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2009-07-02

Congressman Forbes, Religion and Government.

Not all leaders believe that we should be free to be religious, as well as to be free from religion. Some are bold and selfish enough to take their religious beliefs to the government, a place that should rule us all fairly and religiously unbiased. Congressman Forbes goes even further, by bringing his religious convictions to the place that also represents non religious citizens.

Congressman Forbes:



I feel that in light of so many false statements by a member of government, one should make things clear about some of the people from back in the day, just to leave things in a fair and unbiased state:

"The Bible is not my book, and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma."
-Abraham Lincoln

"I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature."
-Thomas Jefferson

"This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it!!!"
- John Adams,
letter to Thomas Jefferson

"Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear."
-Thomas Jefferson,
letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent."
-Thomas Jefferson,
letter to Francis Hopkinson, March 13, 1789

And my favorite from one of the brightest minds the world has ever seen:
"A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death."
-Albert Einstein

Turns out, Mr. Einstein, that most of us still are in that poor place, and most of us still neglect the opinions of the intelligent.
Maybe the 16% of non religious Americans(1) should be more respected in their own government by seeing a private matter, such as religion, kept private.
Reading, learning, and thinking clearly about the sides and opinions that stand against ours can be difficult. But it is rewarding nonetheless. Maybe Congressman Forbes should read about both sides of the story as well, and keep his or any religion outside of government. We are already free to worship whatever we want.
Government should be free from religion exactly because some of those who the government represents also are.

(1) C.I.A.
Jefferson Quotes
John Adams Quotes
Abraham Lincoln Quotes

2 comments:

  1. It is always interesting how many feel that we can truly understand what the forefathers of the United States meant when they wrote the beginnings of our nation. I like to argue that our government has been set up to be living and breathing. Meaning that we can adapt to the coming challenges of our people.
    With that, I issue a challenge just as the writer of the Blog has. Shed the old thoughts and beliefs led in fear. We should be aimed at accurately representing our population now vs. trying to understand what men more than 200 years ago meant when they wrote the beginnings of our nation. Tradition and Religion can be a trap leading us into their "Foretold Dooms".

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do we not, as a country, have better, more important things to talk bout!! Wondering if Mr. Forbes constituents really enjoy their elected senator to spend their tax coins on talks like such that do nothing productive for them.

    ReplyDelete

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