Australia’s biggest piracy racket worth $21m

a reply to: schuyler

Yeah. have to agree with you - what influence does Trump legislation have over illegal DVD selling in Australia -

go America!!!! Its all about the USA!!!!

a reply to: markosity1973

And I am saying why would he do such a thing when Christianity is far from lily white itself?

Thats as silly as saying all Christian churches should be judged by some Christian group in Africa that still practices cannibalism as part of their Eucharist - rather silly isn't it?

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

My question is why do we still have democracy in America. Look at Mali!

Why are we discussing stuff in other countries in order to make a post about America?

a reply to: markosity1973
My turn

I am simply stating that we have separation of religion and state for very good reason. Here is one such example.

What country do you live in ? And dont say "we"
Climb down off your mule , Don Quixote , and stop jousting windmills.

originally posted by: markosity1973
a reply to: sputniksteve

Ahh, you did not get the point of the OP.

Perhaps let me explain again.

Trump has a draft bill in the United States that will allow people to discriminate freely based upon religious belief. It will also repeal laws that have stopped Christian groups from lobbying and pushing political candidates through.

The connection between the two is I am pointing out one example of what religious people do (yes, from Australia, not USA only because it popped up in my newsfeed and made me think about this Executive Order that Trump is considering)

The point I am trying to make is that these religious types (ones in leadership more than the average parishioner I might add) are often less than savoury characters. So why would we give greater power to them?

I could also reference the Vatican and say how many terrible things it has done over time. Or I could reference Robert Tilton, a world famous charismatic Televangelist who fell from grace in the 1990's when it was revealed he was making over $80,000,000 per year, living in absolute opulence all the while taking donations from his victims and simply tossing their prayer requests into a dumpster. There are so many American examples I could reference it is not funny. The Aussie guy is just the latest in a long line of misbehaving ministers.

Please stop focusing on the Australian story. It is just one example that links to a different topic.

You are asking to stop focusing on the topic of the thread, and instead focus on an American politician?

Knock yourself out Markosity.

originally posted by: markosity1973

originally posted by: schuyler

What does Trump have to do with this? How many churches run criminal scams in their basements? Will Trump's policies suddenly cause a crime wave by churches? It's not a Trump issue, guy. You're obsessed. Give it a rest.

Some of history's biggest con men have graced the pulpits of the world. Giving such people access to political power is not a good thing.

Some of history's biggest con men have included people from various and diverse professions -- i.e., humans in general. Does that mean that in general, no people should be given access to political power?

Accountants probably make up a large percentage of embezzlers. Does that mean accountants should be barred from having political power?

I am simply stating that we have separation of religion and state for very good reason. Here is one such example.

The reason for the separation of church and state was NOT because the people writing the constitution thought religious leaders were more apt to act unlawful. The separation of church and state is for two reasons:

1. To prevent a state-sanctioned religion from dominating the laws of the land, considering that not every citizen would necessarily be of that (or any) religion.

and, just as importantly

2. To protect the rights of people to freely follow what ever religion they choose (within reasonable secular laws) without the government telling them how to do so.


In the U.S. Constitution, there are two distinct points in that "separation of church and state" clause.

There's this:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,...

But then this immediately follows:
...or prohibiting the free exercise thereof


So the 1st amendment protects the government from religion, but it also protects religion from government.