church and state (UNCLASSIFIED)
Mullins, Bill AMRDEC
Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL
Mon Nov 22 17:33:20 UTC 2010
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
> -
>
> >Do you include keeping the govt from interfering with devout
Christian
> >Scientist parents who fail to treat their minor children from deadly
but
> >curable diseases? Just asking (and mainly making the point that a
> >bright clear line that says "NO" isn't a simple solution).
>
> Stopping Christian Scientists from letting their children die is not a
> matter of church and state separation, it is a matter of the secular
laws of
> the land taking precedence over religious beliefs/laws. The laws of
the land
> also do not allow Muslims to stone their wives for adultery, or allow
Hindus
> to force widows to climb on the funeral pyre with their husband's
corpse.
> Etc.
Allowing "secular laws of the land [to] tak[e] precedence over religious
beliefs/laws" cannot be seen as anything but a breach of separation of
church and state. We as a nation have decided that certain secular
laws are so important that devout sincere practitioners of a particular
faith shouldn't be allowed to worship their God as they see fit.
Regardless of whether you or I agree with those secular laws, as they
are so interpreted and enforced, they breach the wall.
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
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