I hardly think it is just "jail time for covetousness." No concept or idea is ever just that black and white. If an idea is that simple, it's usually not that well thought out of an idea.
It is a philosophy, a way of thought. These ideas are a bit bigger than simply jail time for being, perhaps gay, although when Texas lifted it's sodomy law, many dominionists were quite outraged because homosexuality is against God's law and therefore should be against American law. What if covertness is defined as coveting someone of the same sex? Then, according to some, this would indeed constitute jail time as it breaks God's law of homosexuality and covertness.
A prime example played out on our televisions a short time ago. Justice Sunday and Justice Sunday II. It was very clear that anytime a person didn't equate Christianity with being the ruling system, they are somehow against Christianity.
This isn’t a complete list, clearly, but just a few prime examples from some more well known individuals who have publicly suggested/stated that America needs to fall under God’s law. Again, it's the public policy philosophy, not a privately held belief and a way of conducting one's own personal life.
This first one isn't a person, but an idea sweeping over political parties. In fact, it is this very religious divide which is beginning to splinter the Republican Party- and that is not a good thing for a democratic America. The concern isn't what party, but that it is any political party. I say this because I know you're a Bush supporter. This isn't an anti-Bush statement since he is only mentioned by others, but not quoted by me.
(I apologize for the formatting in advance.)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/DN-gopreligion_04tex.ART.State.Edition1.903cb29.htmlThe party platform, adopted Saturday, declares "America is a Christian nation" and affirms that "God is undeniable in our history and is vital to our freedom."
"We pledge to exert our influence toward a return to the original intent of the First Amendment and dispel the myth of the separation of church and state," it says.
... was piled high with books and DVDs extolling religion in government. The Keys to Good Government was one DVD. America's Godly Heritage was another.
http://www.theamericancause.org/patunderfire.htmA Christian Warrior Under Fire
Patrick J Buchanan October 27 2003
At Christian gatherings, Boykin has declared from pulpits that ... America is a "Christian nation," that this is why our enemies hate and attack us.
<continued>
Yet, as commander in chief, President Bush cannot want to abandon a soldier's soldier like Jerry Boykin for having declared convictions that are probably not too far from the president's own.
http://judgeroymoore.net/mission.phpDefend the right of every person to include teachers, judges, and state, county and municipal offices to publicly acknowledge God as the moral foundation of law, liberty, and government
http://judgeroymoore.net/opedv1n7.phpTHE RULE OF MAN
When people who are sworn to support the law disregard it and issue orders which they think are "the law," we are governed by the rule of man, not the rule of law! The United States did break boldly with ancient customs and practices on July 4, 1776, when it declared independence from Great Britain and established a nation under the authority of the "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God."
The "rule of law" was the very basis on which our founding fathers rejected the rule of King George and declared independence from Great Britain. They recognized that the biblical admonitions of the thirteenth chapter of Romans required obedience to authority, but they also recognized that no man, no king, no prince, and-I might add in my case-no federal judge, could place himself above the law he is sworn to uphold, or above God upon Whom he takes his oath. The founders rejected the rule of man!
In 2003, Federal Judge Myron Thompson ordered me to remove the monument of the Ten Commandments from the Judicial Building in Montgomery because it acknowledged God. I refused to follow an order which conflicted with the U.S. Constitution. Judge Thompson's order also required me to violate my conscience and my oath to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Alabama. Judge Thompson placed himself above the law.
That is precisely why I could not remove the monument: to do so would violate my oath and my conscience. To recognize man as sovereign would be a violation of the first commandment (see Exod. 20:3) as well as the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
http://www.judgeroymoore.net/quotes.php"Former Chief Justice Roy Moore has raised critically important issues facing our country today regarding the acknowledgement of God. He reminds Americans that we cannot allow activists judges to continue their disregard of some of the basic principals on which our country was founded."
-- Honorable, Richard Shelby, U. S. Senator - Alabama
"Judge Roy Moore is helping Americans understand how judicial supremacists have denied our inalienable right to acknowledge God."
-- Phyllis Schlafly, Founder, Eagle Forum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_MooreJournalism
On July 26, 2006 WorldNetDaily announced that Moore would be joining the publication as a columnist.<20> In his debut column, Moore argued that God is the "sovereign source of our law," echoing his language and reasoning used in the failed Constitution Restoration Act.<21>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Restoration_Act"The purpose of the CRA is to restrict the appellate jurisdiction of the United States Supreme Court and all lower federal courts to that jurisdiction permitted them by the Constitution of the United States. The acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, and government is contained within the Declaration of Independence which is cited as the 'organic law' of our Country by United States Code Annotated. The constitution of every state of the Union acknowledges God and His sovereignty, as do three branches of the federal government. The acknowledgment of God is not a legitimate subject of review by federal courts. <1>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DominionismDominionism is a trend in Protestant Christian evangelicalism and fundamentalism, primarily, though not exclusively, in the United States, that seeks to establish specific political policies based on religious beliefs.
"Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors -- in short, over every aspect and institution of human society."<6> ^ "Reclaiming America for Christ" conference February, 2005
"How much more forcefully can I say it? The time has come, and it is long overdue, when Christians and conservatives and all men and women who believe in the birthright of freedom must rise up and reclaim America for Jesus Christ." <7> ^ Character & Destiny: A Nation In Search of Its Soul D. James Kennedy, Zondervan Publishing House, 1997, p. 80
And something close to my heart as a public school teacher:
http://www.holysmoke.org/sdhok/sch6.htm"Our purpose must be to spread the gospel on the new mission field that the Lord has opened--public high schools....Yes, the so-called `wall of separation' between church and state has begun to crumble." -- Jay Alan Sekulow, American Center for Law and Justice, CASEBulletin, July, 1990
"One day, I hope in the next ten years, I trust that we will have more Christian day schools than there are public schools. I hope I will live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken over them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!" -- Jerry Falwell, America Can Be Saved, 1979
"
f Christians are charged with exercising dominion in all spheres of life (Gen. 2:26-28, to abandon public education to Satan is to compromise our calling. The attitude and approach of Christians should be that they never expose their children to public education, but that they should work increasingly to expose public education to the claims of Christ. Certain specially suited Christians, in fact, should pray and work tirelessly to obtain teaching and school board and even administrative posts within public education. The penultimate goal of these Christians should be the privatization of these larcenous institutions, and the ultimate aim the bringing of them under the authority of Christ and His word." -- Rev. Andrew Sandlin, Chalcedon Report, March, 1994
"We are a great threat to public schools. We may have to get rid of them." -- Robert Simonds, CEE, speech, 3/6/93, Glen Mills, PA
Here are some interesting thoughts on God's law and man's law:
http://www.scripturessay.com/q320b.html
Galatians 3:23-25
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
The term "faith" in verse 23 is a reference to the New Testament (Jude 3). The law of Moses was intended by God to "teach" us (tutor, verse 24) about Christ. It was never intended to be used as a spiritual law by which men were to be governed for all time. Verse 25 clearly says (as does the entire book of Hebrews) that we are no longer under the old law (tutor).
Therefore, we read the Old Testament to learn how God sees sin, and how he deals with it (1 Cor. 10:1-13), but we are not to use it as a law to govern or guide us today. The old law was nailed to the cross and done away with.
As Steve also stated above, our laws aren't based on religion, but the ideas from the Enlightenment and philosophy. The Ten Commandments have a place in that, as does any other basic religion, as they are all based, in part, on a philosophy. The problem comes when the foundation of the laws shift from a philosophical way of life to a religious point of view. In addition, if the 10 Commandments are the basis for law, why is that only two actually apply to the law? Thou shall not kill and thou shall not steal. The others are good ideas for a civilized society but not laws.
And a few quotes I always found interesting:
"What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wish to subvert the public liberty may have found an established clergy convenient auxiliaries. A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not." --- James Madison, "A Memorial and Remonstrance", 1785
Thomas Jefferson: The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury to my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.
Thomas Paine: I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
John Adams: As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion - as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen, - and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arrising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
Benjamin Franklin: As to Jesus of Nazareth, my Opinion of whom you particularly desire, I think the System of Morals and his Religion, as he left them to us, the best the world ever saw or is likely to see; but I apprehend it has received various corrupt changes, and I have, with most of the present Dissenters in England, some Doubts as to his divinity; tho' it is a question I do not dogmatize upon, having never studied it, and I think it needless to busy myself with it now, when I expect soon an Opportunity of knowing the Truth with less Trouble...."
I live my personal life by Jesus' teachings, but that is my personal choice. In regards to the public laws, my religion isn't superior to any other or above those who choose no religion at all. As a Conservative Fundamentalist Christian, I am pleased that you have never met a Christian like this. Perhaps these particular subscribers are decreasin in numbers. That gives me hope! 
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
