Rou

I have very specific views on the role religion should have on our government. None. In my ideal world, the role of religion in the governance of a country should be exactly 'none'.

But I'm not totally unsympathetic to the plight of my theistic brethren. I know you want to to vote for candidates that believe in the same religion as you. Or that you want your courthouses to put up your religion's rules as a moral compass. You want you children to learn things that are approved by your faith. Even that you want public lands to be available to help demonstrate the local celebrations of faith.

I understand. I do. So, I'm going to be as fair as possible. Propose some reasonable alternatives.

Let's start with public land, shall we. It's simple. You can put up Christmas displays on school grounds and public parks and such things. In exchange, you have to make those same premises just as available to any other religious group at any other appropriate time of year. Not only that, but any funds used to purchase, install and maintain those Christmas displays must be matched as well. If you pay for Christians, you pay for Muslims. Simple, balanced, fair.

Now, let's try those Commandments. Toughie, I admit. But I'll let you put them up by calling them a historical precedent for American legal code. I think we should toss up some other key documents. Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and Magna Carta under the same guise. course, I want something in return. Hammuribi's Code (Babylon), the Book of the Dead (Egyptian), and the Twelve Tables (Rome). All of which are just additional sources that influenced our legal systems and provided a sturdy bedrock to build on. And really, we should at least consider the 5 Pillars of Muslim law, the 4 Noble Truths of Buddhism, though I'm willing to concede that little of our legal system traces back to those two documents. I include them simply for the sake of religious equality.

Still with me? Good good. Now, onto the children and the process of educating their little minds. I support the religious indoctrination of children at a young age. Often actually. See, we get along! Of course, we do disagree on which religion we want to fill their heads with, don't we? Well, my religious friend, we can get around this. You can teach them about original sin, and Noah's Ark, and how Jesus died for their sins. But not in science class. Move it on over to World religions. Make them take it in 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th grade. Teach them all the basics of the five major religions, and you get 4 chances to convince them that your religion is the best. Plus, you can tutor them at home every Sunday! Trade off? You can't use the music, art, or science budget for it.

I know, it seems like a lot. For the most part, I think it's pretty fair. You get to practice your religion and not feel persecuted (somehow some of you manage to do that in a country with nearly 80% of the people practicing your religion). And we atheists, agnostics, pagans and heathens can go about our buisness without feeling like your shoving your faith down our throat.