With all of the controversy in these days about Obamacare’s measure about contraception, I think it’s more important to take a step back and look at what really does separation of church and state mean? People are quick to claim this constitutional truth, but I think really many have no idea why the Founding Fathers put it in there and instead want to interpret it or manipulate it for their gain.
In the 1500′s the Holy Roman Empire was the most powerful empire in Europe. The Roman Catholic church was the government and the church. This led to a lot of corrupt practices such as the selling of indulgences for people’s “salvation”, forcing people to convert to Catholicism (what happened in Latin America) and many other things. Then, in the 1600′s in what is now the UK, many people were persecuted for not belonging to the Church of England. As a result many set sail for the New World to seek freedom from this persecution to be able to practice what they believed (puritans and pilgrims).
When the Constitution was written, the Founding Fathers did not want people to feel the persecution that people felt from England or previously the Holy Roman Empire. So they decided to make the creative decision to separate these powers. That the church shouldn’t govern state affairs, but I think what is missed today and overlooked too often, is that the government shouldn’t interfere in church affairs. In order for the separation of powers to work, the government has to allow the church to practice what it believes (short of disobeying common sense laws like robbery, murder, adultery, etc.).
And this is why I have a problem with what the new measure of Obamacare seeks to do in forcing religious institutions to pay for something they don’t believe in, contraception. This is government meddling explicitly in church affairs. People have a right to this freedom to practice their religion without compromise, otherwise it’s not religion. There are some who make the argument that supporting a war via taxes that one doesn’t believe in is the same thing. I can see where they are coming from, but wars have always been state affairs as are taxes. For the record, I’d reckon there are lots of things our taxes pay for that we wouldn’t approve of. It’s like saying I don’t want to pay taxes because Congress is irresponsible. While we may not agree with their decisions, it’s the price of our citizenship.
Now don’t get me wrong. This Obamacare measure is not trampling on some fundamental of Christianity or Catholicism that will change the way we practice religion in a profound way and were it just for that, I don’t think people would be protesting so much. What is bothersome and worrying is that the government after over 220 years of freedom of religion would seek to challenge that right and cross a line that could lead to other things that maybe are more damaging, such as censorship of pastors.
This is why I strongly support the Manhattan Declaration and what it stands for above all – religious freedom. As a missionary, someone who is actively seeking to share the Gospel with others, I know there is nothing I can say to force people to believe me. It has to be spirit led, and something that God works in people’s lives. God never intended Christianity to be something forced upon people, but chosen out of love for who He is and the relationship He offers. While I don’t agree with those who practice other religions, I still love them, and it doesn’t offend me that they practice their beliefs, it just saddens me more than anything. I would urge you, regardless of what you believe, if you believe in religious freedom to sign the Manhattan Declaration and the petition to be sent to President Obama to overturn the healthcare measure requiring religious institutions to pay for contraception for their employees.
