individual's faith and as long as Arlington allows other symbols of different religions including atheism (which they do) then I don't have a problem with it. I also wouldn't have had a problem if they sold the land to private landowners who wanted to keep the cross. But as long as the government is using public property to basically say this is a christian nation then I am against it. It will be used in the future as evidence that church and state were never separated, and that it is acceptable to legislate the enforcement of religious laws and more endorsements of Christianity. Don't believe me?, well look at how the religious right uses "In God We Trust" (an obvious violation of the establishment clause) to further their agenda in putting the ten commandments everywhere on public property. The religious right continues to deny that we were established to allow for freedom of religion by the government remaining neutral on the issue of faith and they have also forgotten that this nation was founded by people escaping theocratic nations. They will continually strive to make sure that the state uses its authority to make right wing Christianity the religious monopoly in the US. The best way for people to retain there freedom of religion is to diligently strive to make sure the government stays out of religious matters.