Frankly, I am somewhat exhausted from the heavy discussion on this blog yesterday. However, I have pledged to blog everyday, and Übermilf keeps her promises.

I am adamantly, 100 percent, unequivocally in favor of a stark separation of church and state. Some people associate this belief with atheism, but anyone who reads this blog knows I am far from an atheist. Also, just add "in my opinion" before everything I say here. Thanks.

Why do I feel so strongly? Because.

Government is made up of people. Unlike Old Testament times, when some prophet showed up with an oil can to anoint God's chosen one, God does not ordain our political leaders. We choose them, for better or for worse. If they base their beliefs or actions on some form of religious thought, that is an individual matter, not a governmental one. And it's no guarantee that he/she is getting it right.

Also, we have no claim on God. God loves every single person on this planet. He has everyone's picture up on his refrigerator, and a "Universe's Best Dad" coffee cup on his desk. He's not "for" the United States, he doesn't love us any more than someone in Bangladesh. That thought is simply disgusting to me.

Also, when you mix religion and government, mistakes are made.

Also, not everyone who lives here believes in God. Not everyone believes the same way even if they DO believe in God. I sure don't want someone telling ME what to believe and how to express those beliefs, do you?

Also, Jesus made it clear in a couple of Bible passages that His stuff and earth stuff is separate. I don't know the precise passages because I'm Catholic and they don't make us memorize that stuff. But there was the "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" part and the "Be not of THIS world" part.

Believers are called to be doing their best as individuals. That may or may not be reflected in whom they choose to vote into office; that's fine or not fine depending on your point of view, and you can vote accordingly. But the GOVERNMENT ITSELF is not some instrument of God, nor is God the instrument of Government. It's an individual prerogative and/or an individual responsibility.

It's just us humans trying to the best we can to do things as fairly and as well as possible. Quit trying to pin our failures on God or claim some sort of moral superiority that doesn't exist.