Blogging Against Theocracy

There's a great project going on this weekend run by a group called First Freedom First.

Here (as initially posted on GvD) is my small contribution to it.

OK, so nobody commented much on Mr Deity. I hope that at least some of you watched it (it really is one of the better pieces of humour out there).

But since I've gone through the tremendous effort of learning how to embed video on this here blog (through an intricate process I like to refer to as 'cut and paste'), I've decided to share something else with you. A little more serious this time.

Many of you will have noticed that i sometimes refer to the US half-jokingly as the United Theocracy of Amerika. The fact is, it scares me how some people have been playing the whole "we're the dominant religious group so we should get to impose our values on everyone" game. And worse is how successful some of these people have been in recent years. How many times have people justified actions such as spending public money on religious displays? How many people have been knocked back for publicly funded jobs or deemed a security risk because they don't follow the 'proper' god? And how often have these behaviours been justified with the cry of 'amerika is a xian nation'? Separation of church and state is under threat as it has been like no time in recent history. Don't even make me mention Terry Schiavo.

As a non-believer, this has always given me pause, but the reality is that even believers should be concerned about this too. Separation of church and state protects you guys as much as it does me. There's a reason that not only was this right included in the ole bill o' rights, but was put out there as NUMBER ONE! The founders (and yes, most of them (though not by any means all) were very religious) knew how important this was. They'd seen what happens when the church and state are one and the same and it ain't pretty. We know this mixing is a bad idea when we see it in places like Iran? Why can't more people see that it's still a bad idea?

That's why I found this video to be a hopeful sign.





OK, so the music might not be to everyone's taste, but i think the message is spot on.

What is perhaps the most important thing about this though, is that this group, First Freedom First is a joint initiative of religious types (the interfaith alliance) and secularists (americans united for separation of church and state).

I've always said that people certainly have the right to practice their faith. I long for the day when everyone realises that that same basic right applies to those of us without one (or, to use an oft repeated phrase - freedom of religion also includes freedom from religion).

It's not so bad here in oz, but you'd think that america could figure this out too. Maybe, if groups like this gain traction, they will.

(note: cross posted on AAiM)