Church and State

In recent years the Bible has emerged as a major force in the political arena.

For example, devotees of the Scriptures have quoted this sacred source to justify religious support for the war in Iraq. In fundamentalist Christian communities this war is seen as bringing peace to the Middle East and securing Israel's establishment, which they believe are the conditions for the coming of the "rapture" and thus the end of the world.

Bush and his administration could not be a better head to Osama bin Laden's tail. Two sides of the same coin. Good versus evil. Both think they are the "good". And in winning the battle "the ends justify the means". Can you say "Self-fullfilling prophecy"?

The Bible is regularly quoted by conservative Christians to argue that what they call "the homosexual lifestyle" is contrary to Scripture. Politically this takes the form of seeking to amend the Constitution to discriminate against our citizens who are gay or lesbian.

In this basic charter nearly every previous attempt at amendment has been to expand freedom. Now these Bible quoters want to reverse that trend, failing to see that if today's majority can amend the constitution to discriminate, then no one is safe from tomorrow's majority.

The idea that citizens with a certain religious position can seek to impose their religious agenda on the whole body politic violates everything about the separation of church and state. Everyone should be able to practice their own religion and no one should be able to impose their beliefs on anyone else. The very reason this nation was founded must not be compromised by the zealotry of some of our citizens.

Just as Osama bin Laden is hijacking Islam to reach his ends, Bush and this administration are taking Christianity and using it to empower themselves. Why else would they be considering anything against their agenda as anti-religious. These guys walk with the Bible in one hand and sin in the other. But sin is needed to win the war between "good and evil".