On Tue, March 27, 2007 2:05 pm, Christian Seberino wrote: > >> I think it's fair for >> a minister/priest/shaman to presch that abortion is wrong. I believe it >> is >> wrong for them to try to deny abortiions to those who disagree with >> them. > > Do you also believe it was ok for the North to be against slavery but that > was wrong for the North to fight the Civil War to "impose" its views on > the South? > > Chris >
Technically the origin of the Civil War was over the right to succession. But it is a real technicality. Slavery was behind the succession. I will also point out that churches were in the vanguard of the political action that was abolutionism ... and later the civil rights movement. And I'm not enough of a hyopocrite to say that some church political action (that I agree with) is good, other bad. To me it's really all about two things. First it's about religious coalitions using their clout to pass restrictive laws based strictly on their teachings. I'm not talking about murder and assualt, which are obvious crimes to secular rationalists as they deprive people of life and rights. But I am talking about "blue" laws, morals laws, most drug laws, most sexual laws, etc. The second thing it's about is using tax money (OUR money) to support religious programs, edifices and celebrations. Again, there is a line in there somewhere. The San Diego Mission deserves tax support for its historical value, and should get it as long as it is open for secular historical touring. The historical value of that stupid cinder-brick cross on Mt Soledad I just can't see. Personally, I wouldn't even bother to take it down, but I think it's important to keep that property as a secular park for all San Diegans, and to make it open to all groups. Easter sunrise services? Sure, why not, with the proper permits. But if you do that, then the Wiccans have to get equal access for the solstice, and if that bothers anybody, then nobody should be able to use it for organized religious ceremonies. I could add a third thing ... religious groups controlling the curriculum of the public schools. Private schools, charter schools, home schooling are all fine with me. IMO parents are the primary teachers of kids anyway, and they should be free to teach 'em any damn thing they want. But if parents want to challenge the curriculum (and they _should_, especially the empire-centric garbage that passes for American history), then they should be required to do it on a fact-based basis, not over some ginned up "controversy." God help me, I can't seem to break out of this thread ... -- Lan Barnes SCM Analyst Linux Guy Tcl/Tk Enthusiast Biodiesel Brewer -- [email protected] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
