tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112965032011-04-21T19:57:39.265-05:00A small town Republican who is in a management role within a municipal Fire EMS System, will discuss some issues related to my job, and daily life.FF/EMTPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08369878365386922666noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11296503.post-1110232222007817362005-03-07T14:52:00.000-06:002005-03-07T15:50:22.010-06:00United States Constitution Amendment 1 (1791)"<strong>Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of of religion, or prohibiting the exercise thereof;</strong> or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievance. <br /><br />Nowhere in the above amendment does it state that the church is separate from the State, or Government. I interpret the amendment as, the government will not designate one religion to be the official religion of the United States, and the people of the United States can exercise the customs and beliefs of the religion they choose as free people.<br /><br />As a municipal employee of the Catholic religion who wears a St. Florian chain as it is the patron saint of firefighters, are those who believe there should be a separation between Church and State do I need to take my chain off while on duty? Wouldn't that be you prohibiting the exercise of my religion?<br /><br />Religion is defined as: An acknowledgement of our obligation to God; Practical Piety; devotion; any system of faith or worship.(New Expanded Webster's Dictionary 1991 Edition). Atheist, one who disbelieves the existence of God.(New Expanded Webster's Dictionary 1991 Edition). Agnostic, one who disclaims any knowledge of God or of anything but material phenomena.(New Expanded Webster's Dictionary 1991 Edition). God, the supreme being; a divinity; a deity.(New Expanded Webster's Dictionary 1991 Edition). <br /><br />So, we have learned a religion needs a God,(Note: no formal name),with a system of faith and worship. Atheist is not a religion because there is no God nor form of worship, Agnostic disclaim the existence of God, God exists they choose not to believe, and they have no form of worship, so both atheist and Agnostic people have no religion. The First Amendment would not cover the Agnostics nor the atheists and the atheists and Agnostics cannot force the people who believe and worship a God to not practice their religions. <br /><br />The idea of making Government take the word God or any hint there of, out of Government items is ludicrous. I have seen the President of the United States Pray, some Government functions start with Prayer and there is no place in the first Amendment that states it is wrong to have God and Government together. Noone is forcing anyone to believe in one religion and there is noone that is forcing anyone to practice a religion.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/11296503-111023222200781736?l=rwffems.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>FF/EMTPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08369878365386922666noreply@blogger.com13