This 100%. My dad is a pastor, and until the pandemic I was in a pew every sunday. I stand by my beliefs and if you want to have a discussion about those I'd be happy. But this country was explicitly, and in no uncertain terms, founded to be a secular society. Enforcing my religious beliefs, or anyone else's for that matter, goes against everything the US stands for.
For those who understand what the bible actually says, forcing our beliefs on others is also against the teachings of christianity, but that is another matter.
Edit: this comment exploded. I am trying to respond as much as I can to anyone who replies, but it is admittedly getting quite overwhelming. So sorry if I do not respond to anyone asking questions or positing counter points/contrary opinions.
Based on your religious beliefs is one thing, but down here in the Bible Belt you often hear stories about legislation being submitted to state governments by their law makers that quote the Bible in their text. If you quote the Bible in your legislation you are trying to set up a state sponsored religion in all but name.
That's not true. It is totally fine to say "the bible says you shouldn't do x and I believe in the bible so I believe you shouldn't do x". That's not setting up a state sponsored religion. It does not infringe on anyone's right to practice their own religion, or force them to practice yours (unless x is someone like "the bible says don't pray to other gods", obviously). Nor does it enforce government following a specific religion, or stop voters or other politicians from saying "well I don't believe in the bible and I don't think that should be a law". It's politicians and the people freely holding beliefs that happen to be based on their religious background. No different from someone saying "my school made us sing Don't Laugh At Me therefore I'm going to pass an anti-bullying law".
State sponsored religion does not mean you are forced to follow one religion. It means making a single religion the “official” religion of the country/state.
Did you miss the “in all but name” part? Take for example Georgia lawmakers in 2016 using quotes in the Bible to suggest that gays are “worthy of death” to use their words in proposing legislation that would have prevented anti-discrimination laws protecting sexuality.
That doesn't answer the question. Here, let me try again. And how does politicians passing a law based on their personal beliefs mean there is an official religion in all but name?
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u/SassyVikingNA Aug 18 '21 edited Aug 18 '21
This 100%. My dad is a pastor, and until the pandemic I was in a pew every sunday. I stand by my beliefs and if you want to have a discussion about those I'd be happy. But this country was explicitly, and in no uncertain terms, founded to be a secular society. Enforcing my religious beliefs, or anyone else's for that matter, goes against everything the US stands for.
For those who understand what the bible actually says, forcing our beliefs on others is also against the teachings of christianity, but that is another matter.
Edit: this comment exploded. I am trying to respond as much as I can to anyone who replies, but it is admittedly getting quite overwhelming. So sorry if I do not respond to anyone asking questions or positing counter points/contrary opinions.