When did religion make it back into politics?

[MissHoneychurch]

Wasn't there once a "Separation of State and Church"?

[WillParkinson]

1. No, that was a fallacy...

Religion never left government. It might have been on mute for a short time, but it was always there.

[MissHoneychurch]

2. Could they please turn on the mute button again?

OK. So, the Christian fundies complain that the Islam is being politicized. But they do the same with Christianity. :crazy:

[WillParkinson]

3. Oh, but that's OK...

After all, it is the proper religion.

Not that they actually practice it, mind you. They just like to tell others to practice their version.

[KharmaTrain]

4. It Never Left...

It hid itself inside of regional politics and began creeping into the national level from the late 70s on thanks to goons like the "Moral Majority".

[saltpoint]

6. Yes. The two have been line-dancing at this roadhouse saloon for

some time.

[4lbs]

5. I think religion made huge push back into politics when Reagan courted the Christian Conservatives.

Ever since then, the CC have had a hand in shaping at least 20 of the last 30 years of national politics.

[Behind the Aegis]

7. When did it leave?

[MissHoneychurch]

8. Sorry

my European education made me believe that state and church were seperated the last 200 years :)

[saltpoint]

9. Anytime both institutions are in town, there's likely to be a dust-up.

The Protestant Revolution, for example. I believe religion and state were both in that knife fight, weren't they?

[Behind the Aegis]

10. It is the difference between theory and reality.

[Prism]

11. It never left. The President has inserted his since day one.

Ask him about LGBT issues and wait for his explanation of how his belief in God is why he believes LGBT individuals are not as entitled to marriage as heterosexuals. He's very free about this belief.

And his policies to date certainly reflect it.

[MissHoneychurch]

13. That is her personal opinion

and he is entitled to that. He just better not let it influence his politics. That is my opinion.

[Prism]

14. It does influence his politics

On the question of gay marriage, the President cited his religion as reason for not supporting it. His quote was "God is in the mix."

God is involved in how he thinks of law and policy.

At least, so he says. Personally, I think he's probably an atheist and the Christianity bit is just for show. There is no other rational explanation for how a man can attend a pro-equality church for 20 years, while supporting pro-equality legislation while in the state senate, but suddenly it's President Time and his God is telling him gays are lesser.

Doesn't seem like a credible evolution of thought to me. Seems more like political opportunism and cowardice.

[Smarmie Doofus]

12. Many historians will say "shortly after 1800".

The messiness... and bloodiness... of the French Revolution had discredited the purist secularism of the Jefferson, Franklin et al in the eyes of the governing class.

The elite decided that some form of religion... preferably Anglicanism for the educated and any of a smorgasborg of Calvinistic off-shoots for the unread... was necessary to maintain the social order.

Otherwise we'd run amuck.

So they thought.

[safeinOhio]

15. I say if they want to merge religion and state

we need to decide which sect to merge it with. When they agree on which Christian church is to guide us I think separation will rule for a long time.

Remember that all other sects are going to hell is a common thread in every church. Well, not ever Church, Universalist don't believe in hell.