Russ,

I thank you for expressing your opinion on this. It's what makes this
country so great. Perhaps I need to refine my statements, and quickly before
someone gets really tired of this tortured thread.

First, I should point out that the Pledge is not a law. Therefore it's not
covered in terms of Congress endorsing it.

Second, the President is not Congress. In Article 1, Section 1 of the
Constitution, it states very clearly that Congress is composed of the Senate
and the House, not the President. Since the President cannot pass a law on
his/her own, I guess they felt they had this covered.

You left out the 4th option, which in my opinion is what is called for, in
fact is  the law, that it be left alone. You can't touch it without
prohibiting religious freedom (either for or against).

My point is the Federal Court system has no jurisdiction. It is only because
they want to set law that they attempt it. That's not their purpose. The
Federal Court system is to interpret the law, not make it. It's been my
gripe for years that the Federal Courts are overstepping their boundaries.
And at least to me, there is no violation of the law in this case, as it has
nothing to do with Congress.

I understand your argument. It has merit, but I don't believe it is covered
by the Constitution. The wording of the 1st amendment is specifically
binding to Congress (not the States and certainly not communities), and
prohibits them from touching the subject.

Now that I have said more than I ever intended, Peace to you ;-)

Dave

----- Original Message -----
From: "Russ Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 01, 2002 7:05 PM
Subject: Re: OT: church and state


> Aw, what the hey, I'll put in my two cents.
>
> So, if the idea is that the government derives its "income" from persons
of
> all religious persuasions, and the constitution says that the government
> cannot make any law "respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting
> the free exercise thereof"; then it is a requirement of government action
> that it neither promote religious belief nor suppress it.
>
> The point of concern raised by the declaration that President Eisenhower's
> action (when he signed legislation inserting "under God" after the words
> "one nation" in our pledge of allegiance) is unconstitutional, is one that
> cannot logically be counter argued.
>
> Point: Our constitution prohibits the enactment of a law which requires
the
> practice of religion.
>
> Point: The Pledge of Allegiance contains a religious message, along the
> monotheistic bent (judeo-christian, in this instance).
>
> If laws exist which require the Pledge to be spoken by all children
> attending publicly funded schools (which includes voucher funded private
> schools), then the Pledge CAN NOT contain a religious message, as this
would
> (at a minimum) represent the government promoting religion, or (at the
> extreme) the government requiring religious practice.
>
> There are three options: change the Pledge to remove the "offensive"
> language, OR, stop requiring that it be said, OR, change the constitution
to
> allow church and state to merge.
>
> Children may gather around the American flag first thing in the morning
for
> prayer.  That is a group of individuals exercising their religious
freedoms.
> There is no requirement that all children join in that prayer.
>
> There is a requirement that all children participate in the Pledge of
> Allegiance.  If it contains the declaration that we are a "nation under
> God", which COULD BE VIEWED as a prayer, then a change must be made in
order
> for this not to be unconstitutional.
>
> Rs~
>
> Russ Smith
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