Church and State Violation?

There has always been a debate as to the meaning of the term "seperation of church and state" and as it applies in the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Coming from a history of government intervention into religion, the framers made it very clear that all Americans had a right to worship - or not worship - as they saw fit and that government had no role dictating any religious obligations. The goal of the first amendment was to protect religion from government, not necessarily the other way around.

That is why it is ludicrous that people feel this means that there can not be prayers in public schools or legislative sessions, religious symbols on government property or for public officials to express their faith. As long as no one is forced by the government to participate in any religion, we're kosher (not to make a pun).

More often than not, there is a certain bigotry that is ascribed to Christianity and in particular the Protestant flavor of the religion. More than ever, public expressions of Christian faith are ridiculed, often by liberals and so called "progressives" many of whom don't even know that several Protestant denominations share much of the liberal political ideology.

Here in Los Angeles, it was perfectly okay for city government to participate in the constuction of the downtown cathedral, Our Lady of the Angels. But should a Protestant elected official express their faith, there is hell to pay.

Point in case is that of Councilwoman Janice Hahn, the Mayor's sister. The Hahn Family members are known as one that is religious, indeed Mayor Hahn himself went to Pepperdine, affiliated with the Church of Christ denomination to which his family has long belonged to.

The latest flack is that the Councilwoman is promoting her participation in the recent Billy Graham Crusade and expressing stories of her faith on her website. LA Observed covered it here.

We don't have a problem with the Councilwoman being honest about her religion. Billy Graham ain't our cup of tea, but if she wants to associate with him, that is her right. Like a lot of religious folks, she is politically a liberal. So what? (Except Mayor Sam personally doesn't want a whole lot of liberals on the Council no matter how much they pray, but that's another issue.)

Why are people getting their panties in a bunch?