Constitution Party Platform
by Mr. Ogre on Nov 11, 2010 at 14:31 Opinion, Political
The other day I read the Constitution Party platform completely. I had a hard time finding things to agree with in that platform. Sure, there were one or two issues that I looked at and said, “Well, I’m not sure about that,” but there’s more I disagree with on the Republican and Democrat platform. However, I know that most people will never read that platform. And sadly, that will only be because how the platform starts:
The Constitution Party gratefully acknowledges the blessing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as Creator, Preserver and Ruler of the Universe and of these United States. We hereby appeal to Him for mercy, aid, comfort, guidance and the protection of His Providence as we work to restore and preserve these United States.
This great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been and are afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.
The goal of the Constitution Party is to restore American jurisprudence to its Biblical foundations and to limit the federal government to its Constitutional boundaries.
There’s a bit more in that vein, but I know there will be those who read that starting part and just start screaming, “Oh, you just want a theocracy! You want to establish religion! You want to take away my freedom of religion!” Of course, that’s completely wrong, but that won’t matter. The simple mention of Christianity in the same sentence as government starts a lot of people, including the media, Democrats, and the left, just off in crazy ways.
Here’s my question: Why?
No, seriously. I have an idea, but I’m just wondering what others might think. What is it about Christianity and government that makes so many people so incredibly angry?
The basic philosophy of a Christian-based government is that God grants rights and government isn’t supposed to take them away. A Christian-based government isn’t a government that’s set up to force anyone to do things. A Christian-based government would NEVER suggest that force should be used to make people change religion. Why do people have such a visceral reaction to a Christian government? Do most believe the lies that suggest a Christian government would institute old-testament laws (like Sharia law)? A Christian-based government would be based on freedom and free choice. I just honestly wonder why so many people so strongly oppose ANY opinion as soon as Christianity is entered into it.
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Tags: constitution party, platform, religion
In answer to your question I ask you–Do you know any liberal that actually knows our history and who and what the founders were? I mean besides what they have been brain washed to believe. Every single time you try and tell a liberal that the founders were Christian they start in spewing as how they were not they were diests etc. etc.and then start spewing about seperation of church and state even though that is no where in the founding documents except in a letter. The wall if there is one is to keep government out of our freedom to worship and to keep government from establishing a state religion and not the other way around.
But the founders knew:
John Adams1798 — Address to the Military
Category: Religion and Morality
We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
And we see that very well now. And people with no God will make government their god. Which like any other idol can do nothing for them except take away their money and freedom.
Good points, Victoria — I didn’t even want to go down that road (at least not yet). To me, and other who study history, it is very, very clear that this country was founded on Christianity and the founders clearly said that it could not survive any other way. Knowing that is why I actually asked the question — we can only be free if we follow the same pattern, but I want to know why so many are SO strongly opposed and just go nuts when they just hear “Christianity” and “government” in the same sentence.
I don’t know that you are going to get any of them to actually answer your question with anything other than complete sarcasm, and belittling and name calling because you are actually stupid enough to believe that there is a God. I mean to them you are a stupid weakling who needs a crutch or you are a self-rightous hypocrit trying to push your beliefs onto someone else. However, take heart because it is the same as being called a racist for disagreeing with this adminstration.
True, I have certainly had my share of that. I just wondered if anyone else had any ideas WHY.
As a Christian and a liberal I find it silly how quickly this thread went from a debate about Christian values in our government to a thread simply smearing the left. You two are aware that religious identity splits the partisan divide, right?
We know a majority of the founders were Christian but this debate arises for several reasons.
One reason is because many of the most prominent men on the list were of differing faiths not just at the time of the creation of the government but all throughout their lives.
Another reason is because proving most founders were Christian is no proof that the government these men created was or was not based on the Christian belief system.
I don’t even know where to begin to argue this topic but it is something that is very interesting to me.
If you belong to a church that preaches about “social, or shared” salvation, or spews forth about “social justice”, or “economic justice”, you belong to a church that is in collusion with the liberal government, and you should flee at top speed.
Salvation is an individual thing, and is not reliant on your neighbor and his or her state of well- being- to say otherwise is to be dishonest, not only to God, but to yourself.
Listen to the Truth Project–God’s marks are all over the government from the 3 branches of government to the fact that the laws are based on the 10 commandments.
Are “the laws” really based on the 10 commandments? Which laws and which commandments?
One through ten, Adam- how high do you really need to count?
The laws are ROOTED in these- thou shalt not Lie, Kill, Covet, etc.- many, indeed all of the Seven Deadly Sins were covered by these Commandments. And a “Commandment” is just what it sounds like- a command, not a “request”, although God DID give us the free will to disobey these, he also laid out the punishments- and if they seem “harsh”, perhaps that is because an eternal “time-out” might be harsher. Imagine spending eternity in a white room with nothing else- and it never ends.
Now that is harsh.
Indeed, much of that is true, Victoria.
I still wonder why so many, especially the left, will openly and quickly reject things like the Constitution Party platform for the sole reason of the preamble — never even considering the positions, just rejecting it because it has ANY association with religion.
Blake: “One through ten, Adam- how high do you really need to count?”
I only count to 3, frankly. I get that our legal system intersects with the commandments when it comes to theft, murder, and false witness. What about the other seven though? Those dealing with other gods, idols, God’s name, the sabbath day, honoring your parents, adultery, and coveting your neighbor’s property. I agree that those all have been the basis of legal systems throughout history but I fail to see how our laws and the Constitution are based on those commandments.
Here is an article on the subject. I don’t agree with it line by line but I do think it offers a good deal of perspective on the issue.
Another very good article on the subject.
Those are indeed excellent and scholarly articles Adam.
Just some notes – not fuel for argument – adultery is still against the law in most states. The government does (in most cases) heed the sabbath as the government closes officially on both Saturday (Jewish Sabbath) and Sunday (Christian Sabbath). Coveting, false gods, things of that nature are less items of action and more of intent. Though they don’t actually convey into laws, they are intertwined in a great deal of the original commons laws on which many of the current laws are based. For crying out loud people, most of the 10 commandments fit into the things you were taught by mom and dad (hopefully) or at the very least kindergarden (keep your hands to yourself, if you can’t say something nice, do unto others, don’t eat paste, etc.) lol
Further, I believe some of the confusion is between Constitution and laws. The Constitution sets out how our government shall be created and the powers divided and what rights and powers the government has and does not have. It does not stipulate laws in any real sense.
The Declaration clearly indicates that our rights are not given to us by the government but are bestowed upon us from GOD and that no one, including the government so established under the Constitution, can take those away from us. I think that pretty clearly establishes a link between Christianity (or religion for the most basic terms) and our founding documents.
I’ll see your snooty article calling “Christians stupid of course” and raise you this one.
http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=87
Who called Christians stupid?
My complaint about the article you cite is that it’s almost all either one of two things:
1. It’s a statement about the government of a colony before the revolution. Just because the Ten Commandments were the basis of colonial law is not an argument that the laws of the United States are based on them.
2. Statements by founders about religion and faith. We know almost all founders were religious men. Most were Christian men in fact. That is not an argument that the government they created is a Christian nation or is based on the Ten Commandments.
The article makes some good points and the author clearly makes a strong case. That being said it doesn’t convince me that there is no such thing as the wall and that the wall was not the intention of the founders. For every quote in there seemingly supporting the case you can find a quote from the same person seemingly being against it. That’s what makes this a tough debate.
For every quote in there seemingly supporting the case you can find a quote from the same person seemingly being against it. That’s what makes this a tough debate.
Do you have some examples?
Adam,
Responding to questions would simplify the debate.