kh (05/11/83)
Relay-Version:version B 2.10 gamma 4/3/83; site mhuxt.UUCP Message-ID:<5201@unc.UUCP> Date:Wed, 11-May-83 01:03:40 EDT From: dyl@floyd Newsgroups: net.religion Title: Our government could use less complaint Do not worry, God is not going to move in schools just because there are 5 minutes of silence before schools begin. In general, God moves in a congregation when it is seeking God in unity and in truth and when the congregation has patience to wait for an answer from God. A classroom hardly meets these criteria at all. The problem is not what God is going to do, but what the government will try to do. Government promoting religion is not a good idea. One should remember that there were specific reasons for each of the amendments in the bill of rights. Separation of state & religion comes from such problems as the persecution of protestants/catholics/protestants/catholics (depending on the religion of the crown at the time) in England. Not to mention that many of the early immigrants to our country came here specifically for religious freedom. I don't see why these freedoms should be diminished. Personally I do not see why high schools should teach the evolution theories. It is obvious that living things are born according to their own kinds. Genetic changes result in defects, abnormality and shorter if not zero lifespan. Anything that replaces God is just another religion. "Anything that replaces God is just another religion."?????? Come on... The theory of evolution is taught because there's a LOT of evidence to support it. The same goes for the heliocentric theory of the solar system. Let me point out that federal, state and local employees do take Thanksgiving and Christmas off while collecting tax dollars. What are you going to do about it? I personally have nothing against holidays, even religious ones. Many employers allow Jewish employees to take off Yom Kippur, and I think that includes many governments. I hope the same consideration is given to Muslims, Hindus, Moonies, etc. And then there are monuments in Washington D.C. giving full acknowledgements to God. For example, Lincoln Memorial is called a temple and in it Lincoln's writings which acknowledge that the civil war was a judgement from the true and righteous Lord. So, is it OK with you folks for the Federal Government to use your tax dollars to upkeep these monuments? Or should they use your tax dollars to tear them down. The list of things just goes on. Actually, I think the list is quite short. The Lincoln Memorial is all right with me. After all, its main purpose is not to glorify God, but a man who led this country in difficult times. Before you drive yourselves crazy and loose your abilities to generate more tax dollars. Consider yourselves fortunate that you are paying tax dollars instead of receiving welfare even though you are not thanking God for your abilities and opportunities to work. There are millions of people in the world who are willing to pay that tax dollar in your place. Besides, this country can afford to loose a few tax dollars in return for less complaints against the government. Less complaints? The government needs \more/ complaints. It is through complaints that the government is changed. Its mistakes are corrected (and there are *always* mistakes) and it is made more responsive to the people. Governments that don't allow complaint are commonplace and always bad. In fact, what greater admission is there from a government that it is bad? A government that cannot accept criticism is a weak one indeed. Kenny Hirsch duke!unc!kh kh.unc@UDel-Relay Chapel Hill, N.C.