Separation of Church and State

One of the fundamental and important principles of our country’s founders was the separation of church and state. That stance has been largely accepted and followed throughout most of our history and is wise. Unfortunately such is no longer the case.

We can see the beginning of that change in the election campaign of Ronal Reagan who found willing political allies among the religious right, the more extreme religious right and made use of them.

In the many years I served as a pastor I always encouraged members of my congregations to be politically active as members of this country. I also encouraged them to use their religious values in determining who they voted for. These were privileges, rights and obligations they had both as Christians and as citizens. With that said, I never ever once said who they should vote for in a sermon or in my role as pastor. I looked upon that as an absolute abuse of a sacred office and unethical for a pastor to do. I still believe that. It is one of joys I have as a retired pastor is that I no longer have to worry about the public role I had as a working pastor and now have the freedom to express my political views along with my religious views; thus the reason for this blog.

I wish my brothers and sisters of the cloth on the religious right had a similar stance. I find their use of the pulpit as a bully pulpit for a particular candidate repugnant, unethical, and an abuse of their office and often reflecting incredibly poor biblical understanding.

In the years since Reagan we have seen more and more of the religious right pursuing this unethical behavior in their pulpits. The Republicans have accepted and embraced this support to their shame as it stands counter the constitution and reflects a mix of religion and politics that was honored by politicians of character.

The type of pandering to these vested interests by political candidates (Rick Santorum is an example of one of the worst of these) I find revolting. There have been great leaders such as President Kennedy and others when pressed responded with integrity to both their religious beliefs and the political beliefs while affirming the belief in the separation of church and state.

The presidency has been used and used properly as a bully pulpit for national issues by many presidents and they used their office to push forward ideas and legislation that would benefit the nation and educated the nation; Teddy Roosevelt was a master of this and as a result we have the many protected national parks we have today for all to enjoy.

I repeat again that I find it incongruent and morally wrong for folk attempting to push the religious values upon others in national law when those issues clearly belong to the church. It is counter the teachings of both parties but the conservatives have shown over and over again this inconsistency in their political platforms and stances. If you cannot see the difference between protecting individual freedom and the inflicting of moral practices upon others you reflect muddy logic and inconsistent beliefs, and reflect badly upon both your religion and our civic duty.