I was particularly pleased with Balmer's comments about "counterfeit Baptists":
"There is even a movement within the Religious Right of people who claim to be Baptist--I think they're counterfeit Baptists, they're not real Baptists--who are trying to deny the founders ever intended for church and state to be separate," Balmer continued. People like David Barton and Rick Scarborough, he said, are "propagating this propaganda that the founders never intended church and state to be separate."Here's a link to the podcast if you would like to listen to it yourself.
1 comment:
I would expect one who calls himself a mainstream Baptist to be "pleased" with someone who calls others "counterfeit Baptists." And I only thought the Religious Right was guilty of name calling.
I think Barton and others are reacting to those from the ACLU, People for the American Way, and Americans United for the Separation of Church & State who continue to twist and warp what the original intent was concerning the 1st amendment.
Why is it that our founding fathers used the wording that is in the 1st amendment? Why didn't they use "separation of church & state?" Why is "Congress" the subject of the 1st amendment? Could it be that they didn't want our government to establish a particular denomination as the official religion in our country? And could it be that Congress is not supposed to "prohibit the free exercise thereof"?
Bruce, the last time I checked the Constitution was established to protect our freedom of religion and not "freedom from religion."
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