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walkingman

(10,807 posts)
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 12:53 PM Jan 2025

Texas GOP chair claims church-state separation is a myth

Texas GOP chair claims church-state separation is a myth as lawmakers, pastors prep for “spiritual battle”

“There is no separation between church and state,” Republican Party of Texas Chair Abraham George said at a small rally with clergy and GOP lawmakers. “We don’t want the government in our churches, but we should be in the government.”

Polling from the Public Religion Research Institute found that more than half of Republicans adhere to or sympathize with pillars of Christian nationalism, including that the U.S. should be a strictly Christian nation. Of those respondents, roughly half supported having an authoritarian leader who maintains Christian dominance in society. Experts have also found strong correlations between Christian nationalist beliefs and opposition to immigration, racial justice and religious diversity.

The party’s embrace of those separate-but-overlapping ideologies has come as it has increasingly aligned with far-right megadonors Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, two West Texas oil billionaires who have sought to cleanse the Texas GOP of moderate voices and push their hardline religious views.

Such claims have been used as the pretext for a litany of bills and reforms that would further infuse Christianity into public life. During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers passed a law allowing unlicensed chaplains to supplant counselors in public schools; sought to weaken Texas’ constitutional ban on providing taxpayer money to religious institutions, a core plank of the school voucher movement; and almost passed a bill that would require the Ten Commandments to be posted in public school classrooms.

One of his movement’s ultimate goals, he said Tuesday, is to draw a lawsuit that they can eventually take to the U.S. Supreme Court, which they believe will ultimately overturn the prohibition and unleash a new wave of conservative, Christian activism.

_____________________________________

I honestly believe that in present day Texas, a majority of Texans would be fine if we lived in a Christian theocracy.


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ck4829

(37,677 posts)
1. Yeah, we already tried no-separation of church and state, the church-state puts rocks on a guy until he died.
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 01:00 PM
Jan 2025

This is what No Separation of Church and State gets you.

I don't want the police busting down your door and accusing you of a crime because someone saw you do it in a dream, I'll pass.

surfered

(13,347 posts)
3. This Constitutionally ignorant man should read President Jefferson's letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 01:06 PM
Jan 2025

JCMach1

(29,197 posts)
6. FAFO... Someone is eventually going to get their panties in a wad
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 01:26 PM
Jan 2025

Because the praying isn't the 'right' one.

Separation of Church and State? Oh yes, there are very good and thoughtful reasons you idiots.

Emile

(42,182 posts)
7. A lot of the founding fathers were liberal diests,
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 01:26 PM
Jan 2025

not Christian. The Founding Fathers were influenced by deist thought, which values reason over dogma. They believed that a person's faith should not be interfered with by the government.

bluesbassman

(20,383 posts)
8. "We don't want the government in our churches, but we should be in the government."
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 01:34 PM
Jan 2025

Of course you don’t you hypocritical son of a bitch! Then we might hold you accountable for all those tax free dollars and shine some bright lights on the sleazy “youth programs” y’all been running.

CousinIT

(12,516 posts)
9. Then it's time for the goddamned churches to PAY TAXES.
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 01:34 PM
Jan 2025

Churches want to meddle in government affairs? THEN THEY SHOULD PAY taxes.

Walleye

(44,719 posts)
10. None of them should ever take an oath to protect the constitution, because they don't believe in it
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 02:31 PM
Jan 2025

walkingman

(10,807 posts)
11. I'm replying to my own post because I am cannot add anything constructive
Wed Jan 15, 2025, 09:10 PM
Jan 2025

to the comments. It is obvious to me that this is wrong and goes against everything that was considered "normal" in the past. But when you have a State government that sole intent is to use religion as a shield for all of their terrible decisions this is what you get.

The talking point of the GOP these days is to end any statement with "All glory belongs to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His grace and mercy abounds each day. May His will be done" or something similar, and that justifies everything they do or propose.

In a political party where decisions and actions are governed by religion, everything else, including the people they represent, becomes secondary.

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