Godly Governor
Gov. Ehrlich had himself a blessed day Sunday. He spent the morning behind the pulpit at central Baltimore's Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church where, according to The Examiner, he spoke on the role of faith in politics and praised the social work of religious organizations. Later that day, he headed over to Martin's West to attend a ceremony for Helping Up Mission, a faith-based program for drug addicts.
And that's where Ehrlich sounded as scary as any of the anti-First Amendment Republicans out there.
“The separation of church and state was made up," Ehrlich was quoted as saying in another Baltimore Examiner article.
Of course it was made up Governor. All laws and principles that govern the actions of men did not exist a priori - they were created for men by men.
The separation of church and state may have been made up, but that doesn't mean it isn't a fundamental component to liberal democracy. Religion should be the purview of the individual, not the government. Only when government remains absolutely neutral on religion are citizens able to make important decisions on theology. Religion is one of the most fundamental aspects of who we are as individuals and members of society; government has no place in dictating it for us.
Unfortunately, the governor's comments reflect a view that shows no respect for individual choices or religion itself. He should stop taking parroting the rhetoric coming out of the Santorum wing of his political party.
And that's where Ehrlich sounded as scary as any of the anti-First Amendment Republicans out there.
“The separation of church and state was made up," Ehrlich was quoted as saying in another Baltimore Examiner article.
Of course it was made up Governor. All laws and principles that govern the actions of men did not exist a priori - they were created for men by men.
The separation of church and state may have been made up, but that doesn't mean it isn't a fundamental component to liberal democracy. Religion should be the purview of the individual, not the government. Only when government remains absolutely neutral on religion are citizens able to make important decisions on theology. Religion is one of the most fundamental aspects of who we are as individuals and members of society; government has no place in dictating it for us.
Unfortunately, the governor's comments reflect a view that shows no respect for individual choices or religion itself. He should stop taking parroting the rhetoric coming out of the Santorum wing of his political party.
posted by The League: Reassembled at 2:48 PM
3 Comments:
What an asshole (assuming only for the moment that the quote is accurate, and the Examiner is slightly right-of-center i.e. disinclined to smear Ehrlich.)
I intend to make my home site Crablaw a digitized torture chamber for those who want to knock down the wall of separation between church and state. It is true that the words "separation of church and state" don't appear in the Constitution; it is also true that "non-bribed judge" does not appear either but one has a right to a fair trial under due process principles.
I am proud to be as hard on separation of church and state as Charlton Heston is on the separation of gun and state, and for similar reasons: utter lack of trust of the government.
It's comments like Ehrlich's which sum up the problem with overstepping on the religious issue (see the Obama discussion below).
I doubt Bob even believes this. He just felt he had to say it for both his target audiences-the usual conservative fundies and the African American churchgoers he wants to peel off.
Totally off the subject, but there is an online interview with O'Malley by Kojo Nnamdi at http://www.wamu.org/programs/kn/06/10/23.php#12103
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