"North Carolina May Declare Official State Religion...

[Darias]

So according to this, some GOP folks have put forth a bill that would make NC exempt from observing the first amendment of the US Constitution:

• SECTION 1. The North Carolina General Assembly asserts that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

• SECTION 2. The North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

This bill is for the purpose of establishing some form of Christianity in North Carolina, in the form of official state prayers before meetings and in public schools, or whatever you can think of.

If such a bill were to pass, this would also grant some teeth to the unconstitutional state law, Article 6, Section 8,, which doesn't allow atheists to hold office. The reason why it is largely ignored today is solely because of the First Amendment. That doesn't mean that people haven't faced difficulties because of this law.

Considering the sheer number of people in my state who don't see a problem with either of these, combined with the fact that they voted for the very people who proposed this bill, gives me a reason to be concerned.

I don't know if this bill will pass, but I'd be mistaken if I thought people wouldn't support it. The fact that the bill even exists indicates that something is terribly, horribly wrong with my state.


What do you guys think about this?

Do you support this bill? Why or why not? What are the chances of this bill passing?

[dianaiad]

So according to this, some GOP folks have put forth a bill that would make NC exempt from observing the first amendment of the US Constitution:

• SECTION 1. The North Carolina General Assembly asserts that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

• SECTION 2. The North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

This bill is for the purpose of establishing some form of Christianity in North Carolina, in the form of official state prayers before meetings and in public schools, or whatever you can think of.

If such a bill were to pass, this would also grant some teeth to the unconstitutional state law, Article 6, Section 8,, which doesn't allow atheists to hold office. The reason why it is largely ignored today is solely because of the First Amendment. That doesn't mean that people haven't faced difficulties because of this law.

Considering the sheer number of people in my state who don't see a problem with either of these, combined with the fact that they voted for the very people who proposed this bill, gives me a reason to be concerned.

I don't know if this bill will pass, but I'd be mistaken if I thought people wouldn't support it. The fact that the bill even exists indicates that something is terribly, horribly wrong with my state.


What do you guys think about this?

Do you support this bill? Why or why not? What are the chances of this bill passing?

Constitutionally? They can do this. The First Amendment does apply only to congress.

Personally? Were this to pass, it would guarantee that I would never go to N. Carolina. It won't, however, pass. I think even the bible thumpers will think twice, because as soon as it passes, then they'll have to start arguing which religion is going to be the state sponsored one.

(thinking) I take that back. If it does pass, I'd really like to be a fly on the wall for THAT discussion.

[Goat]

So according to this, some GOP folks have put forth a bill that would make NC exempt from observing the first amendment of the US Constitution:

• SECTION 1. The North Carolina General Assembly asserts that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

• SECTION 2. The North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

This bill is for the purpose of establishing some form of Christianity in North Carolina, in the form of official state prayers before meetings and in public schools, or whatever you can think of.

If such a bill were to pass, this would also grant some teeth to the unconstitutional state law, Article 6, Section 8,, which doesn't allow atheists to hold office. The reason why it is largely ignored today is solely because of the First Amendment. That doesn't mean that people haven't faced difficulties because of this law.

Considering the sheer number of people in my state who don't see a problem with either of these, combined with the fact that they voted for the very people who proposed this bill, gives me a reason to be concerned.

I don't know if this bill will pass, but I'd be mistaken if I thought people wouldn't support it. The fact that the bill even exists indicates that something is terribly, horribly wrong with my state.


What do you guys think about this?

Do you support this bill? Why or why not? What are the chances of this bill passing?

IT's the south, it has every chance of passing.

It is unconstitutional.. so there is no chance it can be enforced.

[dianaiad]

So according to this, some GOP folks have put forth a bill that would make NC exempt from observing the first amendment of the US Constitution:

• SECTION 1. The North Carolina General Assembly asserts that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

• SECTION 2. The North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

This bill is for the purpose of establishing some form of Christianity in North Carolina, in the form of official state prayers before meetings and in public schools, or whatever you can think of.

If such a bill were to pass, this would also grant some teeth to the unconstitutional state law, Article 6, Section 8,, which doesn't allow atheists to hold office. The reason why it is largely ignored today is solely because of the First Amendment. That doesn't mean that people haven't faced difficulties because of this law.

Considering the sheer number of people in my state who don't see a problem with either of these, combined with the fact that they voted for the very people who proposed this bill, gives me a reason to be concerned.

I don't know if this bill will pass, but I'd be mistaken if I thought people wouldn't support it. The fact that the bill even exists indicates that something is terribly, horribly wrong with my state.


What do you guys think about this?

Do you support this bill? Why or why not? What are the chances of this bill passing?

IT's the south, it has every chance of passing.

It is unconstitutional.. so there is no chance it can be enforced.

What's unconstitutional about it?

Stupid, yeah.
Wrongheaded and assinine, absolutely.

..........but 'unconstitutional?" Remember, the first amendment only says that CONGRESS shall 'make no law.' Didn't say word one about the states.

[Alchemy]

So according to this, some GOP folks have put forth a bill that would make NC exempt from observing the first amendment of the US Constitution:

• SECTION 1. The North Carolina General Assembly asserts that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

• SECTION 2. The North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

This bill is for the purpose of establishing some form of Christianity in North Carolina, in the form of official state prayers before meetings and in public schools, or whatever you can think of.

If such a bill were to pass, this would also grant some teeth to the unconstitutional state law, Article 6, Section 8,, which doesn't allow atheists to hold office. The reason why it is largely ignored today is solely because of the First Amendment. That doesn't mean that people haven't faced difficulties because of this law.

Considering the sheer number of people in my state who don't see a problem with either of these, combined with the fact that they voted for the very people who proposed this bill, gives me a reason to be concerned.

I don't know if this bill will pass, but I'd be mistaken if I thought people wouldn't support it. The fact that the bill even exists indicates that something is terribly, horribly wrong with my state.


What do you guys think about this?

Do you support this bill? Why or why not? What are the chances of this bill passing?

IT's the south, it has every chance of passing.

It is unconstitutional.. so there is no chance it can be enforced.

What's unconstitutional about it?

Stupid, yeah.
Wrongheaded and assinine, absolutely.

..........but 'unconstitutional?" Remember, the first amendment only says that CONGRESS shall 'make no law.' Didn't say word one about the states.

I agree.

Where this to pass, many people in NC could find themselves waking up to a state that they did not really want akin to being grantyed a wish by a Geni. 'Yes I wanted Jesus in Governemnt but I wanted MY Jesus not that Jesus!'

It is certainly asking for trouble.

[McCulloch]

What's unconstitutional about it?

Stupid, yeah.
Wrongheaded and assinine, absolutely.

..........but 'unconstitutional?" Remember, the first amendment only says that CONGRESS shall 'make no law.' Didn't say word one about the states.

Originally, the First Amendment applied only to laws enacted by the Congress. However, starting with Gitlow v. New York, the Supreme Court has applied the First Amendment to each state. This was done through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, by what is called incorporation.

Gitlow v. New York, 268 U.S. 652 (1925), was a decision by the United States Supreme Court decided on June 8, 1925, which ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution had extended the reach of certain limitations on federal government authority set forth in the First Amendment—specifically the provisions protecting freedom of speech and freedom of the press—to the governments of the individual states. It was one of a series of Supreme Court cases that defined the scope of the First Amendment's protection of free speech and established the standard to which a state or the federal government would be held when it criminalized speech or writing.

Text copied from Wikipedia.

[Nickman]

So according to this, some GOP folks have put forth a bill that would make NC exempt from observing the first amendment of the US Constitution:

• SECTION 1. The North Carolina General Assembly asserts that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

• SECTION 2. The North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.

This bill is for the purpose of establishing some form of Christianity in North Carolina, in the form of official state prayers before meetings and in public schools, or whatever you can think of.

If such a bill were to pass, this would also grant some teeth to the unconstitutional state law, Article 6, Section 8,, which doesn't allow atheists to hold office. The reason why it is largely ignored today is solely because of the First Amendment. That doesn't mean that people haven't faced difficulties because of this law.

Considering the sheer number of people in my state who don't see a problem with either of these, combined with the fact that they voted for the very people who proposed this bill, gives me a reason to be concerned.

I don't know if this bill will pass, but I'd be mistaken if I thought people wouldn't support it. The fact that the bill even exists indicates that something is terribly, horribly wrong with my state.


What do you guys think about this?

Do you support this bill? Why or why not? What are the chances of this bill passing?

It would be quite a shame if this was passed and I just think about those Christians who are in favor of it that may one day become atheists or deists. That will be a huge facepalm moment for them.

[99percentatheism]

[Replying to post 1 by Darias]

North Carolina may be correct:

Amendment I

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.

[dianaiad]

I agree.

Where this to pass, many people in NC could find themselves waking up to a state that they did not really want akin to being grantyed a wish by a Geni. 'Yes I wanted Jesus in Governemnt but I wanted MY Jesus not that Jesus!'

It is certainly asking for trouble.

Doesn't often happen...so put this in your memory book.

I absolutely agree with you.

[Divine Insight]

Where this to pass, many people in NC could find themselves waking up to a state that they did not really want akin to being grantyed a wish by a Geni. 'Yes I wanted Jesus in Governemnt but I wanted MY Jesus not that Jesus!'

It is certainly asking for trouble.

That's exactly how it would end up.

Every non-Christian religion as well as any atheists in the state of N.C. would quickly find themselves being extremely belittled and even potentially being arrested as "outlaws" if they don't at least publicly convert to Christianity (the religion of the STATE).

Having a state officially support one religion over all others is asking for trouble. This automatically implies that all other religions are basically "illegal" or at the very least considered to be irrelevant.

But let's forget about all the non-Christian victims for a moment.

As Alchemy points out, the Christians themselves would then start having wars with each other over what constitutes "True Christianity".

I think history has shown that even if Christianity were to become the only single religion on earth that would merely be just the beginning of the real Holy Wars.

The Christians already highly disagree with each other.

Also, if Christianity were the chosen religion, should it be Protestantism or Catholicism?

Maybe they should invite Pope Francis to come to NC to teach them how to be good Christians.

Having a single Papal authority is about the only way Christianity could ever survive as a single religion.


Christianity is ultimately a fascist dictatorship anyway. It's entirely based upon the notion of a totalitarian fascist dictating God who is not only a dictator, but a jealous dictator filled with wrath waiting to be unleashed upon those who fail to cower down to his fascist dictatorship.

Christianity and its Heaven are entirely fascist dictatorships based on an imagined jealous dictator God who will severely hurt and punish anyone who refuses to cower down to His Will.

I personally find it extremely ironic that Christianity actually represents precisely what America proudly stands against - Extreme Fascist Dictatorship enforced by brutal violence and threats of punishment to anyone who refuses to worship and obey the fascist dictator.

How ironic is that?

Christianity is actually as anti-American, anti-Freedom, and anti-Democratic as a religion can be.

I'm really surprised the America isn't a mainly Taoist nation in terms of religion. That would be a spiritual philosophy that's far more in-line with American values.