The Word Made Flesh: You Will Pry My Rights Away From My Cold Dead Hands

Cross posted at God Is For Suckers!

“If there is any principle of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other, it is the principle of free thought—not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Yep, it's that time of year again, old friends: when we renew our voices, and raise our fists to the sky, and tell the world that we will not knuckle under to the harsh rule of religious tyranny. That all people under the blue sky are entitled only to their particular brand of ideology, but not entitled to force others to bow, or kowtow to them.

I submit to you, dear readers, that we at one time as a nation, had some theocratic elements. The so-called 'Blue Laws' are a perfect example of this, some of which still exist to this day (admittedly, it's mostly the restriction of liquor in certain counties, but I haven't checked recently).

The ongoing battle for homosexual rights is another such example. The arguments against gay marriage (of which I am a supporter of, albeit my activism is of the online variety), the vacuous arguments against gay parenthood, or even opposition to the actual treatment of homosexuals as peers.

Symbols of 'the theocracy that was' are all around us. Even to this day, the theocrats have inserted key personnel into the current administration. We still have 'In God We Trust' on our currency. We have missionaries preaching to the appointees in power. We even have a mercenary equivalent of the Praetorian Guard with a theocratic agenda. There are at least three states in the Union who pretty much qualify for theocracy, anyways: Oklahoma, Texas, and Indiana.

For those readers who accuse me of ' panic-mongering', they are cordially invited to investigate for themselves.

There are those who proclaim 'Original Intent' , that the founders indeed intended to make this a Christian nation. But Jefferson coined the phrase 'Separation of Church and State' (Madison spoke of it as a line between the two). Madison was very much for taxing churches if they should interfere with a political campaign (a remarkable Founder, but not so good as a President, or so I've read). In fact, I once proved that of five of the Founding Fathers, none of them would be suitable for election in this century.

It is time, people. To address the government with our redress of grievances, as is our constitutional right.

1. That we will not enter into a war based on some addled 'vision from God'
2. That no judge will suborn the First Amendment based on his own beliefs.
3. That the civil as well as constitutional rights of all citizens, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, are adhered to and observed.
4. That religion be kept out of the schools, because due to the rich cultural diversity of our country, to err on the side of the majority is to denigrate the needs of the minority.
5. Because this government is based first on the individual, and then on the will of the masses, a balance must be found.

And foremost, this: that a 'small' theocracy will become a theocracy writ large. And any theocracy will have the high priests of such, who will go about silencing the dissenters, the pariahs, the infidels, any of those who are significantly other than themselves. Who will systematically stifle any and all outcry against the 'good news' of their ascension and rule. This is not vain hyperbole: history will bear me out on this.

And I, as a moral, law-abiding, tax-paying, secular citizen, am just as entitled to the same rights as any religious citizen.

So let freedom ring. And let no god(s) tell me otherwise. Because they can plant their non-existent lips on my gluteus maximus.

This is the Apostate, signing off.