On the seperation of Church and State...

It seems that several studies from private organizations have determined that Christianity is suffering more persecution than any other religion in the world. Several of these studies quote the Vatican's recent determination (and the reason for one of Pope Benedict's recent speeches) that the treatment of Christians around the world is falling from very bad to worse in more than 22 nations, and that 75% of all religious persecution being perpetrated is being done to Christian minorities.

I'm really not sure what the facts here are. I haven't linked the article because I find the article so shockingly biased and one-sided, it borders on right-wing... but I thought the topic worth commenting on, because we have mentioned it here numerous times in the past.

Benedict XVI has said that the safety and religious freedoms of million of Christians throughout the Muslim world is anything but secure, and he has repeatedly called for moderate minds to maintain a degree of control so that Christians in Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Tunisia are afforded at least the basic rights of religion that Muslim majorities are afforded.

The article in question repeatedly question America's (and specifically Obama's) tendency to overcompensate for imagined or perceived "injustice" by placing American or foreign Muslims in positions of trust and council, "to avoid the spectre of anti-Muslim perception" by the rest of the world. If this is actually happening, then it is indeed a tragedy... but not because it furthers radical Islam's goals... it is because the religious affiliation of a prospective governmental appointee should never be a deciding factor in their appointment.

We are a diverse and varied culture among the societies of the world, and we need never venture beyond the FACT that so many varied peoples and beliefs are represented in our society when it comes to making up our representative government. Placing Muslims (regardless of national origin) in positions of trust simply to be able to say that we "understand" the Muslim traditions and needs voiced by the radicals in places like Afghanistan or Yemen is (as the article says) a grave risk to our national security... because it compromises our national principles, not because it puts radical elements within our government.

Where the article fails is in the author's misunderstanding of the concept of the "separation of Church and State". There is no Constitutional requirement for this separation... period. Congress cannot establish a national religion, that is true... but nothing beyond that is required by the Constitution. The very concept of this separation stems from Jefferson's words concerning Government's interference with Church affairs, especially within the Church of England where Parliament had the authority to dictate religious matters to the nation. In short, Jefferson wanted to keep Government out of Church affairs... he wasn't "obsessed" with keeping religion out of government affairs, as the author of this article seems to think. This is why our founding documents place the "freedom of religion" as high as it does... one after another makes sure that the right to practice faith as we please is guaranteed from the first (literally), NOT that those of faith or the faith of some be denied because of the practices of another.

There is, indeed, real persecution happening in this world due to religion... and much of it is pointed at Christians. Even in this country, being a practicing Christian has a stigma that other faiths don't carry... intolerance, racism, bigotry. It is unfortunate and it is something we need to stamp out... but it isn't something that I feel can be DICTATED to us via the government. All faiths are afforded the same protected rights of religious practice, but not all are viewed equally by the political machine of the modern day.

THAT is what is wrong with America today.