Constitutional Principles

If I could add a fifth principle to the Constitution it would be a true separation of Church and State. This nation was founded by Christian principles and one of the main reasons the Europeans came to the Americas was for religious freedom. However based on how the nation is today, I feel religious issues should be dictated by the church only. My church, Dayspring Baptist Church is right now discussing our legal document called the Constitution and Bylaws of the Church, which is a legal document that will and has been used in court to state what we believe. However if at any time the government attempts to interfere we must and have had to use this document to maintain our independent status. I feel as though the religious issues should be within the church only and not dictated in any ways by the church. The church should stand firm in its own beliefs and should not have the government intervening. In addition the government today tries to use its power to limit churches and say what they can and cannot do, like in the instance of the parent church to mine, Quentin Road Baptist Church, they were told by the government how they should dictate their ways of worship, which is why they had to form their Constitution and Bylaws document to submit to the government to keep the out of their way of worship. Their elected board members had to strive to achieve the independent status, much like our nation did. And finally, and perhaps the touchiest subject today, is the issue of the particularly religious political issues of homosexuality and abortion. Although I strongly disagree with both based on my moral and religious beliefs and I strongly speak out against, I feel that is an issue the government should stay out of, legally. Because these are particularly religious issues they should be within the church and address within the church, rather than the federal government. The church should stand firm on its fundamental principles and let the government do its job by keeping America safe and secure for all. I have attached a link on the Reynolds vs. United States US Supreme court. In it we have George Reynolds, a secretary to the well-known Brigham Young, a mormon church leader, and he is protesting against an anti-bigamy statue, which is basically against the polygamy of the Mormon faith. This act basically banned that, so here is a federal decision based on a religious concept, the issue has to do with true separation of church and state. How much can our government fudge itself into the religious practices, and how much is acceptable? This court case is an example of someone who felt that the government is going to far.


http://www.oyez.org/cases/1851-1900/1878/1878_0