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July 2, 2006
Relgion and Politics: Barack Obama
Lots of anger on the Web over the recent comments on reaching out to the faithful by the young, brilliant, great Democratic hope, Senator Barack Obama: 
"It is doubtful that children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance feel oppressed or brainwashed as a consequence of muttering the phrase `under God.'"
Afraid I know quite a few people, all of whom have been children, who did indeed feel oppressed by it (but then again people do get a bit touchy when forced to mouth, every day, something they profoundly disbelieve). Why is the line between church and state -- inscribed in the Bill of Rights in the United States -- so difficult for so many politicians to honor? Okay, maybe we know the answer. But then it raises another also not-too-difficult question: What won't a politician do for some votes?
Posted by Mitchell Stephens at July 2, 2006 9:15 AM
Comments
It annoyed me as a child, though at the time I believed (or thought I did) in God, because I knew the country wasn't "under God". Of course I was unable to say "with liberty and justice for all" without gagging, too, until the day I rationalized it as being the country as it should be that I was pledging my allegiance to - though the "under God" part was still just plain wrong.
Posted by: The Ridger at July 13, 2006 7:51 PM
Separation of church and state is not in the Bill of Rights.
Posted by: Jason at December 3, 2006 10:13 AM
Separation of church and state is not in the Bill of Rights.
Posted by: Jason at December 3, 2006 10:14 AM
