I am constantly amazed how Christians refuse to understand a basic constitutional principle of our republic in that the government is forbidden from endorsing any one religious belief over another. Every time though, the same people want to fight that which has be precedent in this country for well over 100 years.
I saw an article recently concerning just such an issue. The Air force removed a bible from a display for POW/MIA at a base. They did this because there was the complaint that this was a tacit endorsement of a particular faith.
Of course Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas was on Fox complaining about it and actually encouraged President Trump to become involved. He called the move stupid.
Why is it Christians in particular believe that their religious beliefs should be able to be displayed on government property? I wonder what he’d have said if the book were the Quran? How often do secular organizations have to fight this tendency of bias toward one particular faith over any other? Time and again, from the local government level to the federal, the courts have sided with those that insist that government not display any bias toward a single religion from 10 Commandment displays, to crosses, to nativity scenes during Christmas.
That Huckabee wants the President, as Commander and Chief to step in, is ridiculous. Does the Executive Branch of government get to ignore the law? Of course not.
Christians, although being the majority religious belief in this country, are always claiming some outrage or another, that they’re being persecuted for their belief. How is it that a religion with a 71% majority can claim to be persecuted is beyond understanding.
The greatness of our Constitution is that it protects minority views.
It’s time for Christians to stand down on their demands that their religion be recognized by government. These are the same people always quoting the Constitution, especially concerning freedom of religion, but it seems that it’s only for the majority.
Conservative Skeptic 
Between 1832 and 1866, America was visited by three terrible, transformative epidemics of cholera.
Reading about these epidemics is fascinating and informative because at some point between the first epidemic and the last one, Pasteur’s Germ Theory of Disease had been formulated, changing the way people understood what was happening (and therefore, what they could do about it.)
In 1832, they didn’t have a clue as to the cause, prevention, treatment, or cure of this devastating disease, but by the end of the 1866 epidemic, public health measures were being applied widely, reducing the mortality and morbidity rates from contagious diseases more than any other efforts the world has ever known.
But society also took some steps backwards.
At the height of the 1832 epidemic, Andrew Jackson was beseeched to set a National Day of Prayer, but he refused on the grounds that he could not find in the Constitution any authority to do any such thing.
“President Jackson had refused to recommend a national day of prayer in 1832. He said he had no constitutional authority.”
https://web.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/154/May13RosenbergP1to98.pdf#page=1&zoom=90,-244,1246
Page 48 (49 of 99)
“But In 1849, President Taylor recommended a national day of prayer, fasting, and humiliation.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2394684/
(The last lines before SUMMARY)
AS PRESIDENT (!), he proclaimed:
“The providence of God has manifested itself in the visitation of a fearful pestilence which is spreading itself throughout the land, it is fitting that a people whose reliance has ever been in His protection should humble themselves before His throne…acknowledging past transgressions,
ask a continuance of the Divine mercy. It is earnestly recommended that the first Friday in August be observed throughout the United States as a Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer.”
Click to access 2013presidentprayer.pdf
(14 of 304)
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This retreat from a principled position is a loss to the corporate life of the United States.
I think it must be due to the need to pander to a superstitious electorate.
But besides that, there is often a feeling that ceremonial occasions need to include some formal and ceremonial elements — patriotic or religious, usually.
That feeling is what causes invocations, opening prayers, saying grace at holiday gatherings, singing the National Anthem, and such-like behavior.
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I was somewhat nonplussed myself when I had to make decisions about my parents’ funerals.
They were matter-of-fact atheists who never gave religion the slightest attention, so I didn’t want a religious service.
On the other hand, I could scarcely wrap them in trash bags and leave them by the side of the road.
In the end, I decided to put their loved ones first and avoid shocking and disturbing the people who would be gathering to show their love and respect. So I finally settled for a really really understated sort of religious ceremony after a stern talking-to from me to the officiant.
I wasn’t exactly happy about this, but I didn’t know what I could have done better.
Since then, I have had some sympathy for politicians who feel driven to this unprincipled behavior.
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Hmm. Instead of replying here, which would in effect be long and laborious, I think I’ll just write and publish a post – specifically concerning what you wrote about in the last half of your comment. As an aside, I think I’ll need to increase the number of links allowed in a comment – just for you(the comment goes into “Pending” otherwise). 🤠
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Yes, thanks, Jim.
Jack over at Atheist Revolution also whitelisted me.
I’m afraid my posts get a little … shall we say … not short.
And I dislike uncredited assertions, so I often have a lot of links.
But long posts with lots of links get sent to detention in moderation, often never to be seen again.
But even when they do make bail, it’s too late to matter.
Everyone has already moved on to something else to be mad about, and I’m in the rear, peeping out breathlessly, “Hey guys! Hey! Wait up! Look at what I wrote! Wait for me!’
Sometimes they throw snowballs at me. : (
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Its now at 4.
Is that enough or should I increase it? I’d hate to see you left behind. Was that a reference to the Rapture, BTW?
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LOL!
Yup, it was a Rapture reference.
You outed my cryptobelief: “If there’s a Rapture, I’m going!”
Dodge my driverless car, suckers!
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Dodge my Dodge!
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