Bill McGinnis
2003-12-01 05:01:21 UTC
IF ATHEISM IS NOT A RELIGION, THEN THEISM IS NOT A RELIGION
The underlying question: Is it unconstitutional for the government
to promote "Theism," by using such phrases as, "In God we trust," and
"God bless America," and by praying to God as part of a government
function?
Note to Journalists: This is a hot subject, coming up soon
for Supreme Court attention, many think. I'm not simply
grinding some dull religious axe. These are some of the arguments
we will be hearing, I expect. Culture wars, big-time.
IF ATHEISM IS NOT A RELIGION, THEN THEISM IS NOT A RELIGION
by Bill McGinnis, Public Domain
Elsewhere, I presented the idea that Atheism is a religion, the religion
whose belief about God is that there is no God. Please see
http://essaysandcommentaries.com/thereligionofatheism.txt and also my
newsgroups post entitled "ESTABLISHING THE RELIGION OF ATHEISM."
As expected, the hard-core Atheists objected venomously, with their
typical ad hominem attacks, such as "you Moron,"(***@newscene.com), and
"how utterly full of sh*t you are," (***@bizniz.net), and "Frickin'
moron," (***@null.none).
Okay. Just for the sake of discussion, let's say that Atheism is not a
religion. What then? What is it? How would you try to define it? If it is
not a religion, then what is it? Maybe it's a philosophy! Okay . . . But
if Atheism is a philosophy, not a religion, then Theism must also be a
philosophy, not a religion, by whatever definitions of "philosophy" and
"religion" you choose to use. And if Atheism and Theism are both
philosophies, then neither is a religion, and there is no basis for
pretending that Theism is un-Constitutional.
So we see that . . .
IF ATHEISM AND THEISM ARE BOTH RELIGIONS, THEN ATHEISM AND THEISM BOTH
MUST BE SUPPRESSED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, JUST AS CHRISTIANITY, JUDAISM, AND
ISLAM ARE SUPPRESSED. THIS MEANS YOU CANNOT TEACH THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION
AS FACT, BECAUSE THAT IS ESTABLISHING ATHEISM AS THE STATE RELIGION.
IF ATHEISM AND THEISM ARE BOTH PHILOSOPHIES, THEN NEITHER ONE IS A
RELIGION, AND THEISM CAN BE FREELY EXPRESSED: THAT IS, MENTIONING GOD IN
ANY PUBLIC PLACE IS PERFECTLY CONSTITUTIONAL, AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT TEND
TO "ESTABLISH" ANY PARTICULAR GOD-BASED RELIGION, SUCH AS CHRISTIANITY,
JUDAISM, OR ISLAM.
SO "GOD BLESS AMERICA," "IN GOD WE TRUST," AND PRAYING TO GOD IN PUBLIC
ARE ALL PERFECTLY LEGAL UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
Blessings to you in the name of the One God, Who created all things.
Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director ***@patriot.net
http://LoveAllPeople.org
http://PracticalDemocracy.org
. . . and related websites listed at
http://patriot.net/users/bmcgin/chapellinks.html
The underlying question: Is it unconstitutional for the government
to promote "Theism," by using such phrases as, "In God we trust," and
"God bless America," and by praying to God as part of a government
function?
Note to Journalists: This is a hot subject, coming up soon
for Supreme Court attention, many think. I'm not simply
grinding some dull religious axe. These are some of the arguments
we will be hearing, I expect. Culture wars, big-time.
IF ATHEISM IS NOT A RELIGION, THEN THEISM IS NOT A RELIGION
by Bill McGinnis, Public Domain
Elsewhere, I presented the idea that Atheism is a religion, the religion
whose belief about God is that there is no God. Please see
http://essaysandcommentaries.com/thereligionofatheism.txt and also my
newsgroups post entitled "ESTABLISHING THE RELIGION OF ATHEISM."
As expected, the hard-core Atheists objected venomously, with their
typical ad hominem attacks, such as "you Moron,"(***@newscene.com), and
"how utterly full of sh*t you are," (***@bizniz.net), and "Frickin'
moron," (***@null.none).
Okay. Just for the sake of discussion, let's say that Atheism is not a
religion. What then? What is it? How would you try to define it? If it is
not a religion, then what is it? Maybe it's a philosophy! Okay . . . But
if Atheism is a philosophy, not a religion, then Theism must also be a
philosophy, not a religion, by whatever definitions of "philosophy" and
"religion" you choose to use. And if Atheism and Theism are both
philosophies, then neither is a religion, and there is no basis for
pretending that Theism is un-Constitutional.
So we see that . . .
IF ATHEISM AND THEISM ARE BOTH RELIGIONS, THEN ATHEISM AND THEISM BOTH
MUST BE SUPPRESSED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, JUST AS CHRISTIANITY, JUDAISM, AND
ISLAM ARE SUPPRESSED. THIS MEANS YOU CANNOT TEACH THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION
AS FACT, BECAUSE THAT IS ESTABLISHING ATHEISM AS THE STATE RELIGION.
IF ATHEISM AND THEISM ARE BOTH PHILOSOPHIES, THEN NEITHER ONE IS A
RELIGION, AND THEISM CAN BE FREELY EXPRESSED: THAT IS, MENTIONING GOD IN
ANY PUBLIC PLACE IS PERFECTLY CONSTITUTIONAL, AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT TEND
TO "ESTABLISH" ANY PARTICULAR GOD-BASED RELIGION, SUCH AS CHRISTIANITY,
JUDAISM, OR ISLAM.
SO "GOD BLESS AMERICA," "IN GOD WE TRUST," AND PRAYING TO GOD IN PUBLIC
ARE ALL PERFECTLY LEGAL UNDER THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.
Blessings to you in the name of the One God, Who created all things.
Rev. Bill McGinnis, Director ***@patriot.net
http://LoveAllPeople.org
http://PracticalDemocracy.org
. . . and related websites listed at
http://patriot.net/users/bmcgin/chapellinks.html