Being Careful What You Wish For

I CONFESS I hadn't seen this angle coming. But, that's what makes life interesting. The Facebook post said, roughly paraphrased: "Now that the rainbow flag is fling from government buildings, I want to see crosses and statues of the Ten Commandments on government property, and bibles and prayers in the classroom". I immediately responded: "The difference is that the rainbow flag does not represent any religion, and therefore is not prohibited by the first amendment." Then, just to be safe, I added: "Don't take my word for it. Ask a legal authority, preferably a constitutional expert." I omitted mention of the actual separation of church and state clause, assuming the person would know what the first amendment, says, which, come to think of it, you can't always do, when dealing with Americans. As far as I know, the rainbow flag, symbolizing inclusiveness, ethnically and culturally, has only been flown at a few U/S. embassies around the world, for specific reasons. I don't think it has become, or threatens to become, standard practice at government buildings and facilities. The thought occurred to me that there are probably at least one hundred million Americans, mostly conservative evangelical Christians, (the usual suspects) who agree with the idea of inserting Christianity into the government wherever possible, and ultimately turning the United States into a "christian" nation, officially, a theocracy. Historically and currently, the United States is only a Christian nation in one respect: a majority of Americans are Christians. But that's a s far as it goes. The founders passionately created a secular government entirely separate from any and all religion, for a reason. We can be certain that conservative evangelical Christian American patriots would resist violently Islam ever became the official religion of these United States of America. there are thousands of religions in the world, and in the United States. We all truly and deeply want, love, and wish to defend our great American separation of church and state, whether we fully realize it or not. All thoughtful, intelligent Christians well educated in American history understand this. Dig if you will a picture, of Christians symbols and rituals springing up everywhere, on all public property across the fruited plain. A nationwide explosion and proliferation of crosses, statues of Moses, Jesus, and God on every public lawn and park, Bible in every classroom, with no disagreements between Christian denominations about the details. You can't. You can't imagine it because its impossible. To formally, officially Christianize America would be to create a never ending war among the hundreds of Christian factions, which at fist sounds humorous and desirable, but, upon further reflection, becomes nightmarish. We want to, and thankfully do indeed live in a wonderful country in which all religious expression of all religions is permitted and protected, and none of it is prevented, nor endorsed and adopted by the government. God Bless the United States of Secular America.