WHAT IS A "SECULAR STATE?" I OFFERED THE FOLLOWING SHORT ANSWER TO A QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED ON QUORA.COM.

 

A “SECULAR STATE” in general, is a form of Government that does not allow Religious Faith or Dogma to be the basis for its Social or Legal System.

That does not mean that there is no RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, but that FREEDOM is for personal Worship, and is not ALLOWED TO BECOME PUBLIC POLICY.

A System of ETHICS AND MORAL ABSOLUTES IS CREATED APART FROM FAITH BASED SYSTEMS. WHY? RELIGIOUS FAITH, BY ITS VERY NATURE, IS ACCEPTED WITHOUT QUESTION. There is no need to justify it to others, for the belief itself is not questioned by the individual.

Certain Concepts, such as the Idea of HUMAN OR CITIZEN RIGHTS, MANIFESTED IN LAWS THAT CREATE SUCH ETHICAL “GOODS” as Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Choice, Freedom to Assemble.,etc, cannot be guaranteed, or in some cases even allowed, IN A FAITH-BASED SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.

QUITE SIMPLY, IN A SECULAR STATE ALL EXISTING LAWS CAN BE CREATED OR ALTERED BY THE GENERAL CIVIL POPULATION. IN A FAITH-BASED SYSTEM THAT POWER EXISTS ONLY WITH THE RELIGIOUS HIERARCHY.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: RECIPE FOR A FASCIST PRESIDENCY: HATE, IGNORANCE, DECEIT, AND A BOGUS ELECTION.

 

How many Times have you seen or heard a Politician reiterate support for a Particular Side of an Issue, but later shift, alter, or completely change the reason for continuing that support? Do we find that such a change causes an immediate uproar among the Politicians Supporters, who shift Their Allegiance Elsewhere?

To a Minor Degree that does occur, but on the whole, the vast majority remain loyal to the Candidate, just switching one explanation for another.

This seems to indicate a Certain Mindset that most POLITICIANS, VOTERS, AND THE NEWS MEDIA REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE DUE TO THE SHORT AND LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS:

THAT MANY AMERICANS ARE LOOKING FOR AN "EXCUSE" TO JUSTIFY THE OPINIONS THEY HAVE ON CERTAIN ISSUES.  IN OTHER WORDS, THE CONCLUSIONS BEING MADE ON PARTICULAR ISSUES ARE NOT THE RESULT OF INTELLECTUAL REFLECTION, LOOKING AT ALL SIDES OF AN ISSUE WITH AN OPEN MIND, BUT WITH PREDETERMINED CONCLUSIONS BASED ON IRRATIONAL ARGUMENTS, WHICH ARE BUILT UPON UNWARRANTED, FALSE, AND MISLEADING PREMISES AND DATA.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

THIS IS THE REASONING THAT GIVES US POLITICIANS LIKE DONALD TRUMP, AND IS ONE OF THE TWO MAIN REASONS THAT HE NOW OCCUPIES THE WHITE HOUSE;                                                                       

1) THE RIGGING/ALTERING OF FINAL VOTE TOTALS IN CERTAIN STATES TO GIVE HIM AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE VICTORY. 

2) GIVING EVERY HATE GROUP ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS TO JUSTIFY THEIR VIEWPOINTS. THESE WERE USED WHEN INTERACTING WITH THE MEDIA, OR ANSWERING QUESTIONS POSED BY POLITICAL OPPONENTS.  

AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST, THESE "EXPLANATIONS" WORK IF YOUR OPPONENTS, OR THOSE WHO COVER AND REPORT THE NEWS, LACK THE MORAL COURAGE AND/OR INTELLECTUAL DISCIPLINE  TO CHALLENGE THE OFTEN BOGUS, FALSE, OR INACCURATE CONCLUSIONS BEING MADE TO PROMOTE AN AGENDA OF HATE...

...AND IT SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE AN ELECTION, NOT AFTER...  

HOW LOW WILL MAGGATS SINK TO AID FASCIST DEMAGOGUE TRUMP? SEE THE NEW AD CIRCULATING ON THE INTERNET.

THIS IS NOT A JOKE. THE FOLLOWING INFO. WAS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM AN AD CURRENTLY RUNNING ON THE WEB.

Patriots, this is not a drill! We've just unveiled the MAGA Patriot AR-15 - the rifle Trump would choose to defend America.

We've crafted a collector’s edition, legacy AR-15 that will outlast generations:

• Exclusive Trump-commemorative design!

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...AND NO, I AM NOT GOING TO PROVIDE ANY INFO. ON ORDERING THIS ABOMINATION, NOR REVEAL THE NAME OF THE MANUFACTURER. I HAVE THE ENTIRE AD DOWNLOADED IF NEEDED.

A TRIP TO GETTYSBURG, AND WHAT IT MEANT TO ME. AN UPDATE AND HISTORICAL REMINDER.

 

UPDATE- I had hoped that my thoughts on A visit to the GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD might cause Progressives, Historians, and Pennsylvanians to look more closely at Donald Trumps Rambling and Incoherent speech about this most important of Civil War Battles. I was wrong.

I am not going to reprint the entire speech, it is easily available online. I wanted to quote the following:

"AND THE STATEMENT OF ROBERT E. LEE, WHO'S NO LONGER IN FAVOR- DID YOU EVER NOTICE IT? NEVER FIGHT UPHILL ME BOYS, NEVER FIGHT UPHILL..."

So Trump decides to misquote the CONFEDERATE GENERAL who lost the Battle, while seeming to wonder why he is no longer very popular. 

Guess what? There were two COMMANDING GENERALS AT GETTYSBURG. LEE, AND THE LEADER OF THE VICTORIOUS UNION FORCES: GEORGE GORDON MEADE. What seems to be ignored is the following- He was born into a PHILADELPHIA FAMILY, AND BEGAN HIS CIVIL WAR SERVICE AS A GENERAL IN THE PENNSYLVANIA RESERVES. A SON OF THE QUAKER STATE WINS THE BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT BATTLE OF THE WAR, IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND TRUMP TALKS ABOUT THE DEFEATED GENERAL FIGHTING TO SAVE SLAVERY.

Perhaps you can explain to me why this fact has been ignored by TRUMPS OPPONENTS, ESPECIALLY NATIVE DEMOCRATS AND PROGRESSIVES IN PENN.

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Thoughts after my trip to GETTYSBURG.

"When you go home, tell them of us and say,

for their tomorrow, we gave our today."

- John Maxwell Edmonds.

As I walked the Fields and Grounds where so many died to preserve

and defend the Greatest Political Experiment in Human History, and

end an Indefensible Evil, the above words kept coming back to me. Yes, they 

were written after the American Civil War, and have applications to many

conflicts, but they mean so much given the upcoming U.S. Election.

My God, to think of the Sacrifice so many have made over the course of U.S.

History being Ignored and Rejected by the idea of placing a Convicted Criminal

and Traitor who tried to overthrow the U.S. CONSTITUTION AND A LEGALLY

ELECTED GOVERNMENT IS BEYOND DISTURBING. IT IS VILE AND DISGUSTING.

Remembering the Honored Fallen is more than just something that should be recognized

a few days on the Calendar. It is preserving the Rights, Protections, and Freedoms that

was worth giving all that they had to give.

DON'T LET THEM DOWN.