Theocracy versus democracy

There is a lot of talk these days from the religious right about returning America to its Christian origins. What does than mean? And are we certain that’s what we want to do?

I would argue that it is not what our founding father’s wanted when they wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. (For starters…the majority of those founders were Deists, believers in one God, not the triune God that most Christians believe in today.) These men had seen the perils of a state mandated religion and were still fighting that battle in the colonies. (Some colonies had been established as religious colonies, but only one religion was allowed within the colony.) The Constitution was written to address that problem and to make a single nation out of many.

In 1776, the population of the country was 4 million. And the founding of the country…the original exploration and conquest had taken place over 200 years before. Some of the citizens were 5th and 6th generation Americans. America was no longer a Puritan stronghold. (Massachusetts) nor was it a bastion of Catholicism (Maryland). It was quite diverse. And the founders were intent on keeping it so.

I would ask those who want us to return to our Christian roots, which roots do you mean? There certainly are plenty of them to choose from. We would have to exclude Jehovah’s Witnesses of course. And worst of all are the Mormons. They would certainly have to be excluded. Some would argue that Catholics aren’t Christians so they might be included in the list of pariahs. How about Episcopalians? They are descendants of Anglicans and we know that they came from the Roman church, which makes them suspect. Even after getting rid of the obvious and the suspect “bad roots”, there are plenty of diverse roots left. I guess I just wonder what this Christian America is going to look like?

Oh, I know that I’m being sarcastic…but no one from the Christian Right has ever defined just what it is that they want. They are long on rhetoric and short on concrete proposals.

This morning I am going to church and in my own, and very private way, I’m going to worship God. And I will pray that all can do the same.