Thursday, April 04, 2013

North Carolina Proposes State Religion

By Douglas V. Gibbs

I don't believe it is a good idea that a State establish a State Religion.  That said, I also take issue with the beginning of an article regarding such a proposal in North Carolina.  The headline and article beginning:

Proposal would allow state religion in North Carolina

A resolution filed by Republican lawmakers would allow North Carolina to declare an official religion, in violation of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Bill of Rights, and seeks to nullify any federal ruling against Christian prayer by public bodies statewide.

At the founding of this nation most of the States had established religions.  The Establishment Clause does not apply to the States, it applies only to the federal government.  The Establishment Clause also does not disallow things like prayer at the federal level; just that the federal government does not establish a religion that must be recognized nationally.  From the point of the Constitution, North Carolina has every right to establish a religion.  I don't believe it is a good idea, and the founders fought at the State level to also bring true religious freedom.  Jefferson's and Madison's work in Virginia with The Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom in 1786 was a key component in not only bringing religious freedom to the State level as well, but also served as an encouragement for the Danbury Baptists when Jefferson became President, and they pleaded to him for help with the Puritans in Connecticut.

The part of the article that says North Carolina, if they declare an official religion, would be in violation of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Bill of Rights, is an erroneous statement.  Religion is a State issue, and if they wish to nullify the unconstitutional rulings by federal courts disallowing Christian prayer in public schools statewide, North Caroling has every Constitutional right to do so.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

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