Comments on: Stand Up For Wicca? http://tottinge.blogsome.com/2006/06/13/stand-up-for-wicca/ Tim Ottinger on Christianity, freedom, software, podcasts, and really hot-looking guitars. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:06:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Tim http://tottinge.blogsome.com/2006/06/13/stand-up-for-wicca/#comment-405 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 09:58:51 +0100 http://tottinge.blogsome.com/2006/06/13/stand-up-for-wicca/#comment-405 Yeah, and what may not have shown as well as I hoped is that I agree with the logic here. Yes, it's surprising to hear a Christian saying that it makes sense to stand up for Wicca at all, but the point is that we have to recognize that our freedom of religion in the USA is the freedom of religion that also protects the wiccan, Muslim, Hindu, and all varieties of other religion. We have to stand up for the freedom of religion, and let the chips fall. We can't pretend that the US can/should be free for only one (as the abuses of the past in other countries has shown). It is one of the few precious freedoms that we need to cling to the strongest. I think that it is useful from time to time to remind ourselves of the text and context of the First amendment where it says: <blockquote> Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. </blockquote> I often surprise people when I mention the "prohibiting the free exercise thereof" clause -- people aren't aware that the government is not only banned from selecting one national religion, but also from interfering with the religions that exist. We actually tend to hear the reverse, that religion is banned from government participation. That is an extension of the principle that doesn't appear in the constitution at all, let alone the precious first amendment. Government can't choose our religion for us (or choose against one) and cannot choose how our religions operate and how we practice them. That's pretty strong stuff. This is one of the reasons I love our constitution so much. Instead of protecting the government it limits governmental rights. It mostly protects us from our government, not the other way round. Yeah, and what may not have shown as well as I hoped is that I agree with the logic here. Yes, it’s surprising to hear a Christian saying that it makes sense to stand up for Wicca at all, but the point is that we have to recognize that our freedom of religion in the USA is the freedom of religion that also protects the wiccan, Muslim, Hindu, and all varieties of other religion. We have to stand up for the freedom of religion, and let the chips fall. We can’t pretend that the US can/should be free for only one (as the abuses of the past in other countries has shown). It is one of the few precious freedoms that we need to cling to the strongest.

I think that it is useful from time to time to remind ourselves of the text and context of the First amendment where it says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

I often surprise people when I mention the “prohibiting the free exercise thereof” clause — people aren’t aware that the government is not only banned from selecting one national religion, but also from interfering with the religions that exist.

We actually tend to hear the reverse, that religion is banned from government participation. That is an extension of the principle that doesn’t appear in the constitution at all, let alone the precious first amendment.

Government can’t choose our religion for us (or choose against one) and cannot choose how our religions operate and how we practice them. That’s pretty strong stuff.

This is one of the reasons I love our constitution so much. Instead of protecting the government it limits governmental rights. It mostly protects us from our government, not the other way round.

]]> by: Tidbits And Treasures http://tottinge.blogsome.com/2006/06/13/stand-up-for-wicca/#comment-404 Wed, 14 Jun 2006 00:01:57 +0100 http://tottinge.blogsome.com/2006/06/13/stand-up-for-wicca/#comment-404 <strong>Who is right and Who is wrong?</strong> In a world with diversity, you are going to find someone standing up for things you do not believe in. There will be challenges that seem to undermine your Bible beliefs. This is not a perfect world, and, while we live here, we are going to have to sho... Who is right and Who is wrong?

In a world with diversity, you are going to find someone standing up for things you do not believe in. There will be challenges that seem to undermine your Bible beliefs. This is not a perfect world, and, while we live here, we are going to have to sho…

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