REVOLUTION & EVOLVE--Both Words Contain,"LOVE" Spelled Backward--Idea Stolen From Ron Paul's Campaign Posters
The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged from among old parchments or musty records. They are written, as with a sunbeam, in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the Divinity itself, and can never be erased or obscured by mortal powers. President George Washington
PREAMBLE
We the People of the United State, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The Two Great Commandments: (1) to love God; and (2) to love your fellow men/women--all others hang on these two
There is a great article, in the Missoulian, Religion Section, B6, Saturday, August 30, 2014, entitled, Religious Liberty Battles Shifting, in a nutshell, states, that the old challenges on religious grounds, seemed to be about allowing minorities, to practice their beliefs, without the majority infringing on those beliefs--Native American tribes smoking peyote, a controlled substance, as part of their religious ceremonies, or Mormons practicing polygamy; however, now, the heart of the issue is the discrimination and the way in which anti-discrimination legislation goes up against certain kinds of religious liberty.
Or, I might add, in keeping with the 1st amendment, how, religious establishments, religious corporations, religious beliefs, shape discriminatory practices and laws, such as the closing of abortion clinics, or putting so many regulations on the clinics that they can't stay in operation, or a back door approach to dismantling a woman's constitutional right to make her own reproductive decisions, at least withing the first trimester, without burdening her with unnecessary laws, requirements, and liberties. A Judge in Texas, just sided with abortion clinics, and stopped legislation that would have shut down 19 abortion clinics--good for you judge.
Regardless of how you personally feel about abortion, if you believe in our system of government, a balance of power, three branches, then you must trust the United States Supreme Court, smart folks, with smart clerks of the court, I believe 40 each, to perhaps, know a bit more about the issue, than you either think or believe, making rulings in this secular, or non-religious arena, so we can be a nation directed by the rule of law, so we can have an ordered society. That does not, however, rule out the fact that we have one nation under God, nor that many of our laws, constitutional provisions, and statues, are not based in religiously connected beliefs and doctrines.
A secular society, is one that basically leaves its religion at the door, and makes decisions based on well established principles, concepts, logic, rational thinking, and reasonable standards, that do not hurt, or benefit on segment of society, while doing the best to protect, individual religious liberties and freedoms. I would challenge, religious corporations, businesses, companies, states with a predominant religious affiliation, to as the 1st amendment says, stop trying to establish a particular religion, religious belief, religious set of values, and impose your personally held beliefs on your family, your friends, your city councils, county commissions, state legislatures, your neighbors, or those who work in your employ!
You have heard the term, practice your religion, no one is trying to stop you personally from practicing your religious freedoms, but practice your constitution, and stop trying to impose, your standards, thoughts, lifestyles, on the rest of society. That does not preclude you, however, from acting in a Christ like way, continuing to serve the fatherless and widows, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, nor visiting those in prison . . . the basic tenants of pure religion, no limitations here, you are free to practice charity or the true love of Christ to your heart's content, and nobody will stop you, in fact, they will encourage you, commend you for your efforts, love and admire you, for you will inspire them, and you, in your own right, can be savior to mankind, by saying, come follow me!
Many of Societies Ills, Are From Those Imposing Religious Beliefs on Others
I have four children, or used to, and they are as diverse, as the nation, in their personal and individual beliefs, and they, in my family, have the perfect right to be the staunchest Mormon, or the most hard core, atheist--that is their prerogative, PERIOD. On the microscopic level, representing the macroscopic level, which societies are on, that is what the first amendment really means . . . I will do nothing to establish a religion, nor prohibit the practice thereof . . . and I trust my children, are taking the right courses for their lives and the lives of their children. And that folks, is how, we truly start to implement, the freedom of religion clause of the Constitution.
We do not cram our religion down the throats of anyone, including our employees, our children, our neighbors, who just might not see things the way we do, nor want to live the lives we want to live, nor work in an atmosphere where our beliefs are suspect and seen as inferior to our bosses. What is your boss was a Seventh Day Adventist, who like in a recent case, just had a child die, because their religious practices, prohibited them from seeing medical attention for their child, for a rather easy cure, but failed to do so, and the child died . . . are you going to follow that advice with your child, if your boss happens to believe that you can cure disease with prayer, which, I firmly believe also, but not to the exclusion of sound health practices, rational thinking, sympathy to suffering, and the marvel of modern medicine, which I personally, keep to a bare minimum, like maybe, if I get a raging headache, I will succumb to taking my average of one aspirin a year!
Funny Thing on the Way to Wheaten College--While Objecting to Obamacare, Contraceptives, Found Out the College Already Provided Contraceptives for Employees, Under Current Insurance--And, No One Ever Objected to it!
Make sure, your religious liberties, are not a disguise for political preferences, or discriminatory practices based on political persuasions, or dislike for a President . . . not good enough. Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that religious corporations, like Hobby Lobby, could refuse the contraceptive provision or allowance, under the Affordable Care Act, they are finding that insurance carriers, are more than willing to add that as a policy rider, because the pill is a hell of a lot cheaper for the insurance provider, than paying for a pregnancy and a child birth! Now, that is what I call, market politics, the dollar drives the policy, and not a bad thought.
I would think as an employer, that employee turnover may come into play too. I would also guess that many of the employees you hire, probably have similar religious beliefs already, there are dead give away signs in most denominations, that are either red flags or get the go-ahead and hire, without really asking discriminatory questions, or even practicing fair employment policies . . . like Mormons, wear what they call, special undergarments, or garments, that are related to temple attendance, indicating activity in the Mormon Church, some outsiders call them Jesus jamies . . . but, they are highly noticed, under a while dress shirt, or a blouse, or there are certain places one can look on the knees to see if their are garment lines . . . and don't fool yourself for one second, if that is part of the interviewing process!
Religions and Religious Policies Morph Over Time
There was a time, that blacks were not allowed to hold the priesthood in the Mormon Church, and I am not sure if it was the Civil Rights Movement, protests, or a revelation from God, that changed the policy, in about 1978, but I remember my active, Mormon, grandparents, were going to have their names removed from the church records . . . we do evolve! As Johnson's army, sent by the U.S. Government, to seize the Mormon Church property and temples, due to the religious liberty of practicing polygamy, and the hierarchy of the church was looking at being arrested, and sent to prison, President of the Church, magically, go the revelation that the practice of polygamy was no longer part of the religious practices of the day, but it is still in the current scripture . . . but, outside influences, do create changes, force a revolution within the church, policies regarding abortion, oral sex, birth control, even positions you can take while having sex, women in the ministry, all take hits, some change and some don't, and not all of these changes come in the form of a Manifesto!
Churches hold councils, listen to citizens, try to adopt current policies, to a more Christ-like position . . . I think we saw this with the Catholic Pope Francis, when he was asked about gay marriages, and he said, Who am I to judge . . . implementing the Masters recommendations, that we judge not that we be not judged! Now that sounds like extremely sound policy, safe, evolutionary, if not revolutionary. You have to remember, that Christ was considered an agitator, went contrary to tradition, to religious practices of his day, all his words were fighting words, what in the hell, do you think he got crucified for? He challenged the current religious leaders of the time, the Sanhedrin!
The Evolution/Revolution of the Utah Liberty Conventions
About 6 years ago, there were a group of people who got together, actually wanting to go back to pre-constitutional convention days, wear the costume, copy the antics, styles, and mannerisms of the founding fathers, pre-dating the actual signing of the U.S. Constitution. Many in this group decided they didn't like the last 17 amendments to the document, and they wanted to go back. As, I sat, at a table, in a room full of about 200 alleged patriots, proposing ideas to circumvent this amendment or that amendment, with their reasons, I decided to refresh myself on exactly what was being rejected here . . . black suffrage, women suffrage or right to vote, 21 year olds voting, senators being appointed by the legislature, rather than the people, immigration issues under the 14th amendment, rebellion against income taxes . . .
There was actually a 24 page, Citizen's Compact, that was proposed, and seriously considered, which was nothing more than the Constitution, with Mormon family home evening vomited all over it! I kept holding up my pocket sized copy of the U.S. Constitution, and say, but what about this, as arguments raged over the newly proposed shadow government and compact . . . nobody listened! This was one crowd, who didn't give attorneys the time of day, no deference and no floor time! I have not been ever more in fear of my life! I begged other attorneys to come with me, and experience this wild political phenomena, I needed another attorney to be hung by the old rafters of the Old State Territorial Statehouse, in Fillmore, Utah.
Surrounded by Anti-Constitutionalists, Anarchists! Help, Mr. Wizard, Scotti, Beam Me Up! I Was Trashed, Couldn't Speak, I Was, None Other Than a Constitutional Law Attorney, and This Crowd Blamed Attorneys for the Down Fall of America!
I sat by two, long haired, documentary movie type looking guys, and said, can you believe this? As I was writing, these are not my people, over and over again, by 9:00 a.m., in fact these are anti-Constitutionalists! These guys told me they were making a film about polygamy, and these are the guys to hang with if or when the shit hits the fan, because they stoke pile food, guns and ammunition . . . what Janet Napolitano considered homegrown terrorists, a month or two later, and I might agree! Homeland Security definition, includes most Mormons who adhere to preparedness admonishments!
There was a guy who had a radio show and was called, Stormin' Mormon, I thought, this guy has got to be somewhat normal to have a listening audience, so I out of the side of my mouth, said . . . can you believe these guys, they want to get rid of the last 17 amendments to the Constitution! He, casually, thought he was putting my mind at ease and said, well, I just have issues with the 15th, 16th, and 17th! So this country, has, relatively speaking, had 238 years of peace, since the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, and these guys want to through all the precedence away, all case law, and start over! Fuck NO!
Like Herding Cats, I Finally Got These Warring Factions, To Agree to Let Me Train Them on the U.S. Constitution . . . It Worked Like Magic, Family Pictures, Anyone!
Okay, so I missed the right convention, but I heard it was 400 screaming men, with a few women, but you were suppose to wear dresses, only . . . I haven't worn a dress, willingly for about 20 years! And I refused to wear one there too, but I did my presentation, as did Steve, a lobbyist, and our presentations dove-tailed perfectly, and the attendees, mellowed out, go what the goals, the ideas, and principles behind the document were, and bought on to it, in spite of their individual issues with that amendment, or this idea. By the end of the day of training, everyone was taking pictures, laughing, getting phone numbers and email addresses . . . seriously, it was like an old fashioned family reunion . . . that was until we got in the car!
Here is how divisive religion can be . . . my friend, Dale Ure, the MC, also the brother of David Ure, whom I knew up at the Utah State Legislature, in my previous life, as an assistant attorney general, were all on a Constitutional high, loving the experience, digging the comradery, and continuing the discussion, which digressed sharply, when the issue or hot topic of polygamy came up . . . big time fighting button for me, as a woman, feminist, activist and woman's rights advocate . . . you see, all alleged active or card carrying Mormons, male and female, know that the principle of polygamy is in current doctrine, even though, not currently practiced . . . but always a looming threat to women, with me seeing and teaching it, as one of the twin relics of barbarism . . . big time split with me and the male patriarchy in the Church, I believe it was man-speak!
I was outnumbered in the car, 3 to 1, and I was standing my ground, not hard for an attorney, and an argument is an automatic invite for a fight . . . so, this guy in the front seat, says, in response to my wall of separation between church and state argument, based on constitutional analysis and interpretation, by the U.S. Supreme Court, was what the freedom of religion clause meant . . . this clown had some lame ass reasoning behind him refusing to buy that . . . another anarchist! Those dirty dozen U.S. Supreme Court case . . . but the point I want to make it, that while we were all basically Mormon, or with those roots, how well, we all got along, when coming to terms with constitutional explanations, based on bottom line principles, concepts, and foundations of understanding; and how quickly things disintegrate, taking out one element of the equation of understanding, the Court!
We Need to Deal in the Totality of the Document! Or We Will Fail to Interpret it Right, Understand the Rational, and We Will Be at Odds Again!
I basically, look at the U.S. Constitution, especially, the Preamble, as the closest we, as humans, with different races, religions, sexes, ages, creeds, etc., can get to heaven . . . being of one heart and one mind, really being able to pull of loving God, because if you can't love a man, who you can see, how can you love a God, you can't see? I believe this document to be inspired, amazing, applicable, more today, than in years passed, and the actual gospel of Jesus Christ, in law and action.
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