Do you think Christians are a threat to American Democracy?
If you do think this way, what specifically is the threat? If you don’t think Christians are a threat to American Democracy, please state your reason why you think Christians should be involved in politics.
Its not Christians in general that are the threat…. It’s insane right-wing ultra-conservative Christians who are the threat. Imagine a Theocracy where homosexuals are rounded up and imprisoned in ‘re-education’ camps…. schools (all schools) are only allowed to teach the Bible…. Atheists are burned at the stake for heresy, stuff like that. And if you think than none of that stuff could ever happen in this country, don’t kid yourself…. In 1925 most Germans had never even heard of Adolf Hitler, and the ones who had mostly thought he was a punk kid with delusions of Nazi glory, and look what happened with that. We must all stay vigilant and watch for unreasonable changes in our government and its policies or we could end up with another Bush! Ignorance is our worst enemy and their greatest ally.
No, not a threat. In fact, when have their ever been a time when Christians were not voting and getting elected to office? It is silly to think that Christians are a threat.
I am not in the mood, though, to recommend to anyone that they get involved in politics. I am sick to death of the way the Supreme Court behaves and they deprive me of the reason for voting. So my recommendation to Christians is the same to all non-Christians: don’t vote any more. Not unless and until the Supreme Court cleans up its act.
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This country was found on Christian ethics. This country is made up over 90% Christians. Why would we not have the representation to go along with our numbers?
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I don’t feel Christians are a threat to American Democracy. Those whose ideologies are in conflict with democracy are too few in number to be influential in the long run.
I guess the person complaining about the Supreme Court usurping his vote must have voted for Gore in Florida. Yup. I think that would have made me a bit cynical, too.
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I think democracy is a threat. As you kight know, that’s not what this ountry was supposed to be. It was meant to be a republic, and it was for a while, but now it is heading downhill. Not everyone is supposed to be able to vote. Letting the number and type of people we let vote vote destroys the worth of each vote. It becomes simply about appealing to the ignorant mobs and massing together as many people as you can, which is how we’ve gotten to this two party system. Mind you, when I say that everyone shouldn’t be allowed to vote I’m not talking about race or gender. I’m saying that there should be som sort of a test so that the people casting their vote as to the direction this country is going are people who actually have some idea of what is going on around them and not just pulling levers based on their feelings.
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Right off hand No, I don’t think so. It rather depends on whether your definition of Christian is simply someone who says they are a Christian then lives however they want or whether your definition is, "well I’m not atheist and I’m not Islamic or Buddhist – so I must be a Christian" or whether your definition is "someone who follows the teachings of Christ". Basically this country was founded on the principle that all humans have certain rights because they are humans. Christ pretty much taught that – if not by word at least by example. He taught that it’s up to each individual to make their own choices – right or wrong – for or against him. That’s why we have freedom OF religion, but not necessarily freedom FROM religion. Choice of religion is a right that was given by Christ himself and those that don’t want to allow it aren’t following Christ’s teachings. ANYONE, Christian or not, that is willing to deny or violate basic rights is a threat to American Democracy.
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Its not Christians in general that are the threat…. It’s insane right-wing ultra-conservative Christians who are the threat. Imagine a Theocracy where homosexuals are rounded up and imprisoned in ‘re-education’ camps…. schools (all schools) are only allowed to teach the Bible…. Atheists are burned at the stake for heresy, stuff like that. And if you think than none of that stuff could ever happen in this country, don’t kid yourself…. In 1925 most Germans had never even heard of Adolf Hitler, and the ones who had mostly thought he was a punk kid with delusions of Nazi glory, and look what happened with that. We must all stay vigilant and watch for unreasonable changes in our government and its policies or we could end up with another Bush! Ignorance is our worst enemy and their greatest ally.
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Christianity is no threat to democracy.
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christians are at the HEART of american democracy.
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Yes. As a Christian, I resent the evangelical ‘coziness’ between church and state. We are supposed to protect our separation between church and state so that we can all worship (or not worship) as we please, and so that government cannot dictate to us how or who we worship (as King Henry forced the English to attend his Church of England, or as the U.S.S.R. forced its citizens to live under the veil of atheism). Our government must not encourage any specific church – it is a Constitutional violation. We are allowed to worship as we please in the nation, whether we are Christian, Muslim, agnostic, atheist, Hindu, or Jewish. -RKO-
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I’m eccentric – I believe that if Christians are taught "Thou shalt not kill" and then they go out and deliberately kill another person, for personal reasons, they are no longer a Christian and should simply accept that. I do not accept that they deserve any family excuses, love or tribal shelter. Live according to your Christian code, have car accidents, hit someone too hard, go to war under orders, OK.
But kill because you fully meant to, even if this seemed like a good idea, deny your whole upbringing and religious teaching, and shelter behind a label? You’re not a Christian any longer, so grow up. My idea of a threat is a Christian who commits a hate crime out of failing to love their neighbour, then claims immunity because they were raised a Christian. If it didn’t take, it didn’t take, but a killer is not a Christian. I realise that this is not a new idea, but when are Christians who kill going to accept the right of real Christians to disassociate themselves from murderers? Muslims don’t accept that killers are devout members – when are Christians going to quit the pretence and have some self respect for those who live as they say they do? It’s an insult to the dead to imply that their death is no loss because a Christian volunteered to kill someone.
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I don’t see why anyone should be excluded from politics. But if they claim to be a member of a religion, they should have the honesty to step down when their term of office or actions disqualify them!
For some reason Christians believe that all people should worship as they do. They think this country was set up by Christians for Christians and no one else. The founding fathers were smart enought to separate church and state so that all people could be free to worship as they pleased. I want the time my children spend in school spent on education, please leave prayer and religious training to the parents. If your children need to pray, why don’t all the people that want prayer in school say a prayer over breakfast and leave my children and my rights alone. While this is probably not what you are looking for, I feel people are trying to stifle my rights and stuff their beliefs down my throat and it is a threat to me.
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Some "Christians" believe that their interpretation of the bible should be set in stone and they have grandiose ideas about the type of lifestyle people should live. They believe things are black and white and that other people are going to hell because they don’t live how they do. This is a type that is adulterous, prejudice (although the bible says to love your neighbor), does not believe that women are truly equal, and says you shouldn’t spank your kid.
This type of Christian is a threat because they make their self-righteous beliefs law.
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no,but I think financing midnight basketball with raised taxes as a way to buy votes for Democrats is a threat to the American Way of Life…
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Christians and any other group have a right to speak their mind and share what they believe with others who are willing to listen. That said we must also respect each other and respect the desire to not listen. We must also respect the separation of Church and State, as it is in the best interest of both institutions. We simply do not want the state controlling any religion nor do we want any religion or sect controlling the state. We must govern in fact not faith.
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Do you think that the principles on which this country are founded are a threat to our democracy? Because this country was founded on Christian principles. Take that away and you have just taken away the foundation of the country. Which in turn will cause the country to collapse.
-Can anyone tell me where in the US Constitution does it say the words, "separation of church and state"? Why can’t you find it? Well because its not there!! No where in the constitution does it say anything about the separation of church and state. The first amendment says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." When it says “no laws respecting the establishment of religion”, it means that there will be no official government endorsed religion, like back in Europe in the 1700’s. They had the official government endorsed Chruch of England. The establishment piece is meant to stop something like this from happening, not to ban religion. The constitution says nothing about having bits and pieces of religion in our government, it just bans a state sponsored church.
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I’m not really sure what you’re getting at. If you’re an American Citizen, you should be involved in politics. Race, creed or religion does not matter. At the least, it is the duty of ALL Americans to be involved.
55% of Americans don’t vote. People that don’t vote should not complain, you’re getting the government you deserve.
If you’re talking about separation of Church and State, and how that relates to being a Christian, as a Christian in government, you would practice your religion just as you did before being elected, appointed, etc. And obviously, this applies to anyone in government service that practices any religion, or no religion.
Pretty simple in a country that is 80% Christian. That would mean that around 80% of elected officials would be Christian.
I see more problems from the secularists, and anti Christian narrow minded bigots.
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only the ones on the extreme right.
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This country, and democracy itself, was founded on Christian ethics. We would not have democracy without them. They are far from a threat, and they, as well as non-Christians should be involved with politics. Politics exist world wide and have historically, politics will always exist with or without christians, it is Demoracy that would not exist w/o them.
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Christians founded this country, Just read AMERICAN HISTORY.
Not Muslim, not European, not Mexican, but American, This country was founded on the God principal.
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In a way, yes… but certainly not ALL christians… I don’t think we should generalize like that.
I think there are certain groups of Christians who wish to use the democratic process to get leaders elected who are not at all ok with democracy as it is right now…
They get very angry at groups that protect the rights of minorities because they want the majority (as they see it) to be all-powerful.
The scary thing is – because of some loopholes in our system, they have been somewhat successful over the years.
One such loophole is Gerrymandering.
Gerrymandering is the process by which votes are counted by land mass instead of population… if the votes in this country were done by population alone – we would find that most people are actually very liberal… and whoever won NY would win the whole country every time…
But a rancher in Texas can overrule thousands in Houston… same in Florida… Tampa can overpower Miami because they take up more space and have a unified vote.
It’s not fair because it is allowing a few people in rural areas to make laws for large numbers of people that they will never even have to deal with.
This really comes into play when you start talking about abortion and gay rights… the cities resent having to deal with the outcome of laws that were formulated out in the sticks where life is peaceful and people have time on their hands.
But the main point is that REAL CHRISTIANS are also losing their freedom of religion by electing these false prophets. When you allow a politician to manipulate your vote by convincing you that it has something to do with you and your God… you lose… plain and simple…
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I do not think Christians are a threat to anyone or anything (By your LOVE shall all men know you’re my disciples, said Jesus). However, I do think there are pseudospiritual people who pander to well-meaning Christians thru agendae like abortion, gun control and homosexual rights and they definitely threaten democracy because their goal is not love and building, but power and wealth. How wonderful it would be to encounter honesty…wouldn’t you be tempted to vote for someone who said, I don’t give a flying flip about your moral values, I just want the job and the money!"?
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Why should we be different than any other group.
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al lreligions are.
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YES! Actually, ALL religions are a threat to our way of life. I’m not saying everyone should be an atheist but what I am saying is that we had the separation of church and state for a reason. If we turn this into a theocracy, we’re going to end up with the same problems as the very people we so criticize – the Muslims. Everyone in this country needs to get over their idea that only people who think like them matter.
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Many here have said our country was founded on Christian principles. Actually, it was founded on the principles of religious freedom.
Our founding fathers were not Christians, but were actually deists – closest to todays Unitarian or Science of Mind churches which focus on learning from and respecting all faiths.
To this end, I believe our country should not be run by fundamentalists of any stripe but should be run by more moderate individuals who hold the right to religious freedom in even greater regard than their own beliefs.
People should be free to worship as they wish. This may mean that one child may overhear another praying or that the pledge of allegiance is said ("Under God," by the way, is not part of the original pledge).
The constitution does not guard against you being offended. Just your right to practice your religion freely without persecution.
In George Washington’s own words, which our leaders would be wise to heed: "you are to protect and support the free exercise of religion of the country, and the undisturbed enjoyment of the rights of conscience in religious matters, with your utmost influence and authority." [George Washington, to Benedict Arnold, September 14, 1775 from The Washington papers edited by Saul Padover]
"Washington subscribed to the religious faith of the Enlightenment: Like Franklin and Jefferson, he was a deist." [Flexner, James Thomas Flexner, Washington The Indispensable Man. New York, 1974: New American Library, 1974. p. 216]
"Deism is a religious philosophy and movement that became prominent in England, France, and the United States in the 17th and 18th centuries. Deists typically reject supernatural events (prophecy, miracles) and divine revelation prominent in organized religion, along with holy books and revealed religions that assert the existence of such things. Instead, deists hold that religious beliefs must be founded on human reason and observed features of the natural world, and that these sources reveal the existence of one God or supreme being." – wikipedia
And America was not set up as a democracy but as a republic and there was a very good reason for that. To learn more, read The Federalist Papers. Great book and should be required reading in the schools!
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http://atheism.about.com/library/quotes/bl_q_GWashington.htm
wikipedia
Hey, Christians can be involved in politics – just leave the religion at home.
No, the religion isn’t a threat to Democracy…but some of the so-called hate-filled Christians are….we must make sure they are kept in check.
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