I issued this statement about Sen. Kennedy this morning via Americans United's Web site:
"Sen. Ted Kennedy was a great champion of church-state separation. It's not just that he consistently voted to support that principle - he really got it. He deeply understood that only a high and firm wall of separation between church and state could protect our liberties. He knew the reasons why our Founders established church-state separation and why we need to preserve it. He got how church-state separation protects the rights of both religious and non-religious people.
"One of the things that made Sen. Kennedy so effective was his powerful presence. I first met him in the 1970s during a meeting designed to address issues of concern to residents of Washington, D.C. There were probably 40 people in the room, all squabbling about how to proceed. When Sen. Kennedy walked in, all talking stopped. He outlined a plan of action, and we divided up the work.
"In subsequent years, I had many occasions to work with Sen. Kennedy and his staff. Although he belonged to a powerful political family, I always found him to be down to earth and engaging. He always took the time to intensely study whatever issue came before him, and his command of the facts and the workings of the Senate were impressive.
"When Sen. Jesse Helms tried to push a school prayer amendment through the Senate, Ted Kennedy stood up to block it. When President Ronald Reagan sought to put Robert Bork on the Supreme Court, Ted Kennedy led the charge to stop him. When bills were introduced in Congress to fund religious schools with tax funds, Ted Kennedy was the first to speak up in opposition.
"At the same time, Sen. Kennedy was a consistent supporter of the free exercise of religion and deplored any effort to chisel away at this cherished right of the American people.
"At Americans United's 50th anniversary celebration in 1997, Kennedy sent videotaped remarks commending AU's work. 'Through the years,' Kennedy said, 'we have worked well together to ensure that when the First Amendment says [Congress shall make] no law [respecting an establishment of religion], it means no law. May it always be so.'
"Sen. Kennedy truly cannot be replaced. He was an institution and will be remembered as one of the great heroes of religious liberty and church-state separation. Americans United sends its condolences to the senator's family. We mourn his passing but honor his legacy - a legacy of freedom that will stand for many years to come."
I welcome all of you to join in this conversation and share your thoughts about Sen. Kennedy, a truly great American.
To subscribe to "Lynn v. Sekulow" click here.
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon
Subscribe
I was reading the posts so that I could make sure that I was posting in the correct place. It seems that these are more for Mr. Kennedy than for Separation of Church and State. I will be posting this any way.
Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists
The Final Letter, as Sent
To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.
Gentlemen
The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.
Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802.
The following information comes from this website:
http://pages.cthome.net/jbair/kyriakos.htm
The Word Kyriakos in Bible Greek
The Greek word kyriakos is indeed where the English word church comes from. However, the article’s analysis of the word kyriakos is incorrect.
The Greek word kyrie means “Lord.” It is used hundreds of times in the New Testament.
The word kyriakos is simply the genitive or possessive form the word kyrie. It means “the Lord’s” or “belonging to the Lord.” It is used twice in the New Testament (I Corinthians 11:20 and Revelation 1:10). It is, I admit, not quite the same as “the called out ones,” but the meaning is not that different. After all, the people who are called out or chosen by the Lord belong to Him!
State
5 a: a politically organized body of people usually occupying a definite territory ; especially : one that is sovereign b: the political organization of such a body of people c: a government or politically organized society having a particular character.
Found at this site: Merriam-Webster:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/state
Hmmmmmmm
Now Teddy was a Senator right?
Does the Congress have a paid Chaplain?
Separation of Church and State...........Where?
"Chaplain's Office
Barry C. Black
Throughout the years, the United States Senate has honored the historic separation of Church and State, but not the separation of God and State. The first Senate, meeting in New York City on April 25, 1789, elected the Right Reverend Samuel Provost, the Episcopal Bishop of New York, as its first Chaplain. During the past two hundred and seven years, all sessions of the Senate have been opened with prayer, strongly affirming the Senate's faith in God as Sovereign Lord of our Nation. The role of the Chaplain as spiritual advisor and counselor has expanded over the years from a part-time position to a full-time job as one of the Officers of the Senate. The Office of the Chaplain is nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and nonsectarian.
Duties of the Senate Chaplain
In addition to opening the Senate each day in prayer, Chaplain Black’s duties include counseling and spiritual care for the Senators, their families and their staffs, a combined constituency of six thousand people. Chaplain Black’s days are filled with meeting Senators about spiritual and moral issues, assisting Senators’ staffs with research on theological and biblical questions, teaching Senate Bible study groups, encouraging such groups as the weekly Senate Prayer Breakfast, and facilitating discussion and reflection small groups among Senators and staff.
In order to stay informed of the needs of the Senate community, Chaplain Black maintains a program with a volunteer liaison in each office to assist him. A member of his staff directs this program."
Why do they need to pray at work?
Separation?
Where?
No one ever said congress isn't stupid and delusional.
Well they get alittle brain dead at the wheal when it comes to protecting out posterity, that is the pro-choice elected officials so to speak. Hopefully they will see the light and relize that those are children at risk of there very lives being snuffed out by a murdering policy. I have heard the arguments of protecting the mother during the procedure, thus giving way to a legal murder. Nope, that would be completely taking anothers right to live. Sorry, no can do when it comes to that policy. Put your heads down and repent, Democratic party, for that is a sin against God.
Cara
Pippy wants to see her kids. Her mother threatenned her to move out of her house and move into a studio apartment, saying that the kids could visit and she would lose her support and her children. What a joke,huh. What kind of mother would pull her hair , slap her in the face for reading the bible, iron her brothers shirt for work while yelling at her to get out of the house regardless of her situation. What kind of mother would want the worst situation for her child, not having her children? What kind of mother would want to hurt her daughter like that, while going on the phone and gossiping behing her back. I suppose Pippy realy is an orphan than, not a lady with a mother who psychologically wants to kill her each and everyday, claiming to say that she wants me to take responsability for what? I said I was sorry for whatever happenned. So the joke of the matter is, she is coming up with all kinds of excuses to be cruel and the inflict her pain on her daughter, she acts like she doesn't care if she is living or breathing, just a place for her to abuse her so she feels better about herself for whatever reason that is.
Pippy
Post a Comment
By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.