GayAmerican.org

Being fed by Church and State

I think that it is about time that we either really clamp down on the Church and State separations before they get too much father afield from our Founding Fathers intentions, or else we should just admit it's all a fraud and start letting the Church openingly run this County. We're in a period of time now where our own President sends little valentines to the Religious Right in forms like the reference to "wonder working power" in his last State of the Union Address, which is a quote from a hymn, easily recognizable to the Church as being directed towards them, but so ambiguous to most of the rest of us that it just sort of passes through one ear and out the other. I am also confident that Bush's choice of the word 'Crusade' to characterize the War on Terrorism, was also meant to telegraph to the Religious Right his understanding of Apocalyptic events left to be played out in the world, as their culture believes.

No doubt you have your own favorite little examples of how the State is starting to support the Church in it's efforts throughout the Country and around the World, it is a point that is frequently made in the press and is much talked about amongst both the very religious, and the non-religious.

But who's talking about the Church staying out of State business? The Catholic Church lately has been very vocal in telling legislators amongst the laity in the United States, that they would be considered morally bereft if they did not follow Church doctrine when it comes to laws made in relation to marriage for Gay Americans. Now comes word that in their annual 'Red Mass'—a blessing given to lawyers and judges—the Church is urging strong opposition against efforts being made to allow marriage for Gay Americans.

Certainly, the Church has a belief system that they desire to uphold, but what they're getting into lately, is an effort to influence politicians, lawyers and judges who have been elected to represent all people, not just Catholics. For a long time Catholics were persecuted to an extent in this Country because Americans didn't believe that they would represent all the people once they were elected, but in fact merely do the Pope's bidding once in office.

The most famous of that example came during the campaign of John F. Kennedy for President, in which he was relentlessly questioned over how he would keep the Vatican from having control of our government.

Now the pendulum has swung so far to the other side, many voters seem to want an indication, either by public statement or a quick wink, that religion will play a very large role in governmental politics.

But have any of the Churches really given any of this any thought? Do they think that they can quietly go to Church on Sunday (practical political rallying places), and not have protesters circling about fighting for their point of view to be heard? I guess I could see my self (hmm, I'm just going to say this off the cuff here) standing up in the middle of a Catholic Mass some Sunday morning, as the Bishop is explaining to parishioners that they must fight the expansion of Rights for Gay Americans, telling legislators that they must do the same in their elected positions, or face being considered morally bereft members of the Church, standing there my breath held as this goes on all around, then quietly laying down in the aisles with 50 people who felt as I did. Or perhaps, lock ourselves to the door so that none could enter to hear the message.

If the Church is going to be a political force, it must expect to get some pushback from citizens in this Country who do not believe that the Church should be organizing politically, pressuring it's lawmakers to adopt the Church's positions, or risk becoming a pariah.

In my Church days, long gone for so many reasons, I remember the voter registration tables around the quad, signing up new Republican votes, yet not one for Democrats. I was told all about how the Republicans were the party of faith and family, and that the liberal elite were only interested in social engineering and experimentation. I made it known I was Democrat, and you would have thought that I had killed the baby Jesus myself.

If you feel such political pressure coming from your Church, Youth Group, or even the school you attend, then you're not really experiencing what it means to be a religious person, in what I think is the intended meaning of the word. What you're experiencing is a political action committee with an agenda—you either jump on board for the simple-minded thought speech, or you break away and find a place where you can pursue your personal beliefs on God, apart from the political spoon-feeding.

It sounds simple, but revolutions often do.