The separation of church and State is one of the building blocks of the US, but is also one of the hardest to maintain. We may be able to seperate the physical church from our government, but we cannot and should not seperate the church from the people. Many people find their moral basis in the Bible, Koran, or whatever religious material you find faith in. We then use those morals to decide which laws to enact, or who we vote for. So can we really seperate church from state? Yes we can, and here is how. We must all accept that not all of us have the same beliefs. next we must all accept that this is not a bad thing. Now it gets really hard. The point of having a government body pass laws is to ensure that we can all co-habitate peacefully. So we should only let our personal beliefs come into play for thos types of situations (i.e.-murder, robbery, those sort of things). Where our personal beliefs should not come into play are with matters concerning individuals and their own lives. This is a difficult issue to make clear. Lets talk pornography. There are those out there who attempt to pass laws making porn illegal b/c it is morally wrong and indecent. For the people wanting the laws, porn may be a sin and be indecent. However, for a good portion of people out there, it is not. Since passing a law banning it would not make it any easier for us all to live together, and since it is a private matter, there should be no law. There are many other examples that I could use, and many of themare much more complex and would be happy to discuss them with whomever is interested. WE must find a way for us all to exist peacefully together. Right now, our people seem to be heading to one of two ideological extremes. No one side is ever going to prove the other one wrong, so we have to setup the system in a way that works for us all. Are you interested?

-Demosthenes

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"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Because both have a tendency for absolute coruption.

is a worthy goal - and I am interested. However it already receives no small amount of discussion. Another goal, just as worthy but not as well considered, is the separation of economics and state. Anyone interested?

anyone for a insulated parlimentary system?

More views represented, no economic involvement?

One thing people miss with the church and state thing is the part that says "the free practice thereof."

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"Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame."

-Laurence J. Peter

it's not the seperation of churh and state that I am truly worried about. I just don't think the government should be trying to dictate morals for us. sure, they are allowed and should make laws to keep the peace so we can all live together, but it shouldn't go much beyond that. What do you think?

-Demosthenes

__________________
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower