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margarita_momma · Mar 18, 2008, 10:00 AM

We are voting on a new mayor in April for our small town. One of the candidates in particular I am not very found of. He just released his candidate profile and included the below paragraph:

"Another important goal I have concerns our Christian beliefs. I want all the Christian organizations in (city name) to declare and baptize the city of (city name) as a Christian community. Then I want to encourage the same distinction in neighboring towns. I am a strong believer in God, and it is thanks to Him, that I have been successful in business, community, and family life."

Is it legal for him to mix religion with politics? He can't really symbolically "baptize" our town as a Christian community, right? He has a lot of pull in this town to get elected next month so I am a little nervous about it. :confused:

ebaines · Mar 18, 2008, 10:26 AM

This guy sounds like a nut. I don't know about the legality of "baptizing" a city as a christian community, whatever that means. I would think he (and the city) would be ripe for a lawsuit by any resident who objects to being forced to be part of a "christian community," or who objects to the city wasting its resources on this idiocy.

tomder55 · Mar 18, 2008, 10:30 AM

Yes it is . There are communities all over the country that have a commonality in the religion of the inhabitance. The Amish ,and Orthodox Jewish communities come to mind. The 1st Amendment was to protect the us from the national government imposing and establishing a state church . It was intended to protect religion from government and not the other way around .

What is the composition of your town ? Would you say the majority of your town agrees with him ? Also his gesture seems pretty meaningless to me except for some feel good symbolism . Why does it make you nervous ?

margarita_momma · Mar 18, 2008, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by tomder55

\What is the composition of your town? Would you say the majority of your town agrees with him ? Also his gesture seems pretty meaningless to me except for some feel good symbolism . Why does it make you nervous ?

The town is mixed between catholics, lutherans, baptists and non-believers. I would say there are a lot more catholic/lutheran people than the others. I have spoken with some other citizens who are religious. I get a lot of mixed opinions on the matter. Some say it's a great and wonderful idea and he is such a great man for even thinking of the idea... blah blah blah. Then the others feel that even though they are christians, church and state should not be mixed, period.

It makes me nervous because I am not a religious person. I have no problem living around people that believe in religion but to say that our entire community is a christian city is insane.

Skell · Mar 18, 2008, 03:56 PM

Lucky for you at this stage he is only a candidate. You have your chance to make sure it stays that way by not voting for him!

RickJ · Mar 19, 2008, 05:22 AM

Indeed he sounds like a whacko.

I think legally speaking he is OK to say what he did.

... but a city cannot be baptised - and even "symbolic Baptism" is a ridiculous idea. I think that all he gained by saying that is a loss with the vote.

excon · Mar 19, 2008, 07:13 AM

Hello momma:

There's another thread going on here right now about Obama's church leader. There are those who complain that he's a separatist - that his church teaches division instead of togetherness...

These white old men are blind to the fact that their own churches teach division, just like your candidate is doing. They don't know that they're doing that... I have no idea WHY they don't know that, but it's clear that they don't.

excon

PS> I'm going to post this on both threads.

PPS> Don't vote for the guy.

PPPS> Christians, please explain to me how declaring this nation to be a Christian nation is NOT separatist!!

jillianleab · Mar 19, 2008, 08:24 AM

He can call your town whatever he wants, but he can't force people to call it that, or act in the way he wants.

For example he can't make a town law that everyone must go to church on Sundays, or that everyone must say a prayer of thanks before eating a meal. He also can't make a law prohibiting services for people who are not Christian.

But as Tom said, if the ACLU catches wind of it and threatens a lawsuit, the guy will probably back down.

talaniman · Mar 19, 2008, 09:33 AM

I think he is pandering for votes from his religious people. You sure he is running for mayor, and not preacher?

RickJ · Mar 19, 2008, 10:14 AM

I'm a religious person.
I'd never vote for him or the likes of him :)
He gives Christians a bad name :(

Dark_crow · Mar 19, 2008, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by excon

Hello momma:

PPPS> Christians, please explain to me how declaring this nation to be a Christian nation is NOT separatist!!!!!!!!

Have you considered a new name for yourself... Humpty Dumpty
Has it ever occurred to you that words have meaning aside from what you want them to have? Reminds me …... `When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean

margarita_momma · May 28, 2008, 09:49 AM

Thought you guys might want an update:

The guy running for Mayor who I described won the election.

It was a sad, sad day for our town.

RickJ · May 28, 2008, 09:53 AM

I am a "rabid" conservative Christian... but even so think that yes, it is a sad day for your town. We can only hope that those surrounding him help him "see the light".

DaBaAd · May 28, 2008, 03:25 PM

It is pure religious propaganda that is accepted more within the Bible belt of the country. This advertisement is an attempt to convince the religious to vote for him instead of making a valid political move. Unfortunately, if you live in a conservative religious community, they will buy into his agenda.

margarita_momma · May 29, 2008, 06:07 AM

Most people in this town think of him as some kind of Saint. He has hung pictures of Jesus on the Cross and other various religious pictures all over city hall which I find very disturbing. That is a public office and it is just wrong to do such a thing in my opinion.

purplewings · May 29, 2008, 04:17 PM

Usually this kind of move wouldn't be attempted until after the election. Lucky for you and many others, you can NOT vote for him.

To state it's a Christian community is an affront to all Jews, Hindus, Buddhist, Muslims, and other religions. We don't usually - or decently do that to an entire town, although all religious groups can certainly have their own community areas.

In response to excon's reply... it is certainly separatist. Another example of this below:

I worked in a church office for over 8 years and one day received an urgent call from a parishioner who planned to attend a prayer service at another orthodox church. She needed to speak to our priest to determine what to do about prayers since there would be non-orthodox persons praying at this service and the holy writings say an orthodox should never pray with a non-orthodox.

Amazing!