Wow, it's been a long time since I posted anything. Not that I haven't had any subjects to write about, because there have been a lot of things that just drive me up the wall. I guess you can chalk it up to just plain laziness!!
Before I get into my subject, let me first state that I am a Christian, and I believe strongly in God. I have a problem with "organized religion" and going to church because of man's interference in church dogma and the rules that certain denominations have. I believe more importantly in my personal relationship with God.
Okay, now that I got that out of the way, let's start.
If you are interested in history, then I suggest that you focus in on the English reign of the Tudor dynasty (Do not watch the Showtime series "The Tudors", because that is so factually incorrect it's not even funny). Henry VIII became supreme leader of the church when the Catholic Pope wouldn't grant him a divorce from Queen Catherine of Aragon. The reason? She didn't provide him with a son and heir. So he got the English Parliament to grant him the divorce, so he could marry Anne Boleyn. She also only gave the King a daughter, and was beheaded on trumped up charges because of it. The next Queen...Jane Seymour, gave the King a son but died from childbirth. She was probably lucky, because surely if she had lived, something would've bugged Henry and she would've lost her head too. His next wife was Anne of Cleves. He found her repulsive and had the marriage annulled. She was treated as a "royal sister." The next was Catherine Howard, who lost her head over adultery. And the final wife was Catherine Parr, who lived because poor Henry was old and sick and died.
Because he shook up the official religion so badly, many Catholics lost their lives, but on the other hand, the English church was like the Catholic church, without a connection to Rome. Of course, he had Protestant advisers that had his ear. Many monasteries and churches were destroyed and the land added to the King's wealth to do what he pleased with.
But the real persecution didn't begin until the reign of his son, Edward the VI. He was very Protestant. What church property that his father didn't destroy was destroyed under his reign. In fact, Catholicism was outlawed. At the time that he died at the age of 15, he had his very own sister, Mary, a Catholic, under armed guard and forbidden to hold Mass in her own household.
When Mary was made Queen, she declared war against the Protestants, brought England back to Rome, and was known as "Bloody Mary" for all heretics she brought to trial and murdered. Close to 300 were killed in her short reign.
Elizabeth took the throne after Mary's death and made the country Protestant once again, though she expected everyone to go to the Church of England, she wasn't so strict that she had people hung, burned, drawn and quatered for their beliefs.
We should also observe that many European countries went to war with each other over their official state religions. England against France, France against Spain, and then the shameful Christian Crusades that resulted in the mass murder of Jews and Christians in great number.
This is but a small picture of history where people died because of what they believed...even though they ALL believed in a Christian God.
The Founding Fathers believed in Separation of Church and State because of what they saw in their own history of their Mother Country. In fact, the colonies were populated by people who followed a religion in England that was not the Church of England. Quakers, Puritans, Catholics, Presbyterians all moved over here to get away from persecution. Is it any wonder that freedom of religion and separation of church and state were so important to them?
The Founding Fathers also recognized that there couldn't be a "National Religion." What would they have? Christianity? Hey that's great! So...is it going to be Protestant, Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist, or one of the many other Christian denominations that exist?
I have heard over and over that the country is going downhill because there is no God in the U.S. Government. I don't think that's the problem. The government is run by humans, who, as we all know, are imperfect. And there are also so called Christians in the government who are less than honest, committing fraud, lying, cheating. Need I go on?
And really, is the country more violent? I believe that violence has been a part of the human race since the beginning of time. What they didn't have that we do is social media. If you read anything about the middle ages, the only worth that a poor person had was to work the land that was owned by gentry. In fact, that has been the fate of the poor since Biblical times. It wasn't until the 1800's that the plight of the poor was even recognized. Violence is the bane of human existence. It has nothing to do with religious beliefs. In fact, there are many violent persons who would consider themselves Christians.
Yes, most of the country considers themselves Christian. However, all other religions are recognized by the First Amendment and their rights cannot be trampled on. If we were to make Christianity a National Religion, that's exactly what we would be doing.
Here is the exact wording of the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Do you want to give up your freedom of speech? Or how about the freedom of the press? Do you think that we have the right to peacefully protest, and that we also have the right to ask the government to look at what we think is wrong? If you answered "No, I do not want to give up these rights," then guess what? You shouldn't be denying a person his or her religion or asking our government to cram it down their throats.
By the very same token, public schools cannot establish a religion, or have any employees lead any religious prayers or thoughts in the school. Why should we not have prayer in school? Because there are children that attend that are Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, Wiccan, Buddhist, Atheists Christian Scientist, Scientologist, and many other religions that I can't think of. And then again, it comes down to what denominations of Christianity would you choose?
If you want God in your child's school, then send them to a parochial school. Send them to a private school that supports your religion.
Bottom line for me: Children should not be learning their religion from school, but from their families at home and in their family's church. I went to youth group every Wednesday and Sunday School and our Church Service every Sunday. I learned about God through the Wesleyan Church we were active in, and by following the examples the adults in my life provided. It is hard enough to teach a child what they need to survive in this world. Leave religion out of it.
And that does not mean that God is taken out of the schools. Have a quiet time for a child's reflection. I'm always praying and having conversations to God in my head. A school can't control that.
I have also seen memes on Facebook that says the violence in our schools are caused because God isn't in our schools. What??? The tragic shootings at Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Newtown were caused by the shooters. And, it often turned out, the system let the shooters down.
We need more comprehensive mental health care. There needs to be education about mental health illnesses to take away the stigma of having a mental illness. If a person is diagnosed with cancer, they often have the full support of their friends and family during their treatment. If a person is diagnosed with mental illness, there will always be some people who back away from from them giving the sign of the cross. Or they think the person is faking it. I have bipolar and I have been treated like that. It's a horrible feeling. Police and EMT's especially need to be educated about this.
And there needs to be more comprehensive gun legislation. Please note: I AM NOT ADVOCATING BANNING GUNS! I have friends that have guns, and I have no problem with them having said guns. However, I do think that there needs to be more strict and comprehensive background checks, and I don't really understand why people think that they need military style weapons with high capacity magazines to protect themselves, or to hunt.
I would also like to mention that these shooting just don't happen at schools. Malls, military bases, and movie theaters have also been targeted.
God needs to be in your heart. He does not belong in our government or our schools. They can put Him in schools and governments, but if He isn't in their hearts, there is nothing. And there will always be shootings, and stabbings, and other forms of violence because God gave us free will.
Put God in your children's hearts. Teach them to talk to God if you want God with them.
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