Letters: Our democracy facing serious problems

In Gertrude “Trudi” Meyers’ Oct. 6 letter, “First Amendment essential,” she was critical of some of the religious right’s view about the separation of church and state. She did a good job in pointing out all the reasons that the separation of church and state are good for democracy. In fact, a country can’t be run by any religion. Just look at the mess of the Islamic regime in Iran. There are no human rights, freedom of speech, religion and press. People live in fear and in very poor conditions.

Believe it or not, the concept of the separation of church and state came from Jesus Christ. Just read the Gospel (Matthew 22:15-21). When Jesus was facing the question by Pharisees’ disciples “... Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Knowing their malice, Jesus said, ‘Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.’ ”

Then they handed him the Roman coin. He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?” They replied, “Caesar’s.” At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” In this Gospel, Jesus clearly pointed out the principle of the separation of church and state.

Here I may add that the separation of church and state, the separation of powers are important American government principles. As I know, no political document has so much political wisdom and sophisticated systems to deal with the government power which corrupts people.

No question, those framers had the advanced knowledge and practical experience about government power and the weakness of human nature. So they put down the three-branch government system: executive, legislative and judicial. Each branch is an independent unit and has the specific power to check and balance one another to make sure no one branch can dictate the other to change of the democratic republic into a dictatorial regime.

Unfortunately, our democracy is facing many serious problems because (1) some politicians in the congressional oversight let their politics stand in the way to do a good job for the American people. Many bad things (abuse, waste and corruption) happened because the failure of oversight. And (2) some established media are not trying to live up to their standards against the forces weakening journalism and they choose to be in the wagon with the powerful politicians and become their spinning machine.

It is a sad situation today.

Chris Hsu

retired state employee

Baton Rouge

Comments

1) Comment by InPVille - 25/10/2012

Sure you can name some excesses. However, the idea that hatred, genocide, and bigotry are going to disappear if you totally dispose of religion is to totally deny human nature. There is always going to be an "us" and a "them". Take the tribal genocide in Africa during the Clinton administration which was primarily driven by ethnic differences. Droughts and famine people have in the past lead to wars and genocide. Given that you think that hatred, genocide, and bigotry are being taken away if you take away religion it doesn't seem such a stretch to me that religion and business interests would be far removed from your thinking. Ever heard of the early Calvinist influence on the development of capitalism. So, yes. I don't think you understand human nature very well. Take away religion and you still have human nature. Human nature is the cause of all the things you blame on the alleged religious you criticize. The world is and has always been driven by perceived self-interest and there will always be those willing to exceed social norms to get what they want. We will just have to disagree on this one. . . again!

2) Comment by chem - 25/10/2012

@InPVille: This is just a very brief sample of what comes out of the minds of the religious right. One could spend a whole day on the internet and never see the same thing twice. Religion does indeed justify these idiotic statements. And of course, there is the whole Islam thing. All driven by religion. So who is being shortsighted? ••• E.W. Jackson, a right-wing preacher: gays and lesbians are “very sick people psychologically, mentally, and emotionally.” ••• Jeffrey Kuhner: Gay gestapo will have opponents burnt at the stake. ••• Oklahoma Republican state representative said that homosexuality is more dangerous than terrorists. ••• Those loving folks at the Family Research Council stated that Sally Ride (first woman astronaut) died of pancreatic cancer because of homosexuality. ••• Todd Akin: the infamous comment on rape. ••• Bryan Fischer: Dem national convention was a three day death camp. ••• Republican candidate in Arkansas, Charlie Fuqua, say that disobedient children should be put to death. ••• Another Republican candidate, Richard Mourdock, stated that rape was god’s will and that the baby is a gift from god!!! ••• Daniel Webster, Republican candidate in Florida: Woman must submit to their husbands (the bible says so). ••• Pat Robertson, talking to a viewer: since he “can’t divorce her according to scripture, so I say move to Saudi Arabia.” That was so he can legally beat his wife. ••• Rep. Jon Hubbard of Arkansas, republican, has stated that slavery was good for blacks and that blacks are ignorant.

3) Comment by InPVille - 25/10/2012

chem: "But at least without religion, the justification for hatred, genocide, and bigotry are taken away." - - - You are so short sighted in this observation it is simply gobsmacking!

4) Comment by chem - 25/10/2012

@InPVille: While this message board does not allow paragraphs, I plainly stated that, "The other problem is that...," which moved to a different issue.••• Where did I say that everyone should agree with me? Not sure how anyone could get that from what I posted. ••• The religious right uses the bible for many social issues except helping the poor and disadvantaged. They cite the bible for abortion issues, LGBT issues, they cite god as punishing this country for its "sins", they tell people to vote the way the "bible tells you to vote." The bible is cited for hatred of certain groups, for justifying slavery, and for putting disobedient children to death. Rape is justified as being god's.••• There have been several treatises on morals/ethics that indicate the bible is certainly not needed for people to act good or bad toward each other. But at least without religion, the justification for hatred, genocide, and bigotry are taken away.

5) Comment by InPVille - 25/10/2012

chem: The normative ethics which determine a society's view of what is right and what is wrong have to come from some source. Throughout human history religion has been the primary method used to inculcate concepts of right and wrong. It doesn't always work out. There are always those willing to put their own selfish interests, lust for power, or view that the end justifies the means(sometimes even the religion takes on this view) to lead them beyond the realm of right onto the wrong side of the scale. Even if you take the word religion out of it and only use the words "this isn't the right course" or "this is the wrong course". The religion behind the decision of right and wrong is still going to be there at the root. Do you have some better way you can be certain that right and wrong can be definitively established? Or do you just find it unacceptable that not everyone agrees with you? Kindly show all of us where Jesus or the founders of any other major religion still around advocated passing public policy, laws, and regulations with corporations in mind over others and advocated the idea "screw the other guy."

6) Comment by chem - 25/10/2012

Just look at what has happened to Louisiana under Piyush and the rest of the religious right Republicans. If the Republican party prevails in November and controls the House, Senate, and Executive branches, the country will get just what we got in this state, probably worse. Every time the Republicans open their mouths, they are citing some religious saying. God said...the bible says...Jesus said. There is too much religion in public discourse today. There should be none. Religion should stay where it belongs, in churches and homes. It has no place in public policy. The other problem is that corporations have far too much power, especially in this country. That needs to stop. Public policy, laws, and regulations should be cast and applied with the people in mind, not corporations. The current model is what has brought about the intense greed which says I've got mine, so screw the other guy.

7) Comment by InPVille - 25/10/2012

@Bighug: "But if you remove religion, at least you have eliminated one cause of problems invented by man." - - - The false congratulation would only provide the illusion of progress. You would be kidding yourself.

8) Comment by Bighug - 24/10/2012

Right you are, InPinville. But if you remove religion, at least you have eliminated one cause of problems invented by man.

9) Comment by InPVille - 24/10/2012

Human nature is the corrupting influence. Get rid of religion and corruption will still exist and with at least the same force. You can take the human out of the church. But it will not remove even one of the many faults of humanity. It will exhibit itself through some other basis such as philosophy or ideology. As a final example; If religion is the invention of man, then the cause of the problem is still there if you remove religion.

10) Comment by DMJ - 24/10/2012

The framers couldn't foresee the future and did not get everything right...but separation of church and state is one of them. It's allowed for religious freedom and, maybe one day, it will allow for the corrupting influence of religion to be totally removed from all our government institutions.