Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Jewel · 07-08-2003, 05:06 AM

Quote:

One spring day Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer was working in her office on the first floor of the State Office Building when a minister showed up and told her he was just passing by and thought her office could use some prayer.

"So we stood together and prayed," she said. "It was just great. It was personal, respectful and not offensive."

Quote:

State Rep. Michael Beard, a freshman Republican representative from Shakopee and publisher of the Minnesota Christian Chronicle, said he's happy that evangelical Christians like himself are getting more involved in politics and are having a wider influence.

"There is no one church in charge," he said. "These are just ordinary people whose allegiance is to Jesus.

"Will the church take over the state? No. But will Christian principles take over? Oh, yes. And no one has anything to fear from that."

Read all about it here

Ab_Normal · 07-08-2003, 11:10 AM

*eeee*

Quote:

Many of these officials say they're not just giving lip service to a new trend. They want public officials to use their faith in forming their public positions.

Hmm, what have Christians done in the past when using "their faith in forming their public positions"?

Quote:

"Will the church take over the state? No. But will Christian principles take over? Oh, yes. And no one has anything to fear from that."

Unless you're, oh, let's say, not Christian! There's a wonderful long tradition of folks ignoring "turn the other cheek" in favor of torture, burning, dispossession... yeah, nothing to fear. I guess it all depends on whose Christian principles they espouse. There are some Christians who seem to understand:

Quote:

The Rev. Dean Johnson is a chaplain, a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a legislator. The Willmar DFLer said: "I don't think you have to wear your religion on your sleeve. For me to impose my moral and ethical beliefs on everyone can be dangerous."

Government officials should not have to remove religion from their personal lives. However, I also don't want them making law or pursuing their duties from a strictly religious perspective. Like much of life, it's a balancing act, and I fear the ones that openly trumpet their beliefs aren't keeping the balance.

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