Thomas Jefferson-Religion and Government
Thomas Jefferson says in his query on religion "The legitimate power of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. If it be said, his testimony in a court of law can not be relied on, reject it then, and be the stigma on him." If this quote is true to America's seperation of Church and state, how come in court we are asked to swear to tell the truth on the bible and how come we have never had an atheist or agnostic president? Do presidents still base their political decisions on their religious beliefs? If they do, should they or shouldn't they?
posted by Anonymous at 8/30/2006 08:05:00 PM
3 Comments:
I believe that the president should not base their political decisions on religious beliefs, because they should be based on logic and reasoning. And even if all they presidents "say" they were christian,and may have based some desicions on it, we've still gone to war and done bad things anyways. Cotoole4 said "how can we stand behind a leader believing in nothing when many wish to believe in hope or somthing?" The point is, people of the country can still believe what they want, why do the president's beliefs matter? Or maybe thats the problem with separation of church and state, is that it never really separates. Also, swearing to the Bible, doesn't really make since to me, since its a book, but i guess its just a tradition- and I think they should think of something more impacting for court people to swear to.
To me, it really "does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god." Unfortunately, I don't know that this is true for our country. As for swearing on the Bible to tell the truth, this long time part of the public trust has changed. A witness now doesn't necessarily have to take a religios oath. They can instead testify on pain of perjury. A judge will decide what passes for an oath.
As for the religion of the president, I agree with what cotoole4 had to say about the lies of politicians. It's hard to know what the truth is anymore, especially during and election time. However, I disagree with rqilcox3 when he says that the majority of capable presidents are Christians. I don't believe that religion makes you fit or unfit to run for president. Jewish, Muslim, agnostic or atheist, I believe that education and leadership makes a person fit to capable to run for president. The reason however, that our presidents have claimed to be Christian is more political. Recently, religion had played a big part in the most controversial topics, i.e. abortion and gay rights. Saying your religion can swing voters, because if you are their religion and feel one way about the topic, perhaps they can too.
While our government may have a statue of separation between the Church and the state, it is difficult to find the fine line between that and the citizens’ personal beliefs and that impact on our democratic government.
Presidents may or not be basing their decisions on their religion, I really wouldn't know, but is that really what you have to be worring about? I mean, with religion they are at lest basing their idea's on something noble to them. In the world of politics any thing can go. Wouldn't you rather have your polical figure changing lives of thousands of people not because he was paid off, nor because it was a better way to set up his futer, but just because he thought that god would be happier this way. I don't think that any politcal figure sould use any skechy methods when the flick of your pen changes thousands of lives, but I like that method better then a politation being paid off. America may or may not have had an atheiast or agnostic president but if you look at it the way, every one wants to win and if you choose a religion that belongs to a major group, then you might have that major group on your side. It is just like women will vote for women. So what ever group you are that group will vote for you. On putting your hand on the bible and swearing your self in, I think that it is just an old tradition, or something to scare the witness into telling the truth.
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