Politics and Religion

"Never talk politics or religion." -- Pug Mahoney's Golden Rule for Bartenders

"The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion," and it has "no character of enmity" toward Islam. (Treaty of Tripoli, ratified by Congress in 1797.)

"I have only one prayer. Protect me from your True Believers." -- Dinty Ramble

   When politics and religion are mixed, the result is a toxic brew that can poison any relationship, ranging from two people to an entire society.
   In America, the Founders rightly tried to keep the two separate, deeming the issue so important that it was written into the main body of the Constitution itself. (Article VI: "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.")
   Thus, while the First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion, the Constitution itself guarantees freedom from religion.
   Voters may decide to vote for (or against) any candidate for any reason, including religion, but to mandate a particular spiritual path as a qualification for office is not only unconstitutional, it is foolish.
   To any True Believer, "the opponent is not merely in error but in sin. Dissent is disapproved of not only intellectually for also morally. There cannot be any excuse for it once the Message has been revealed." So wrote economist Joseph Schumpeter in Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy. Moreover, while he was referring specifically to Marxists, he noted that the "religious quality of Marxism also explains a characteristic attitude ... of any believer in a Faith."
   The almost fanatically religious fervor that has infected the self-righteous few who have convinced themselves that their way is the only right way, is in danger of spreading like a fatal virus in the body politic of American democracy.
   "America is a Christian nation," say the zealots. Except for the 6 million Jews, 5 million Muslims, 3 million Buddhists, 1.5 million Hindus, and the millions more who are members of some 310 religions and denominations throughout America, including those who follow the Zoroastrian, Shinto, Tao, Baha'i, or the Native American traditions, not to mention the 2 million atheists or the 33 million who say they are non-religious, or even the Druids and Wiccans.
   So while it may be possible to say that, strictly in terms of population, there are more Christians -- if in name only -- throughout the country, thus justifying the "Christian nation" claim, it is not possible to say that the government of the United States of America is Christian.