A bigger problem than Prop 8

Fundamentally -- I think Prop 8 is illegal.

When laws are created to specifically remove the rights of a group of people -- it's unconstitutional. It's a legal argument that will play out for a long time to come. In my mind -- religion has no place in the laws of man. The two should remain separate and I'm hopeful the courts follow that wisdom by making Prop 8 the unconstitutional law that it's become.

But while the courts wrangle with that elephant, there's a much larger problem in today's society that has gone relatively un-noticed and ignored for quite awhile now. Specifically, it happened in the 2000 and 2004 elections. A movement that was mentioned by name, but never really put under the glass of scrutiny. It's affectionately known as the religious right. A cascading tidal wave of politically motivated campaigns, propositions and referendums. Religion + politics. Oh, I don't think it takes that much of a thinker to see that there could be some real problems with that.

For instance: let's say that one day we get a real radical in the White House. All of a sudden he decides that his native beliefs of Mormonism should be the top religion in the United States. He might actually go as far as to say that all Americans should practice from the fundamentals of Joseph Smith and the other prophets. Would you be offended if he denounces your belief? Don't you think the Catholics may have a word or two to say about this?

That's the problem I have with the founders of Prop 8.

What gave the Mormons the *right* to cross that mythical boundary that separates church and state? Oh, they're just practicing their right to congregate and decide what issues are in their best interests, right? Says them. I don't think I need anyone making that determination for me -- nor do I think it's exceedingly prudent to have any one denomination -- even coupled together on like-minded issues making that determination for America.

Proposition 8 breeds intolerance at a time when it was met against a pretty significant historical precedent wherein the first African American -- despite the enormity of history against the plight of the black man -- was elected to become President of the United States. You'd think that the moment Barack Obama was elected -- the country had officially turned another corner. But when you look back to the west coast -- you've got to wonder what part of the caboose fell off its track.

When I would later learn that it was the churches INVESTING heavily on the California ballot initiative -- my mind went back to 2000 and 2004 all over again. It was the ugliness of the religious right spewing its intolerant hate-filled agenda for the masses to be afraid of the gay man or the gay woman. Who - in this land - has become the likes of God - telling people who they can or can't associate with? Please explain this.

It's the fanatics of the right fringe that thought it was a good idea to try to force feed an initiative in Colorado to determine when the moment "life" began. Even some REPUBLICANS came out against the moment a sperm came in contact with an egg because even THEY realized that this was completely stupid and nuts.

And if anything -- it solidified for me the single premise that religion has a place in our lives -- OUR PRIVATE LIVES -- but it has absolutely no business being in the world of politics. No Church in this land was threatened by homosexuals because there was NO LAW that would mandate every church to marry a gay or lesbian couple in the confines of their sacred ground. No Church was being FORCED to conduct these ceremonies or even RECOGNIZE them within the context of their religious beliefs.

Legalizing gay and lesbian marriages gave basic, human, fundamental RIGHTS to those people who cannot get health care for their loved ones, cannot be by their bedside in their dying moments, cannot adopt children who aren't wanted by hetero-sexual couples and a lot of other basic rights. It had nothing to do with the Church, but the Church made damn sure it had something to do with gay and lesbian relationships.

If folks don't start realizing the problem with mixing religion and the government -- then this is just going to be the small apple on the tree. Unless I missed that day in social studies class -- we have the right in this country to practice our religious beliefs privately and without any such intervention from the government. But that changes when a religious sect (or major denomination) decides that their beliefs somehow stand above all others. Oh - Christians and Catholics may be on the same side of Mormons on this go'round ... but there's a reason why we have so many different forms of Christianity in this country. That's why there's so many different points of view in how the basic fundamental practice of God and Jesus in the lives of Americans will eventually cause that "unity of spirit" to be looked at with scorn and then we'll have a much bigger problem on our hands.

Just look at the "holy war" that goes on the moment you mention the phrase: "Merry Christmas." That's pretty darn offensive to the Jewish faith, no? Isn't that why they have at least extended the "Happy Holidays" greeting instead -- so that it doesn't tread on their belief structure? So then why are the likes of Bill O'Reilly and other religious fanatics say they are for Israel, but dammit - it's always going to be "Merry Christmas."

Oh - no one considers the big "problems" with religion and government. That's why we still have ongoing issues with school prayer, the 10 commandments and holiday displays that constantly tax our court systems. Already -- there's a lot of uneasiness between our various religious sects and this doesn't even begin to account for the incredible fear generated by the far right religious fanatics when they tried to invoke the fear of Islam with Obama during the recent Presidential Election. So you seriously can't believe that we're all living in peaceful, spiritual harmony from shore to shore.

The Mormons took it upon themselves to overturn a law that was voted in BY the people of California legalizing gay and lesbian marriages. I'm sorry -- but the moment a church -- any church decides that they have the "right" to politicize their agenda (ahem ... erm) beliefs on the rest of us -- resonates a clear and present danger to our democracy. What gave the Mormons the "right" to decide what MY belief should be? What gives the Mormons the "right" to create laws to govern how *I* choose to live my life?

From where I stand -- if a church wants to go ahead and start politicizing their points of view in the form of propositions and laws -- then I think it's time to taxing these churches for crossing a very visible line between church and state. The Mormons had every right to do what they did in California -- and we have every right to tax every single cent they bring in and make this a tax-revenue machine for our ailing economy. It's time that these religions realize that their "safe haven" status has officially ended the moment they got involved in the political process in this country.

When Churches have PAID STAFF to work the Proposition, or a candidate -- then they have done more than just "suggest" that their congregation support a cause or a person -- they've crossed that line by a few hundred miles by the looks of it.

Let's just hope that someone in the process has the courage to see it as well -- and finally do something about it.