Seperation of Church and State?

It seems to me as I think about it in depth, that the wisdom of our forefathers in creating the famous Seperation of Church and State might at first appear to be in concern for the protection of religion and the religious. But as we review our history, that of the US, of Europe and indeed the entire history of humanity, it has continually been the other way around. It is the people and their government that need to be protected from religion and the religious.

Looking back just as an example, at Europe in what is euphemistically called the dark ages, where many government agencies were in fact run by religion, we get an accurate view of the finer side of humanity through such memorable experiences as The Grand High Inquisitor, The Crusades, and Witch Hunts just to name a few. Now on the face of it one might not think it sounds for such alarm. One must remember however that along with those history book titles are all the subtitles such as the torture, terror, and devising the most thorough techniques of destroying the mind and body. And of course let's not forget death. With what one could have gone through simply because one did not believe in the same god as his neighbor, death would have eventually been blessed relief.

Ironically, in today's modern times, we have religion run governments in the Middle East and Africa.The fact is that the entire previous sentance is irony. First because they are two of the most barbaric regions of the planet, not at all modern. Second, it's because they have always been ruled by religion and have been in constant turmoil since the dawn of time. They know about torture techniques and religious intimidation.

Here in the good ol' US of A however we have seperation of Church and State which means that the government isn't allowed to interfere with the church. No collection of taxes, no intruding by the law on a killer who confesses that sin to an approved clergy, no intervention by authorities to stop parents who let dying children go without medical treatment believing their God will take or leave them according to His divine and mysterious plan. That's the kind of protection enjoyed by the religions of various sorts in this civilized culture.

On the other hand, the same law permits the opposite from religion. It is free to interfere in government to the worst possible conclusion. It has become a major writer of our laws, such as determining who we may or may not marry, kind of like in the days when one had to ask the lord of the particular region for permission. For those of you who are not history buffs, it was hundreds of years ago. But we've become more civilized since then, right? Another realm it has invaded is medicine via the government and the legal system. Doesn't it seem that a Doctor and patient should have final word over treatment, and not the government or worse the church? It is the old story of I'm up in your business, but don't think of getting up in mine and make that tax exempt while you're at it.

How much longer is the thinking minority going to stand idly by, while proselyters continue to take away our rights, the same rights that give them their power?

Fortunately our forefathers had the wisdom to study their history and were prescient enough to protect the thinking minority by putting a clause in our constitutuion calling for a seperation of church and state. However it is up to us, that thinking minority, to see to it that our rights are not subjugated.

On a lighter note, at the time and date of this writing (Thursday March 10, 2011) I'm curious to see how the above mentioned barbarians manage the recent uprisings, in demand of democratic forms of government, happenning in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and pretty much that entire region. Rumor has it that since Egypt doen't have an official party to take over in the vacancy left by the recently deposed dictator and the military is pretty entrenched as the commanding force for now, that the likely contender for the next official ruling political party may be the Muslim Brotherhood. If that does happen and they instate shiria law based on the Islam faith, the next move will to be to threaten Israel, who will have none of it and that will be the beginning of the end for the people and most of the other inhabitants of the planet.

Respectfully,

Xhaua