Former Senator Danforth on Politics and Religion

Link
Former Republican Senator Danforth spoke on Chris Matthews show, Hardball, on MSNBC today about his OpEd piece in the NY Times. To quote him, 'People of faith are not of one mind, whether on specific issues like stem cell research and government intervention in the case of Terri Schiavo, or the more general issue of how religion relates to politics." I couldn't agree more. As an ordained Minister in the Episcopal Church, he is a firm believer in the separation of church and state and worries we are crossing the line in that area over the past 3-4 years. He is concerned that the Republican party is allowing the Christian right to hijack the party. The Shaivo casse was one example he gave where in his opinion the Congress should not have been involved. I think that is what we are confronting in the Middel East, where religion has hijacked some countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia, and our government constantly complains about them in that they are not democratic. We are headed in that same direction in this country, one small step at a time so it is not noticed as such. Elimination of a freedom here and a censorship there. Before you know it, it will be too late unless you are truly conscious and seeing things for what they are. It was a concern when Kennedy was running for President because he was Catholic and the public was concerned of the Vatican having influence in our affairs.

Let's hope more responsible politicians (and you my readers) speak out on this blur between Church and State and get us back more to the middle ground. It's your country and if you are on the religious right, reaffirm that our country was founded on a principle of separation of Church and State that has survived 230 years with a diverse culture representing many religions and no religion. It is worth saving, isn't it?