Separation of Church and State? Screw That... Proselytism FTW!

[GameOver22]

sapphi_snake said:

mrstickball said:

I'm going to get attacked for it but...

I don't see anything wrong with his speech. What he said was a 100% accurate view of faith in Christ. If you are a Christian, you are in the family, so to speak (the Bible deals quite a bit about this in the Gospels and Romans). Therefore, the opposite is true as well.

Now, the real question is: Does he use this statement to push his faith on others in via the government? If so, shame on him. Separation of church and state is to ensure that laws are not established to push one religion on unbelievers. That does not bar someone from making statements about their faith, Sapphi. I am sure if the politician was an atheist and made the same claim, you would be okay with it. I'd be okay with it, just as I would with a Muslim, Buhddist, Hindu or Jedi making the same statement. If you get pissed off every time someone says something about God - politician, actor, scientist, or friend, then you really got to mature a bit more, and recognize that people have differences - differences we should be free to debate and discuss as people.

He's a politican. He's suppose to bring people together, not drive them appart. He's suppose to represent everyone, and not insult and show his dislike of non-Christians (Anyone here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister) and try to push his religion on them and convert (I want to be your brother).

If an atheist politician, and elected official,  (as if they'd ever elect one in the US) would say something like "religious people are stupid" and "they should quit all that nonsense", there's no way I'd say that he's a good politician (even though he'd be saying a great truth). Politicians can't just go around insulting other people like that, especially cause in this case it will contribute to the demonisation of non-Christians (a minority).

There quite a bit a wiggle-room in his statement. His statement does not show dislike of non-Christians. Saying that Christians are his brothers and sisters does not mean he cannot like people from other religions. Just to put simply, I can like people who are not my brother or sister and form friendships outside my family. I would honestly say he is making a reference to the Christian community as being a representation of an extended family.

I still dont't think it was a wise choice on his part to make the statements though. It is just asking for a needless controversy. As you said, a unifying message would have been more beneficial for himself and the community, and creating a distinction between Christians and non-Christians is just asking for trouble, whatever his true intentions.